Inters/A-Ride for Sat, Jan. 23rd

[Tony]

Forecast is looking great for Saturday; +9 and dry with some sunshine and a slight SW wind,

In the absence of frost and fog, I figured it would be a good chance to dig out a crowd favourite and give it a new twist; Cockayne plus a trip over Gillamoor for a cafe stop in Hutton-le-hole.

We don't go clockwise very often and adding Gillamoor provides a convenient stopping point. IIRC, the Forge cafe is closed, but I'm hopeful that the Barn cafe (next door) will be open. The days are also getting longer, so we have a chance to build up the miles and the hills for the FW suicide squad.

133Km / 83 miles square to square.

As always for this time of year, fenders and lights recommended

View and download the route at RidewithGPS or click the map.

[Jon G]

Looks good Tony.

Can make this week, see you Saturday.

Jon

[Graham T]

Looks good Tony,Good opportunity to get some hill work in. see you sat.

[James Milner]

Cockayne in January is a rare treat! Route looks good Tony. One problem though. I've just checked online and The Barn is closed till March. Alternatives would be to find a café in Kirkbymoorside, which is 5 minutes down the road from Gillamoor if you miss the Hutton le Hole loop, or go anti clockwise and stop in Helmsley. There appear to be 2 café alternatives in Kirkbymoorside, The Penny Bank and The Summit, both in the Market Place. Might be fun to give a new café a try and go with your clockwise route. We could decide on whether to go via Hutton le Hole depending on how we're doing time wise. See you in the square.

[Tony]

Thanks for checking that out, J-bird.

I'd like to continue in the clockwise loop, since it's rare for us to go that way, so we should take your advice and divert through Kirbymoorside.

[IanH]

Take some sandwiches and a flask

Have a good ride guys.

Ian H.

[Jon G]

I did once stop at the Greggs in Kirbymoorside which had an indoor cafe , not sure whether that's still there but I think a new café would be the best idea. Any of those James mentions sound OK

[Tony]

Apologies to JonG and IanW for dropping you on the final stretch into Helmsley yesterday (I've already exchanged PM's w/ Jon, but have no contact info for Ian).

12 of us waited what seemed like a long time at the Helmsley junction (even waved to the passing K-group) before reassuring ourselves that you guys knew where we were headed i.e. Beadlam Grange Farm Shop & Cafe.

Evidently Ian flatted just before the climb up to Carlton.

We left the cafe around 14:50 after I heard that someone had confirmed that you guys went to Helmsley, so I'm pleased to hear that you made it back OK.

Excellent day out, but if we have such a broad range of riders again, we should consider splitting the group, since those training for the Fred Whitton will need to continue pushing onward and upward.