Cycling adventures across Yorkshire, Britain and beyond
Day 2 of my Yorks Alpha to Omega ride was watery. Countless reservoirs, linked by vertiginous Pennine lanes; canals; puddles; incessant drizzle. But plenty of variety, including a mystery sculpture, a comedy legend, Huddersfield’s most famous son, and Halifax’s remarkable Regency plaza mayor. With Abbeydale investigated yesterday, I could ride on through Sheffield centre and…
Yorkshire is a country in its own right. Sort of. So, with my international End to End collection on hold, I was happy enough to ride it from bottom to top. But this trip had a twist. I started in Abbeydale, down on the Derbyshire border south of Sheffield, and cycled the length of the…
A loop west of KL (Lynn, not ‘Kuala Lumpur’, obvs) today, in the flat fenlands, in contrast to the gently hilly loops east of the previous days. We explored KL itself a bit in the morning, and much enjoyed the tiny ferry between the town and West Lynn, across the Great Ouse. I’d been to…
Back to Sandringham this morning, this time doing a gravel-bike circuit, now accompanied by Mark again. We took the cycle path (rather than the Coach Road) through the royal estate, and it’s utterly gorgeous. The red and yellow stripes on the ‘cycle path’ post made me feel like we were about to enter Germany through…
A fabulous day-ride, full of variety, that showcased North Norfolk at its best. Sunny weather, quiet lanes with friendly drivers, and an almost bewildering succession of sights, from stunning stately-home parks to England’s holiest shrine via beaches that could have come out of the Netherlands. Mark was off on a training walk today, so I…
I’d never really explored North Norfolk properly by bike, but I was here for four days with my friend Mark to remedy that. After a thunderous storm in the afternoon, the evening was glorious, and we cycled from Heacham to Hunstanton along the promenade, past the beach huts. It was right on high tide, and…
Yorkshire has several imposing canals, which often sound like other things. The mighty Leeds–Liverpool (grudge football fixture). The remarkable Huddersfield Narrow (prize rhubarb variety). The amazing Calder & Hebble (Perrier-award-winning female comedy duo). Not so Pocklington Canal, an isolated spur of water connecting the Derwent with the market town, a dozen miles east of York….
After being delighted by Coldstones Cut just west of Pateley Bridge earlier in the day, I still had a few hours before my bus back home, so I headed east to Brimham Rocks. I passed through the village of Glasshouses. It put me in mind of the previous week when I’d cycled through Stone in…
Mysterious sacred temple of an ancient civilisation; most perfectly preserved prehistoric hillfort in Britain; ancient stones aligned to tap the energy of ley lines that overlook vast panoramas… Coldstones Cut might look that way, but it’s none of these. It’s a hilltop artwork from 2010 that overlooks a dusty, noisy, working quarry – but it’s…
A mopping-up day today, doing bits I hadn’t quite explored enough yet, and it turned out very well, and sociable too. I checked out of the Prem Inn and headed into the cloudless but very chilly sunshine, sporting the unusual combination of M&S sunhat and Sports Direct clearance ski gloves. After a few back lanes…