River Wharfe Source Oughtershaw Beck, Beckermonds Mouth River Ouse, Cawood Length 65 miles Towns Ilkley, Otley, Wetherby, Tadcaster The third of my Rivers Rides was a beautiful two-day, 102-mile trip from Dales highlands to York flatlands along the River Wharfe. Day 1 featured England’s most awesome viaduct, a Roman road, thrilling scenery, beer for dogs,…
Author: Rob Ainsley
Exeter: Maths rivers
Finished my route research in Dartmoor, so I had a spare morning to explore Exeter, and one of my favourite ‘maths rivers’, the Exe. Hmm: Dee, Exe, Wye; there could be a promising ‘Differential Trail’ consisting of Dee-Exe over Dee-Wye.
Dartmoor 3: Thatcher era, satnav age
Final day of route research in lovely Dartmoor.
Dartmoor 2: Fair weather cycling
Another lovely day researching cycle routes round southern Dartmoor. I did pop in to Widecombe, notorious for its folksong (‘…Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all’, etc) but didn’t see any examples of eight drunken locals all trying to ride on the same borrowed bike.
Dartmoor 1: Don’t believe lying sheep
Greenwich 2: East meets West
More very hot route research round Greenwich in the midst of a record-breaking heatwave. Almost a cyclist-breaking one, too.
Greenwich 1: About time
More route research, this time in Greenwich. Well, it was about time. Fabulous day, riding south to the Kent AONB round Sevenoaks and back. An accommodation disaster meant I was stranded at 10pm with nowhere to stay. Fortunately I was rescued by St Gary of Deptford and St Evija of Gulbene.
Bradford: Currying favour with cyclists
We’ve explored Bradford by bike many times. Of Yorkshire’s seven cities (Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, York, Hull, Wakefield, and, er…) it’s the most surprising and intriguing, thanks to its ethnically diverse history (…ah yes, Ripon), from Little Germany to the authentic, tasty curry restaurants that feel like you’ve stepped into Pakistan (where 1 in 5 residents…
Windermere 3: Solitude and crowds
Final day of route research in the lovely Lakes, on a baking hot day.
Windermere 2: Hardknott, Wrynose, Laurel & Hardy
Awesome cycling day of cycle route research through super Lakes scenery. A lot of tough climbs – Wrynose, Hardknott, Birker Fell and others – but most challengingly, the stairs up to the shower when I got back to the hostel.