drunkcyclist2

Ravenglass to Robin Hoods Bay offroad 4-8th July

Words by Alex, Photos were a team effort

Full set of photos : https://flic.kr/s/aHsmF9nmjX

A trip with it’s origins in some pub conversations by Eric, Alex, Pete and TJ anticipating more availability this summer as more folk slide into the third age. As it turned out lots of folk were keen to join in, and a full Minibus assist logistics and accommodation plan was needed!

Route planned (and reconnoitred) by Eric including accommodation stops.

A battered but reliable Keele students minibus with roofrack, organised by TJ and driven en route by Adrian.

Crew: Eric, El Pres, TJ, Butty, Troll, Slim, Stunt, Dr S, Lee (3,4,5), Adrian

Overview:

Day 0 Meet at TJ’s for van loading and overnight at Dewhurst towers

Day 1 Drive to Ravenglass, over Harta Fell & Walna Scar into Coniston

Day 2 Grizedale, Stavely, Whin Fell, Tebay ,Smafell to Kirby Stephen.

Day 3 Tan Hill, Swaledale, Richmond

Day 4 Vale of York, Ingleby Arncliffe, Scugdale, Chop Gate, Round Hill, Farndale moor, Danby High moor, Glaisdale moor, Gaisdale.

Day 5 East Arcliffe Woods, Egton Bridge, Esk Valley walk to Ruswarp, The Cinder Track to Robin Hoods Bay, then back up it to Whitby.

Notes:

Day 0 and the sun shone as we assembled at TJ’s and the first group discussion of the trip….seats out of the minibus to make a better cargo bay?

We had the torx head (eventually) but it rapidly became clear that these bolts were most likely rusted to the van floor, plan B = more bikes on the roof rack. The Aldi special towball rack worked rather well for a further 2 on the back.

Gear stowed, a lunch chilli and pittas from Enid to begin the carbo loading!

Beer in the coolbox buried under bags, and an early services stop required to release it and start the tour in style!

We are greeted by Team Dewhurst..which now included Sidney the ginger tom (who is helps himself to the tortillas!), fabulous lasagne, a selection of Stavely glelatos (simply amazing!) and firebowl in the garden, with lashings of beer/wine/whiskey…It’s so nice TJ & butty sleep outside.

Day 1 dawns to the traditional faffing, and an urgent need for TJ to find a dentist to glue back a crown! After a suitably superb breakfast, Kendal provides the professional services needed, whilst the rest of the team pause at the motor museum cafe. Fully functional TJ rejoins and we carry on to Ravenglass..which is a long way on little roads, with slow moving vehicles.

In the station car park we finally get the bikes together, buy some sarnies, admire the little steam engines, and over 24 hours since TJ’s we turn the first pedals!

Dipping our back wheels in the Irish sea we are off!!

The first miles are mostly on undulating double track, past (and through) golf courses, woods and fields, accompanied by the occasional toots of the steam railway, and the buzz of insects and the calls of birds.

Within 40 mins our first faff, El Pres’ front mech won’t behave, and whilst we stand round, eat our sandwiches and offer advice, Butty discovers a hidden lockout that seems to have been activated in transit!

Back underway, we start to climb a little through sheep pastures, with some pretty Herdwicks here and there. Soon we are at the start of the Hardknott pass, but the road would be too easy! So its the start of the pushing as we take the bridleway up Harta Fell on the right hand side. Care is needed on the descent, as the long grass hides plenty of big rocks and ruts. Full Suss is definitely the right choice here. Soon we are walking downhill as the boulders and roots in the woods are mostly unrideable.

A first river crossing, with a single steel hawser to aid you as you carry your bike from boulder to boulder (actually its more of a hindrance!). Phil finds he has a puncture as we push up the other side, to find this section is signposted the Fickle Steps…how appropriate. Tyre repaired with extra care so we don’t crush any wild orchids.

Escaping the bity bugs in the bracken, its a short road section to the Walna Scar ascent, which is wide, rocky steep and a long long push. Clouds are caressing the tops of the crags, and the breeze is welcome to cool hot heads. We exhaust the gummy bears before the top.

Coniston and views to Morecombe bay as we regroup, layer up and snack up before the decent. What a downhill, rocky twisty but apart from a couple of big steps all good riding!!

Its too much for El Pres’s tyre though, and a snakebite stops him part way down, and then again shortly after as the two patched spare tube also gives way!!

By 7 we are in Coniston, and work out whom it going to be in which pub, and where the bikes can be stored (which takes some negotiation!)

Coniston Bluebird ale seems appropriate, and the food is demolished speedily..the waiter impressed by how clean our plates are! Two beers good, we retire to bed at sensible o’clock.

Day 2

A lot more ground to cover today, but our start is hampered by the fact that Coniston only breakfasts from 8:30am…and that El Pres now four patched tube has given up the ghost overnight, cursing is involved as the first new tube gets nicked by the tyre lever, but on the second attempt we are good to go!

A road climb out (all too soon after a hearty breakfast!) but from then on its excellent red runs, and bridleways pretending to be red runs, for lots of whoopy swoopy fun! (Despite the best efforts of a local rider to put us off course). We’ve just missed the ferry, which means there is time to sample the rather good coffee and flapjacks from the hut (and pump tyres up after the downhilling). We have accommodation envy after chatting with a chap C2Cing on a road bike who is staying somewhere with a pool in Kirby Stephen!

Roads and lanes to Staveley, lunchtime sausage rolls in the yard by the brewery (and the odd purchase from the bike shop..more tubes in particular). Adrian bumps into a Mountain Rescue mate, and we divert to the Tower to have one last taste of the gelato 🙂

Rolling countryside now, dairy farms, and hayfields, with the two masts of Whin Fell our next target. This climb is on an access road, which is long and hard, but is the big evil done for the day. The decent is big and grassy all the way to the M6 so we do get a decent payback.

Its a weird parallel world of remote cottages and farms next to the whining rumbling motorway and railway. We cross the river on a footbridge, pass the back of the Southbound services, and take the B road to Orton cafe.

Eric takes a tumble in the village a few hundred yards short, and the cafe staff are wonderful in bringing lashings of tea and cake (for tired and sweaty riders) all with a smile despite closing in only 15 mins.

Ah the restorative properties of the humble tea leaf, we still have 10 miles to go and the small matter of Smafell till our destination. But the sun is shining, and the route takes us over scenic and fast running tracks across moors, haybaling in the fields, and hedgerow snickets. TJ’s cassette has to be cut out of loose grass that flicks into the drivechain at the wrong moment.

Eric has mentioned that Smafell will require some pushing, but thankfully its only a short section, before we are riding over the grass up and over, then a fast drop into the town, and the converted chapel that is the independent hostel for another 7pm finish.

Those who turn round quick get a swift pint in the L’al Nook, before we regroup at the Black Bull for dinner. Due to a wedding party, and poker night being on in the main bar (certainly it was noisy!) we are served beer at the table, with the calorie burn demanding starter, main and pudding!

Back in the hostel plum gin, and some more of the Irish for a nightcap.

Day 3 very cute dog helps us with breakfast, but despite and 8am slot, we don’t seem to get going any earlier. The weather is still decent, with some overnight rain now wetting Lee on his way up to join us.

A backlanes climb until the road runs out, past a farmer swearing at some runaway ewes! An we try to imagine the wooden viaduct that Eric informs us was here (and the largest on the rail network don’t you know!). We follow the bridleway down to another river crossing, past a field of cows with bored bull, and then onto the moor proper. The definition of bridleway here seems to be…its a moor choose any route you like…there is no path disernable, and we end up wading through waist high grass and thistles across and up to the road. Lots of trail mix (and Lee’s haribos) to recover.

B road takes us to Britains Highest Pub at Tan Hill, but not before sneakily dipping down a couple of times to give us some more climbing.

Coffee and Scones with Jam and Cream make it all worth while, and plenty to observe, from the little old motorbike club, blingy campers, the 40th birthday walk of ladies with star shaped ballons, and the tracked vehicle being mounted on rocks as an advertisment. Despite being a sunny July day, the fire is on in the pub!

Given the bustle at the pub, we worry about walkers on the pennine way we are about to take down into Swaledale…we shouldn’t have…its a clear run down the good bits, before it levels out, and we do pass the groups meandering down.

Wide trail heading down is good for the average speed, and swaledale is good for the eyes, tis a very picture postcard type place.

We end up on a minor road which has the cheek to climb up the valley side for quite a while getting us hot and hungry, leaving Adrian (who has ridden with us from the pub) to head back up on the roads, we take the swale trail, and are rewarded soon enough by a tea rooms with a cyclists menu! Pints of tea and the sausage and onion baguette are precisely what we need! Bonus penny farthing on the wall upstairs.

We carry on the trail closer to the valley floor, by the river, and it continues to run fast and easy, with gate protocol keeping our team moving smoothly.

Sadly we say goodbye to Swaledale, and the wiggles to Richmond take us past ruined abbeys, steep tracks between stone walled fields, some minor roads, and the tops of hills looking towards sometimes cliff sided valleys. The route takes us around the worst of the lumpy bits, but still is up and down though fields and woods before we finally see Richmond below us at 6ish.

Tonight we in the Black Lion (is there any other coloured animal??), and after failing to find the keys to at least 3 lockable spaces, the staff offer us the laundry room for the bikes. With tomorrow being our longest day, we invoke the no showers before bikes are fettled rule, (beer and snacks may have been involved). Dinner at 8 as usual, (which is a bit tight for Troll and the food shoppers who have procured the provisions for tomorrow night).

Another 2 beers good and bed!

Day 4 started for many way too early as Kyle and Emma et al had an impressive shouting match in the street c2am, Grrr. Breakfast systems are thrown into confusion as we have the audacity to sit folk from different rooms at the same tables! We do manage to get away for our longest stage, at 9:15 (a new record).

Part 1 will be 40km across the flatlands of the vale of york, before we hit the North York Moors.

The terrain now suits wheat, oilseed and maize, as well as gravel extraction. Meaning we weave our way along field edges, between lakes and through sleepy villages. Buzzards and kites in the air, cornflowers alongside us, and some brambly overgrown snickets too!

Pedal threshing is a new term following one narrow trail aross a wheatfield, and it cleans the drivetrains nicely!

The moors are visible from a long way out, but we make good time, and after a nasty road crossing of the A19, we are into Ingleby Arncliffe and the Old Joinery Cafe. Smashed avacado toast with eggs and bacon, are washed down with 2 flat whites each.

Now the climbs come in part 2, and straight away its back to grazing fields, and then moorland. The Cleveland way tries its hardest to hide after a steep set of road switchbacks, but we finally find it (to the great amusement of a picnicing couple up the road). This is really empty country now, and there is a new level of shonky gate in Snugdale (matched only by the even shonkier bridge!), at the top of the valley we push up past deep ruts, but get a great descent into Chop Gate.

More tea and cake, watching the vintage vehicles come past on the road. Troll and Butty depart to prepare food, and Adrian joins us for the final section.

Chop Gate climb is actually mostly rideable, and soon we are on top of the moors by the numbered shooting butts. Layers are needed in the cool breeze, but the trail is wide and good runs well. Great views to Teeside, and the North Sea. Bleak up here, and for a Sunday afternoon in July we see only 2 people as we munch the miles on the old railway track to the next road and the Lion Inn. Tired legs now, but a group decision to push on and not stop. We take the road round the head of the valley into the headwind, then finally we are on the track across the last moor to Glaisdale. Our Bunk Barn is at the far end of the valley on the other side, but we have made it in 9 hours exactly which is good going for our 90Km + day.

Beers are cooling in the stream running through the garden, food is being prepped, and soon enough a BBQ and firepit evening is underway. There is an air of celebration with the “worst” behind us, and a shorter day tomorrow into the finish. Even so it’s not a late night…

Day 5 and we have the luxury of a slightly later start, and the delights of Smoked Mackerel Kedgeree for breakfast. The one eyed farm cat helps itself to whatever it can get! Tales of tuneful farting in the night…

Route planning is reviewed, revised and discussed to try to find the right mix of challenge and directness..there is no magic answer.

As it turns out the going is harder than expected right from the off…the bridleway from the garden gate has Butty knee deep in mud within 100 metres, and it’s definitely underused! Despite that we find it paved in big stones all the way to the road.

We take the esk valley trail which goes up and down, usually with the big slabs in evidence. By Egton bridge we need coffee, and another route discussion. We decide to keep on the Esk valley to Whitby then take the old railway line to Robin Hoods bay.

Lunch continues the seafood theme, with crab sandwiches and chips at a garden centre, with more steam trains passing nearby.

We agree a meet with Adrian near Whitby, and pick him up on the Cinder Track, which heads south on the top of the plateau with sea views to the left. Long, fast and dusty, to the old fishing village, then down the steep street to the slipway..onto the beach..and our front wheels into the sea!

We take turns taking the group photo with a walking family that have taken 13 days on their crossing.

Eric cashes his first pension cheque to buy us a celebratory beer in the Wainright bar, which we drink in the sunshine, and chat with passers by.

Weary legs push the bikes back up to the cinder track, then slog uphill for a couple of miles, before its flat to the van and the travel lodge style hotel/pub.

Van loading and bike lockage (rain forecast for the morning), then once we’ve washed off the dust its a G&T in the bar, and a walk into town.

Monday night after 8pm reduces our options for a fish and chip dinner, but the Magpie Cafe turns out to be a good choice, starters are sublime, the mains superb, and some even manage a pudding (Knickerbocker glory anyone), El Pres is ribbed for being beaten by his chips, but then doing pudding!

Has been an excellent trip, very kind weather, and some amazing countryside.

Rain on the drive home..