trailing dales

Been promising my good friend from across the (almost certain) border a tour of our wonderful trails and last Thurs/Fri we finally hooked up. Neil / Stripe / the ‘human canon ball’ take your pic, brought his Serow and saltire down in the back of his van for ease, but thereafter it was small bikes go go go all the way.
Though hazy Thursday dawned warm and we set out via a few of the lanes that JB and I would swing by before getting even 5 miles from home.
There is a lot of negativity about trail riding and the amount we’ve lost – which is bloody annoying and contemptible – but there really is a huge amount left if you’re willing to get around a bit.
Onto the moors above Masham (and boy there is half a day’s riding there that we didn’t even touch) and the signs of the shooting party preparations were everywhere, potholes filled with new stone and like.
Moving up to West Burton way (having narrowly avoided one or two head-ons on the narrow roads on route **** knows what the oncoming cars would have done if we had been cars rather than bikes. If you lock-up when you meet something on a single track lane you are going too damn fast grrrrr)
Anyway, came across a very handmade sign stating road closed. Met a MTBr who said it wasn’t and they weren’t working down there anyway. Stripe remembered riding his Z1 low-ridder down this trail a few years back, and I certainly remember it in more difficult times with loose rocks and eroded steps but now it’s been graded and is an easy lane – perhaps they need it for access? Can’t see why they have upgraded it otherwise?

Up Bishopdale and across to Semer Water way on nice dry lanes but the haze stopped any great views sadly. Met the odd walker – most friendly offering to open or close gates, but otherwise hardly saw a soul. Certainly no other trail riders! Great!
The ford was easier than usual as the waters were clear and a scout spied no rocks to encounter on way. It was getting damn warm by now and nearing 2 so off to the long route of Roman Road and another leg to take us down to Hawes for a late lunch at Creamery. As usual a visit round the cheese sampling room fills you up before going into the café for a drink and sandwich – top tip!

As time was getting on and I had to be out in evening we headed back down one or two more lanes with the promise of tons more we couldn’t fit in – Fremmington Edge etc. will have to wait for another time – as will the few new lanes I’ve found but not yet ridden.
The boulder strewn dyke out of Leyburn took my tax disc after a side-ways encounter with a tree branch – but as the laws change next month there was no point returning once I noticed it missing a few miles further on.
Even though pressed for time we took in a couple of atmospheric lanes that also uncovered a huge supply of sloe berries that will be ripe for harvest and Patcharan preparation for the festive period (think sloe gin, but made with anise – a popular Basque tipple)
Day one – a few kms under 200 and we didn’t even scratch the potential – you could probably ride for 3 or four days without repeating yourself – but naturally you cover lots of tarmac in between. I’d guess we did around 40km off road, most of which was kms at a time – a few of the trails are over 5k each so worth the ride between – plus the Serows are a hoot on the small back country lanes anyway. Afterwards I thought of a few more lanes I could have chucked in on route too, so you could get an average of say 25% off road in 200kms which is fair going really.

A few photos shared – you could be riding these from Dent easy enough, most are easy riding if you have some off road experience on a GS – all been ridden on my R100GS, most two-up and some even on me old r80/7 some 30 years ago. So long as it’s dry under tyres. And there are a shed load more that are easily capable for even novices (some of these might not be the greatest if you aren’t familiar with that loose feeling under your wheels). Roll on May 2015 for you lot (we already live here so don’t have to join the crowds! Oh, go on then!)

So east to t'moors

Day two (last Friday) and eastward ho…the Moors this time.
Again within miles we are onto Kepwick and a great easy (well, when dry anyway) route over the first hill with no one but some beaters being taken up onto the tops.
Into Helmsley via the lovely routes at Reivaulx and then via Bransdale onto the incomparable Rigg (well, it has to be one of the all time best routes in the country surely?) Easy going other than some loose stony bits. No water to talk of either but it was a bit cooler than expected and sadly a bit hazy too so a bit of a lack of distance views. This is a mega mileage trail and as it follows the Cleveland Way for part of the route the views change from open expansive moorland to escarpments overlooking the vale of Mowbray, Teesside and the shark’s fin peak of Roseberry Topping and more besides. The rock steps didn’t seem as bad as last time I went down with a bunch of GSers but would still give enough cause for concern, easy enough on the lightweights though. A nice 10kms all unsurfaced. Grand!

Passing through Battersby I turned off up an ‘unsuitable for motors’ than again, I’d tried. Mmmm started well but soon went down-hill (well up actually) I don’t think I’d do this one on a GS – takes a braver man than me. Good fun though. I got bogged on a shelf, Stripe narrowly missed me but managed to grind me glove into the mud. The next section looked slimy and I took to the dry high side whist Neil took to the slime…until stuck, then reversed to join the high side.
Down to Kildale itself and out again on one lane before back down in again on another and thence to Commondale for another long lane over the tops – meeting two trail riders coming towards us (didn’t stop) the only folk seen in two days. Up to Danby for another fine lane before a run down to the coast.
I’d had some lanes marked to explore so headed to Ugthorpe on a nice enough one before attempting one I’ve seen for years but never tried near Runswick Bay. It started fine, looked lovely and then entered a wood and descended into a wet area and started to get gnarly. We stopped and could hear the sound of the sea. Discretion being the better part of valour we walked the final couple of hundred metres (definitely not trail territory) and popped out amongst the tourists walking the bay. Nice – but sadly not able to make a contiguous bike route out of it.

Heading back we prepared for a sweaty ride back up over tricky boggy ground. I made it most of way before bike stopped dead. Stripe made it out and came back to investigate. We puller the Serow apart and tried swapping parts about. The battery was at fault – appears the negative terminal had lost continuity with the plates and therefore there was no circuit. Knacked!

We were lucky to get some assistance from a local and borrowed an old battery to strap to back of seat and wired it to the original battery wiring. Bumped off she lived – whahey! Good teamwork – though Stripe got some gravel rash as he threw himself down the road after bumping me off.

We bid our farewells with a promise to return the battery (quicker than using recovery – Bev’s always happy for a trip to the coast so not a problem). Stripes zip gave up and he was looking at a cool ride home. We both were frankly as it was gone 7pm and we were way off home. Fillingsdale Moor is not the warmest spot.

The battery didn’t charge so my lighting was poor to say the least – but everyone could see me OK which is the important bit. By Sutton Bank I was ridding blind but I know the road so well it mattered not. Stripes bin liner under his jacket had helped but we were both frozen. Mind, we’d hounded back in much better time than you’d expect on a serow. Again, a few kms short of 200 in the day.

The adversity had just made the adventure so much more interesting – way to go, small is beautiful, Serows are physically small but have the heart of giants. What a wonderful couple of days riding and with good company to. Brilliant!

The Battery was returned on Sunday along with a couple of bottles of beer and we had a great walk and F&Cs in Whitby, sound!

Most enjoyable that. Some grand looking trails there.