Beadle's Bash (or How to Keep your Man Happy) Day Two

Right from the offset it was the consecutive days of cycling that I was worried about but I felt in fine fettle after my enormous breakfast at the Mallyan Spout at the beginning of day two. The route heads out of Goathland across Wheeldale Moor on a track that I had cycled previously in the other direction. It's brilliant in either direction and was the perfect start to day two - the sort of biking that you never want to end however tired you are. Next was a Forest Drive road through Cropton Forest and then tarmac down to Levisham Station which is only a short distance from Levisham village and the Horseshoe Inn.

A 'short distance' can disguise a multitude of sins. In this case it involved a very strenuous climb which lulls you into a false sense of security half way up before setting off again on a second  up. Still it was a great day, we were cycling, together, the views were fab, there was a pub just up ahead and actually I quite like climbs. What more could you want ... in hindsight we should have had an early lunch rather than grabbing a quick coffee but we were feeling good and decided to push onto the pub at Newton on Rawcliffe. This would have been a good idea if the pub in question had been open but unfortunately it wasn't. What's more we had encountered some very muddy fields on the way - the kind that common sense tells you to push through but you ignore common sense 'cause its a bike ride not a walk!! There had also been what the guide described as an 'exhausting climb' yeah got that right ... so all in all it was quite a disappointment not to find of any kind of sustenance in Newton on Rawcliffe at all.

Shortly afterwards we had the inevitable spat that is part and parcel of mountain biking as a couple. There was I feeling chuffed to bits that I was speeding along in top cog, on day two, despite no food; when a voice muttered something about 'feeling cold cos we're going so slow'. In response I felt it necessary to point out that it wasn't the pace that was a problem but the lack of attire given the cold and windy conditions. While I was snug in my cycling tights, he was sporting shorts ... blah, blah, blah. Still, the huffy silence only lasted until we tracked down food at the Forest Retreat at Keldy. We arrived on a Monday which was change over day and meant no cafeteria food but we could buy groceries - I think my meal consisted of cold tinned tomato soup (thankfully a pull tag tin), crusty bread, lashing of hot chocolate and numerous chocolate bars. There was some too-ing and fro-ing before we managed to extricate ourselves from the numerous forest tracks and roads and make it onto Hamer Moor. More vast open skies and bridleways snaking into the distance soon raised our spirits and brought back memories of doing the Lyke Wake Walk and other mad adventures. Day two finishes with a very dramatic bit of road cycling which swings round Glaisdale Head and turns almost vertically down Caper Hill before swooping you along Glaisdale side and into the village itself.  More fabulous food and beer awaited us at the Arncliffe Arms where we had booked in for the night. We elected to roast ourselves next to the wood burning stove in the bar where the food was every bit as good as fancy restaurant fodder. I felt like I'd definitely earned my supper!

Beadle's Bash (or How to Keep your Man Happy) Day One

This is a picture of my nearest and dearest at the end of Beadle's Bash described as a '100 mile challenge route for mountain bikers'. As you can see he was happy man despite having to adjust his pace slightly to keep up with me! Actually, I think its only considered a challenge route if you do the whole route in under twelve hours rather than the leisurely three days that we took. But they say compromise is at the route of all good marriages - and I certainly compromised on my idea of a romantic (?) break for two. The route starts in Scarborough and finishes in Helmsley and I can recommend a guide book by J. Brian Beadle  (ISBN 1 899004 11 4) sold on line by Waterstone's. Feel free to look at the linked memory map route if you have the software.

Day one involves old railway track and bridleways before lunch, nothing too technical but stunning views across Robin Hoods Bay. At Fylingthorpe you head in land across the moors and we did a small detour to Midge Hall at Falling Foss for some very necessary cakes, soup, sandwiches and more cakes ... yes I was at that point when the legs say no more hills until you give me food! After lunch there's some forest tracks and then my favourite bit a great section of single track across Widow Howe Moor. We were on the homeward stretch for the first day, just us and a beautiful, empty expanse of moorland in all directions and I must admit my enthusiasm got the better of me. There were a couple of instances when the bike and I parted company - I managed to jump over the handlebars rather fly over them the first time but the second off brought me to my senses and I was forced to take things a tad slower. We had booked into the Mallyan Spout Hotel in Goathland for the first night and this was definitely the 'romantic break for two' bit of the holiday. They were slightly surprised when we arrived mid afternoon, soaked to the skin and absolutely filthy black but we took full advantage of the hot water, fluffy  towels, soft beds, beer, fabulous food, more beer and bed again - in that order. There were no adverse comments when we pitched up for dinner minus any footwear except dry socks, a spare pair of shoes was not part of the minimum luggage / weight policy we had adopted; and breakfast the next morning was equally good but that's Day two ....

First ride of 2010 - when will the snow go?

Would you believe it I haven't been able to prize anyone out for a ride in the last month. Its 17 January and this is my first day of biking in 2010 - on my tod. Beautiful though it is the snow has totally wiped all my hard work at the end of 2009... well that's my story any how. We haven't had post delivered at home since the snow arrived for real on 18 December and determined though I was to finally end the drought on biking I was off my bike before I was out of sight of the house. Had to take the 'girls option' and stick to the roads once I got onto one! This is up above Hob Hole, looking back towards Westerdale and Hograh Moors - the single track is going to take a few more days like this to thaw out! I might even be forced to look into some indoor cycling just to get back on the straight (or should that be wiggly) and narrow. Not sure if I can stomach a gym but there again if it means not bursting a lung every time I venture out of granny ring on the hills it might be worth it! Made it home only to get a phone call saying 'fancy a bit of biking!'