Clifton CC

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.

Looks good Tony.

Can make this week, see you Saturday.

Jon

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

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.

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.

Take some sandwiches and a flask

Have a good ride guys.

Ian H.

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

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.