Trail riding GSAs on the North Yorks Moors

[Geoff Crowther]

This is my first attempt at a ride report and, to many of you lot, it's gonna seem very tame.

But, just to put the ride in context, I recently posted a thread on this forum asking for advice for a novice like me (did the BMW off-road level 1 course last year) wanting to try riding the big 'ole 1200 GSA on trails.

Thanks to lots of brilliant advice from many on here, I bit the bullet and sampled a couple of easy trails near my home in the Peak District, and also booked a place on an off-road tour to Morocco in September.

But, just this last weekend, a mate (a true off-road novice) and I ventured up to the beautiful North Yorks Moors to try a few lanes recommended by fellow Yorkshiremen, again on this site (cheers guys!).

So here's the tale, with only a few pics (we were too busy having fun).

Bimbled, via a tortuous, but scenic, route, up to the Camping & Carvavanning Club site at Boroughbridge on Friday afternoon. Here's Andy and the bikes and our matching (how sad!) Wild Country, Duolite tents. Meant for bicycle touring, they have shorter than usual pole segments, so fit into the GSA's panniers easily.

 

[Geoff Crowther]

Had several beers and a great meal, I think it was the Crown Hotel (very nice food, if a touch expensive).

Saturday morning dawned with overcast skies. I let the tyre pressures down from their “fully loaded with luggage” setting, and removed the panniers, stashing tools and puncture repair kit in the top box. Andy chose not to heed my pearls of wisdom and left his panniers in place. Evidently. It was more important to carry shorts and sandals for our fish’n’chip stop in Whitby.

So, thus prepared we set off to find our first lane, just north of Castleton. The sky darkened and we were hit by steady drizzle. When we got there, the place looked like a traveling fair. Evidently, there was a massive, organized hike involving lots of kids from the Boys’ Brigade. And they were all off down our chosen trail! Having been involved with events like this in the past (as a mountain rescue volunteer of many year’s standing) we decided to give this a miss.

So off we went to the next lane and … guess what? … this too was a manned checkpoint for the same hike, and again teeming with throngs of enthusiastic (or not) kids. Fair play to ‘em. Lets move on to the third, and last, lane.

This time, better luck, and off we set! South of Lealholm this easy trail provide us both with just enough challenges for us novices, with the big bikes shod on Anakees. Bouncing through dry potholes and skirting ominous puddles, we tootled across the lane adopting impressive stances as we stood on the pegs, knees flexed, imagining wed give Simon Pavey a run for his money (not!).

Approaching the gate at the end of three miles or so, we could see tarmac on t’other side. Three hikers were sat by the gate, facing away from us. So I parked up, dismounted, greeted the hikers (two replied) and opened the gate for Andy, who rode through, quietly and sedately, and I then let go of the gate to see it slowly swinging closed. No amount of persuasion would see the gate staying open. The stout-hearted hikers sat, watching me, without a hint of an offer of help, while Andy, dismounting … dropped his bike!

I made over to him quickly but he said, “No problem, let’s get yours through”. Which we did.

There then followed Andy’s satisfaction, as, instructed by me (the experienced off-roading god; ha ha) he managed to raise the bike in official, BMW off-road course, style. No damage done!

Still the hikers sat stony-faced. I did consider, sharing my considerable hiking and mountaineering experience with them, but decided that life was just too short to try to re-educate the world.

So, the revised plan was now set as – lunch in Whitby, then return to the first two lanes, in the hope they’d be free of millions of young hikers.

The Magpie café’s fish’n’chips were as good as ever, eaten sitting on the quayside; excellent!

Then, back to our original lane to find the start now devoid of tents and hikers, so, off we went. All went well and we stopped for a posed picky.

 

[Geoff Crowther]

Fuelled with enthusiasm, we carried until Andy, in front, met a puddle, submerging the whole width of the trail and around thirty feet long. After a quick “assessment” Andy decided that the best strategy was to charge into the right hand rut! Hitting something in the water, a quick surge of throttle saw Andy’s bike with its front wheel at the top of the right side bank, about two feet high, and the bike now at right angles to the track, stuck!

I went to lend a hand, but first attempts at reversing the bike down from the bank were unsuccessful. So I suggested laying the bike on its side, lifting the front wheel back down into the rut and then (I read this in a book somewhere), Andy should sit on the bike and “paddle” it, using the engine, out of the rut (it was now facing back the way we came). It worked a treat! Andy rode a short way back along the track to turn round.

I then suggested that, having proved that Andy’s technique left something to be desired, we tried walking through the water. This revealed that the right side rut had lots of submerged stones whilst the left one had only mud. So Andy, aided by me, again “paddled” his bike through, with feet on the higher ground to each side of the rut. Success!

I did the same, as can be seen in these pics.

 

[Geoff Crowther]

My expression on the last one speaks volumes. But, nervous though we were, we both felt extremely elated that we’d succeeded in dealing with our first off-road problem. Next stop, the Road of Bones! Calm down Geoff!

The start of the second lane was still manned by hike organizers, but a pleasant chat with the folks there revealed that the hikers were now being directed down a different route, so the lane was clear. We were thanked for our consideration earlier in the day, having been spotted by one of the organizers, who was admiring the bikes from a distance (grumpy hikers please take note!).

The last lane turned out to be the easiest of the day, being level and a consistent gravelly surface, which was a good, confidence-building experience to finish on. We took the obligatory pics before finishing.

 

[Geoff Crowther]

Must give Andy some tips on dealing with camera shake.

It was now 4:30 so our Zumos took us on the shortest route back to Boroughbridge, via a high speed dash down the A19, reminding us of the real dual-purpose ability of the big GSAs. From dirty trails to comfortable, high speed cruising in just one hour.

Turned out Andy’s insistence on leaving the panniers on meant he now had “redesigned” right box. Must get to that with a soft mallet when we get home.

We spent a tired, relaxing evening in an Indian restaurant, and satisfied and thirsts quenched, retired for an early night.

On Sunday morning, after a lazy breakfast, we wound our way home via Pateley Bridge, Otley, Leeds, a short run down the M1 and a brief rainstorm over the Woodhead Pass.

So, another two converts for getting bikes dirty! As you can see from the pics, the weather wasn't quite what we'd hoped for but it was no more more than damp mist really. In fact, it added to our sense of adventure.

As I said at the start, quite tame by many standards, but it was a good start for us two, and, I'm sure, will lead to bigger things, not least of which is Morrocco in September, for me (with World of BMW).

Great weekend and, finally, thanks again for fine supportive advice from many on this site.

Cheers,
Geoff.

 

[Buz]

Good report....
When did you do this one Geoff? The 2nd pic of you going thru the water, looks like there was ice on top?

 

[Geoff Crowther]

Just last weekend Buz (26th to 28th June), it's sooooo cold up there .
Seriously it's just the way the water looks; optical illusion an' all that. It was quite warm.

Geoff

 

[Geoff Crowther]

Actually, no. On second look, it's a massive bow wave ... caused by my riding through there so fast .

 

[Stevie73]

Well done for getting stuck in!!

 

[Andy_E]

Evidently, there was a massive, organized hike involving lots of kids from the Boys’ Brigade.

Looks like you ran into the Boys Brigade Cleveland Hike - 2 days of semi-organised mayhem involving sending loads of groups of 3 boys (many of whom attempted to ditch their kit to lighten the loads) out in seemingly random directions on a 2-day walk then calling in the local MR teams (one of which I belong to, technically) to locate them. I covered one of these years ago and the memory of it still brings me out in a cold sweat.

Still, looks like you had a good couple of days out, pity it was a little misty up there.

 

[Spikehammer]

Good effort. Well done for giving it a go, both the trail riding and the ride report.

 

[Jay B]

Well done - good ride report.With a bit of luck you now have the off road bug !!

Jay B

 

[Geoff Crowther]

Thanks for the kind comments folks.
Cheers
Geoff

 

[Spout]

We'll soon have you over Royche Clough! (used to start in Hayfield)

 

[Geoff Crowther]

Very funny Spout !
I know Roych Clough very well. I'm formerly team leader of the mountain rescue team based in Hayfield, and still live in the village. Have driven (and walked) it on a number of occasions in rescue Landys and my own Landy. That stepped bit out of the bottom, going towards Rushup Edge is (in my opinion) serious stuff. You have my respect if you've ridden the HP2 in your avatar up there. Can't see me doing it any time soon on the Adventure.
By the way, for some years now, you've been unable to drive this from Hayfield. I think (willing to be corrected) it can still be driven from the south side of South Head (accessed from New Smithy) ie outside the Hayfield Parish boundary .
Incidentally, some years ago the team and I assisted a biker who came off on this track. He had very serious leg/pelvic injuries which turned out very badly for him.
Take care out there!
Cheers for the comment though.
Geoff