My Generation

Joined by La Mujerita today, to start off a blustery week. We went to Osmotherley and rode some of her favourite bits around Sheepwash and Silton Woods, a pleasant ride without recourse to the usual near-death experiences some of my other companions like to subject me to. You know who you are. We parked at Sheepwash to save us from battling a headwind to Square Corner at the end of the ride - we did it at the beginning instead. A climb up through the woods from the reservoir to High Lane was followed by a steady pedal to Square Corner and onwards into Silton Woods where La Mujerita enjoyed an actual trail. Singletrack, mud, roots and a little downhill action to finish off - I think she was just relieved to be sheltered from the wind in the trees. I didn’t take her down any of the trails Rod curates, the ones he often likes to trick unsuspecting pensioners into riding, or attempting to ride. We headed back the way we came, our ride back to Sheepwash came with the benefit of a tailwind. We splashed through the ford at Sheepwash and rode back along the reservoir to the private road which services the collection of antennas and dishes which sit in a compound on the summit of Beacon Hill. Double fenced and gated, fences topped with razor wire, one day some guys working in the compound left the gate open and The Pensioner, whose eyesight was never the greatest, rode straight in, much to the bemusement of the workers. Near the top, we took the bridleway which brought us to the gate on Scarth Wood Moor where our first rest of the ride utilised the seat with a view. The paved bridleway which runs down Scarth Wood Moor is a fine ride at any time but today’s hefty tailwind made it even better, it would have been a speedy descent if we hadn’t stopped to take photographs of the magnificent view across to Swainby and Whorlton and the mighty Roseberry Topping on the horizon. Shortly afterward we were by the stream at Sheepwash, enjoying our picnic

One Jump Ahead Of The Storm

The first named storm of the season is due today, Storm Agnes and the press is predicting apocalyptic scenes of windblown mayhem from which only the lucky few will survive to recount the tales of suffering and heroism to their grandchildren: the legend of the great storm of ‘23. It turned out we had a bit of a breezy evening. The wind and rain were forecast to sweep in from the west, like a blitzkrieg, at two pm, so I found myself leaving Lordstones car park at ten thirty on the dot, eager to get a few miles in before I was hit by a flying cow or something. A long climb to the summit of Carlton Bank via the old gliding club access track was a brutal start but it got a fair amount of the climbing out of the way early. Few remnants of the gliding club remain nowadays; the foundations of the building and the rough runway being reclaimed beneath vegetation, they used to use a tractor to get the gliders airborne when I was a child and it looked incredibly exciting, as they dropped the tow line and circled on thermals, gaining height. Turning into the wind, I made my way back towards Brian’s Pond, continuing to Barker’s Ridge, crossing the moor on a wide, sandy and completely deserted track. Things continued in a similar manner until I reached the Head House bridleway, a narrow track through heather which terminates at an old farmhouse, the aforementioned Head House, still intact seems to be mainly used for storage nowadays. The start of the bridleway appears to be little used, the trick is to bear right immediately after the start but it isn’t obvious, I even managed to miss it today, a bit of traipsing through the heather had me back on track. Away from the start, the track is still well defined, which is odd. The variety of the trail makes it interesting, from grassy ruts to embedded rocks, all contained within a narrow groove which eventually drops down to a small stream almost hidden in thick bracken. A climb up from the stream leads to Head House, a good spot for a breather and a bite to eat, today it was in use by a large shooting party, so I continued along Arnesgill Ridge before turning right, ascending another wide, sandy moorland track back to Barker’s RIdge and a bit of payback from the gravity bank. All the ascents from the early part of the ride became descents, which is always welcome. Still feeling energetic when I reached Lordstones, I rode past the car park and picked up the bridleway which cuts across the Carlton Bank downhill track to The Fronts, just so I could have an offroad finish to the ride.

Ride The Wild Wind

Another blustery day, we’ve had some wind this week, it must be said but it is unseasonably warm today, taking the bike off the car and I am regretting the fleece-lined cycling top. A lonely start from Great Ayton, eleventh ride of the month, a bit of an improvement from August’s brace of rides. Had a road warm up for a change, following tarmac to Kildale, stopping to grab a picture of the deer herd in one of the fields near the village. For the first time in many years, I did the climb up to Bankside Farm, turning off onto the bridleway through Mill Bank woods - it hasn’t got any less steep. Where the woods give way to open moor, I shouldered the bike and plodded up the steep track to the flat top of Easby Moor, which is dominated by a monument to Tesside’s favourite prison island discoverer - Captain Cook. The other Captain Cook’s Monument, at the place he landed in Australia is less impressive, little more than a cairn with a plaque. Around our monument the wind was brisk, pushing and shoving like a playground bully, discouraging lingering. I headed for the shelter of trees and enjoyed a few trails, trying to ignore the creaking and swaying around me, gradually making my way to Gribdale, from where I rode up to Newton Moor and around the Lonsdale Bowl, mainly with the benefit of a tailwind. Percy Cross Rigg took me to the gate at the top of The Unsuitables, quite a few people around and about the place here, walkers and cyclists taking advantage of the dry weather. A couple of Guisborough Woods’ trails followed before I rode out to the corner of Newton Moor, to the gate overlooking Roseberry Topping, the intention was to ride down Little Roseberry, a steep and open trail opposite Roseberry Topping but the wind was too strong - I have been blown off my bike there before. I opted for the more sheltered trail around the north side of Little Roseberry, which has a few rocky step downs and the potential for a tumble off the exposed right hand edge of the track. The trail ends at Roseberry Common, joining the bridleway which runs down through Aireyholme Farm to Dikes Lane from where the road leads to Great Ayton and a pork pie with my name on it. As I get older, I find I only need three shops, opticians, chemists and butchers because my life is just specs and drugs and sausage roll.