Team 5 OD ride 18 May 2019 to Lordstones - Tim Andrews
Tim & Kayleigh Andrews, Nigel Turton & Dave Burton
4 of us set off on our little adventure through Sherburn, turning left past Church Fenton to Uleskelf. There we turned right through the lovely twisty lanes past Ryther to Cawood, over the bridge to Stillingfleet. There we turned towards York via Naburn and upon reaching Fulford turned left, for a change, skipping through the outskirts past the University to Osbaldwick, under the ring road to Murton and Stockton on the Forest, briefly east along the A64 before turning left up through West Lilling for a nice cuppa at Quarmbys cafe.
With the more straightforward part over, and Dave being able to play out for the rest of the day, we once again set off through the lanes toward Helmsley. Weather was holding out nicely what could possibly go wrong LOL.....
I’d mentioned to Kayleigh, who was my back marker for the day, that last time I’d checked out the ride I’d got lost but was confident I knew where I’d gone wrong......all was going well as I avoided Duncombe park ‘private ‘ estate this time and climbed the hill out of Helmsley. Turning left at the top of the hill towards Old Byland I was filled with intrepedation as we embarked on the small maze of lanes, over Rievauix bridge , turning right in old Byland towards Hawnby, which is where it had gone wrong previously.......
Once back in the woods, the satnav said turn right, which I’d thought about going down previously, but hadn’t as it did look a bit ‘rural’ even by Team 5 standards, but I’d been wrong previously so down we went.....
The road quickly turned to a gravel track and then the satnav said ‘No’ telling me to turn round, so I stopped and looked for a suitable place and checked my mirrors......as I pondered, Nigel and Dave decided to rescue a lamb which had escaped. Cheered me up as they ran back and forth trying to corner it, sadly no Benny Hill music was available
, and Kayleigh was too late to film it, missing a heroic rugby tackle by Dave, enabling Nigel to grab it and throw the wayward lamb gently back into the field, almost following himself .......
So after my first U turn we continued down the lane till the next right turn, had to be down here.....going down a small track/ lane we turned the bottom bend and saw the sign ‘Ford’, and upon approaching saw it was erring more towards ‘River’...I told Kayleigh by intercomm we may not have adventure bikes but we did have a sense of humour... it was about 30m long curling round a corner to the right! Dave and I walked down the side and decided it was flat bottomed & about 9” deep so we’d give it a go, with Nigel leading I hoped it was the right way! Up a gravelly lane on the other side and we found the road to Hawnby with great relief. From there we went over the beautiful lanes, through Snilesworth to Osmotherly, where we went to turn right but found the road closed! Diversion back the way we’d just come! So in true Team 5 fashion I ignored it and went
to see the predicament. The road was being dug up but there was a narrow path and overhanging shrubs down 1 side which the workers seemed happy for us to attempt. Where I was there was there was only a 6” kerb, which didn’t look good but Kayleigh said there was a ramp further back. Anyway I opted to go up the kerb very nearly coming off when my front wheel went up the kerb but then did fall off as my rear wheel attempted the ascent!! Fortunately no harm done as I struggled back on with the help of Dave and workers, Kayleigh just taking photos, typical journalists! Thankfully negotiated the narrow path ok, as had spectators by now and continued up to Lord Stones. Here we had a very nice and well deserved lunch before heading off for ice creams.
After passing Chop Gate, Nigel bade us farewell as we continued through Helmsley toward Kirbymoorside. I’d found a new ice cream place called Bradley’s in the lanes just before Pickering at a farm that produced their own - shouldn’t be hard to find, anyway after U turn number 2 we came across an A4 sign tacked on a wall announcing Bradley’s ice cream, although all you could see were delapidated farm machines. Not to be put off we drove up the drive and turned round in a little farmyard to be met by the Farmer. Any ice cream? I ventured, upon which he jumped into his ice cream van reversed it 10’ towards us, then slid open the side window with a big smile and asked if we wanted 99’s with flakes! Which we did! Very nice too, and then we set off home with Kayleigh & I stopping in Malton for fuel and Dave heading home, although we did see him in Stamford Bridge eating again!!
Quite an adventure overall.
Tim
4 of us set off on our little adventure through Sherburn, turning left past Church Fenton to Uleskelf. There we turned right through the lovely twisty lanes past Ryther to Cawood, over the bridge to Stillingfleet. There we turned towards York via Naburn and upon reaching Fulford turned left, for a change, skipping through the outskirts past the University to Osbaldwick, under the ring road to Murton and Stockton on the Forest, briefly east along the A64 before turning left up through West Lilling for a nice cuppa at Quarmbys cafe.
With the more straightforward part over, and Dave being able to play out for the rest of the day, we once again set off through the lanes toward Helmsley. Weather was holding out nicely what could possibly go wrong LOL.....I’d mentioned to Kayleigh, who was my back marker for the day, that last time I’d checked out the ride I’d got lost but was confident I knew where I’d gone wrong......all was going well as I avoided Duncombe park ‘private ‘ estate this time and climbed the hill out of Helmsley. Turning left at the top of the hill towards Old Byland I was filled with intrepedation as we embarked on the small maze of lanes, over Rievauix bridge , turning right in old Byland towards Hawnby, which is where it had gone wrong previously.......
Once back in the woods, the satnav said turn right, which I’d thought about going down previously, but hadn’t as it did look a bit ‘rural’ even by Team 5 standards, but I’d been wrong previously so down we went.....
The road quickly turned to a gravel track and then the satnav said ‘No’ telling me to turn round, so I stopped and looked for a suitable place and checked my mirrors......as I pondered, Nigel and Dave decided to rescue a lamb which had escaped. Cheered me up as they ran back and forth trying to corner it, sadly no Benny Hill music was available
, and Kayleigh was too late to film it, missing a heroic rugby tackle by Dave, enabling Nigel to grab it and throw the wayward lamb gently back into the field, almost following himself .......So after my first U turn we continued down the lane till the next right turn, had to be down here.....going down a small track/ lane we turned the bottom bend and saw the sign ‘Ford’, and upon approaching saw it was erring more towards ‘River’...I told Kayleigh by intercomm we may not have adventure bikes but we did have a sense of humour... it was about 30m long curling round a corner to the right! Dave and I walked down the side and decided it was flat bottomed & about 9” deep so we’d give it a go, with Nigel leading I hoped it was the right way! Up a gravelly lane on the other side and we found the road to Hawnby with great relief. From there we went over the beautiful lanes, through Snilesworth to Osmotherly, where we went to turn right but found the road closed! Diversion back the way we’d just come! So in true Team 5 fashion I ignored it and went
to see the predicament. The road was being dug up but there was a narrow path and overhanging shrubs down 1 side which the workers seemed happy for us to attempt. Where I was there was there was only a 6” kerb, which didn’t look good but Kayleigh said there was a ramp further back. Anyway I opted to go up the kerb very nearly coming off when my front wheel went up the kerb but then did fall off as my rear wheel attempted the ascent!! Fortunately no harm done as I struggled back on with the help of Dave and workers, Kayleigh just taking photos, typical journalists! Thankfully negotiated the narrow path ok, as had spectators by now and continued up to Lord Stones. Here we had a very nice and well deserved lunch before heading off for ice creams.After passing Chop Gate, Nigel bade us farewell as we continued through Helmsley toward Kirbymoorside. I’d found a new ice cream place called Bradley’s in the lanes just before Pickering at a farm that produced their own - shouldn’t be hard to find, anyway after U turn number 2 we came across an A4 sign tacked on a wall announcing Bradley’s ice cream, although all you could see were delapidated farm machines. Not to be put off we drove up the drive and turned round in a little farmyard to be met by the Farmer. Any ice cream? I ventured, upon which he jumped into his ice cream van reversed it 10’ towards us, then slid open the side window with a big smile and asked if we wanted 99’s with flakes! Which we did! Very nice too, and then we set off home with Kayleigh & I stopping in Malton for fuel and Dave heading home, although we did see him in Stamford Bridge eating again!!
Quite an adventure overall.
Tim
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