Ride 061.

Date:  2nd November 2005             Distance: 21.5 miles

Returning to our own patch following the Yorkshires Dales sojourn, we met at a gloomy Square Corner on a wet Wednesday.  At least the moor tracks haven't yet turned too claggy to be enjoyable and we made our way across Whorlton Moor, via Swainby Shooting House to Arnesgill Ridge to the lonely Head House. After a quick glance about the accessible part of the house, a handy bad weather shelter, Chris did his mega-power thing (see TTB59) and snapped his chain once more, this time taking out the front mech too. Another two links out, a disconnected mech and we were back on the road again.

Up past the mist-shrouded transmitter mast at Bilsdale, then pleasantly technical tracks on Wetherhouse Moor to Low Thwaites before almost two miles of sweet downhill to Moor Gate on the Osmotherley to Hawnby road. Waiting for Chris we watched an Army helicopter manoeuvring at low altitude, beginning to wonder if it was actually there to rescue Chris, who was taking a long time catching up. he eventually appeared, chain draped casually over his handlebars. Another two links removed, this chain won't be long enough to make bracelet if he keeps going on like this, before we did more downhill, tarmac this time to Hawnby and our most recent find - a new cafe. The Old Post Office cafe to be precise, very amenable and great big cafetierres of coffee too, the only problem being Hawnby is in the bottom of a deep valley and as the song says, the only way is up.

 We crossed the pontoon bridge over the river Rye, a temporary replacement for Hawnby Bridge, one of the three washed away by June's flash floods, then took the bridleway past Sunnybank Farm, and on toward the oddly named High Buildings. There was nothing even remotely sunny about this bank, it was a muddy drag, pedalling against gravity and cloying mud. Eventually we reached Dale Town Common and then The Drove Road, an ominous darkness descending as a rain-laden cloud bank blotted out the late afternoon sun. Putting a spurt on, we tumbled down The Mad Mile and into our respective vehicles just as the first spots of rain began falling.

 Height Profile: (click to enlarge)

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