Solitary Saturday

Cross Bike Ride

All alone.

25th March route

In an attempt to regain some semblance of fitness before next week’s Moors And Shores ride, another long ride seemed like a good idea. The CX bike freshly returned from the tender care of Stockton Cycling’s top mechanics meant the road bike could be put back in its place at the back of the shed until an urge for a ride of unadulterated dullness comes upon me. Released from the tyranny of frail wheels and fragile frame, I was free to loosen my fillings on rocky descents and enjoy direct routes over moors rather than skulking round on tarmac. A rough plan in mind, I abandoned wife and child on a fine, windless Saturday morning and headed, quite literally, for the hills. Cycle paths and some urban singletrack took me to the shores of the Tees, a little too close for comfort at some points. Passing under the Surtees Bridge, which carries the A66 over the river, is particularly spooky, an unfenced, uneven path beside black water, wondering if I’d be able to unclip from the pedals as the bike dragged me to the depths like an anchor. Always bringing to mind the spirit of 1970’s public information films which sought to warn us of the danger of open water by giving us nightmares.

A quick pedal along the remnants of Bowesfield Lane, then cycle path all the way through Ingleby Toytown to emerge at The Fox Covert on the outskirts of Yarm. Country lanes from here to Hilton, weekend warriors on road bikes becoming more and more prevalent, always going in the opposite direction. Is there something I don’t know? A right turn at the wind turbines, today motionless against the blue sky, follow the road to Hutton Rudby and on through Sexhow to meet the A172. Crossing over to Carlton, an ascent of Carlton Bank was considered and disregarded, far too nice a day to ruin it with puffing and panting, instead a continuation to Great Broughton and the more amenable Clay Bank. The Ingleby Greenhow road beckoned from the top of Clay Bank, a fine downhill but not as much fun as the undulating gravel through the woods of Greenhow Plantation and Battersby Plantation to Bank Foot Farm.

Picking up the road again just outside Ingleby Greenhow, battling against the tide of road bikers again, I passed through Kildale then turned left up Percy Cross Rigg, returning to off road riding at the gate. The rocky track, sandy dry today, heads upward to the old Starfish Decoy building where I paused for a bite to eat and a photo opportunity, looking out at a Mediterranean blue sea. A brief downhill blast brought me to the Unsuitable’s gate, which was thronged with walkers and a solitary mountain biker getting his breath back after ascending The Unsuitables. Deciding to keep my height, I pedalled across to Newton Moor for a look at Roseberry Topping; the summit appeared jam-packed, it’s a wonder people weren’t being shuffled over the cliffs like penguins on an ice floe. Multitudes of walkers were milling about Newton Moor, coming up the steps from Roseberry Common like a procession, including groups of teenagers bent under the weight of enormous back packs. What do they carry in there? I’m pretty certain I had less stuff than that when I left home.

The track to along Newton Moor to Gribdale sported a few puddles, the usual ruts and a lot more walkers, the car park beside the road at Gribdale Gate was full to capacity and every relatively flat bit of grass had a car on it. It only takes a bit of sunshine to lure them away from the settee. About forty miles in the legs by now, the thought of ascending the fire road to Captain Cook’s Monument remained just a thought as I rode downhill to Great Ayton, heading for home - another twenty or so miles away. Through Tanton and Seamer back to Hilton and reversing the route through Ingleby Barwick. A slightly different route through Stockton took me to the Tees Barrage, where I paused for another snack, watching the canoeists battling through the man-made course before riding up the escalator to do it all again. The last lap beckoned, weaving through strolling families, dog walkers, kids on bikes, all enjoying the glorious day, even the river looked blue.