Alan Beattie's ride to West Yorkshire/Dales 10th September 2022

September 10th Ride to West Yorkshire/Dales via Bingley/Hebden Bridge/Pateley Bridge.

Alan Beattie, Jezz Manning, Laurence Turner, Chris Otter, David Budd, David Brown, Mark Johnson, Adam Griggs, Bob Tingle.

Drivers briefing took place with an overview of the route, I mentioned would pull over to re-group on the approach into Hebden Bridge to avoid the marking of 2 awkward junctions in Hebden. The route planned was one I had done in April with a few different roads inserted approx 110 miles.

The same parking arrangements at the Ivy Kitchen had been arranged with Bradford Council. Safety and hazards were also discussed for the day. Laurence volunteered to carry out back marker duties, providing he didn’t up in Cumbria!

All lined up Alan Broom took a team Photo of us ready to set off.

Turning right out of Squires our 1st destination was the Ivy Kitchen Cafe at the St Ives Estate just outside Bingley.

We took the road to Saxton.Towton taking a left to Stutton/Bramham/East Rigton/ Harewood and to Arthington taking a sharp left up the winding road to Bramhope onto the Chevin Road running alongside Chevin Forest to Menston. Through the lights at Menston we headed to the Otley Road taking a left onto Goose Lane/Bingley Road over the Moor to Eldwick into Bingley. A bit of filtering was required in Bingley at the traffic lights turning right, then left onto the Harden Road for a short distance turning right into the St Ives Estate.

After encountering the many speed bumps we arrived at the cordoned off Courtyard near the cafe to park our bikes taking the short walk to the cafe. (I did take a wrong turn within the St Ives Estate but quickly rectified before it was witness by all riders, maybe I could class it as recce for parking for future visits?)

Leaving the Ivy Cafe we secured the courtyard fence with the old rope. The Sat Nav route was in 2 halves to the lunch stop at Lakeside Cafe. First half to Warley Moor Reservoir via Oxenhope as it appears a section of this road is not an adopted highway and ends, it re-starts within a few 100yds beyond the reservoir so I would have to stop to load the 2nd part. Prior to reaching the reservoir a I saw a rider continue past a tricky marked junction, I pulled up for a re-group, I was convinced we were one short despite Laurence waving me on, after a 2nd re-count and counting myself this time, all were present!!

After stopping at Warley Reservoir, route loaded we dropped down the steep valley towards Booth encountering a short section of a cobble road which is quite common in this part of West Yorkshire, we then took a sharp right onto Height Road that runs along the hillside eventually down the steep hill into Hebden Bridge.

Just prior to Hebden I pulled over as explained at the briefing. Mark Filtered off at his point.

Once through Hebden we looped around the turning circle and headed towards Heptonstall taking a right turn onto Widdop Road which took us past Widdop Reservior. The reservoir water level was remarkable low, it apparently supply's Halifax with drinking water, built between 1871-1878 with a capacity of 633 million gallons. Continuing past the reservoir over the Moorland to Trawden then onto the A6068 which was a left turn only then round the roundabout heading back right, which may have confused some of the group when I headed past them as they were waiting to turn left. The Lakeside Cafe is only a few 100yds from this junction off the A6068 Nr Colne.

After lunch the final destination was Pateley Bridge. Laurence, David Brown and Adam left at this point, Jezz took on back marker duties. Turning right onto the A6068 for about 3 miles we then took a sharp left onto to Moss Lane road heading to Lothersdale/Eslack enjoying the excellent roads towards Eslack with panoramic views of the dales. Joining the A59 for a couple of miles we took the Grassington road taking the next right turn down a single track road which runs past the back of the Skipton Golf Course to Embsay/Eastby then towards lower Barden Reservoir to Barden/ Howgill turning right onto the B6265 through Greenhow Hill to Pateley Bridge, for a well deserved Ice Cream.

Surprisingly the weather was good for the day, only encountering a few spots of rain, plus dry road conditions, very few cyclists and only 1 horse rider as I can remember.

Thanks to all for attending the ride and hope you enjoyed it, some of the roads I hadn't been on, I was trusting the Sat Nav. Thanks for the excellent junction marking as a few looked a bit awkward.

Thanks to Laurence and Jezz for carrying out back marker duties and Alan Broom for taking the group photo at Squires.

Bob headed home from Pateley in a different direction. Thanks Chris, for taking the lead back towards York for the remaining 4 of us via Ripon & Boroughbridge, we filtered off accordingly home.

Hope to see you next time.

Alan