HAREWOOD HOUSE ~ AFTERMATH

Harewood house 11/5/2013. aftermath.

Many thanks to those riders able to attend today.

Just to get the only 'pain in the arse' out of the way, oxwood close bridge was out of action due to flood damage putting the best past of 6 miles extra on the ride, not a bad thing really, just inconvenient

Marc two tone, kaya, mathews, kenaltobelli, rich aitch took the old railway trail from wetherby to spofforth just to warm up, must say it wasn't the warmest of morning but, too warm can be energy-sapping.

From there a steady scramble over stockeld park to end up in sicklinghall. from here there are bridalways to beat a path in the direction of wood hall and linton. NO woodhall for us as the bridge is out so, through linton and merge with the main road up to east keswick. atleast it's mainly downhill from here until we hop the gate onto the leeds country way that meets wike road just on the harewood doorstep, great!







rich aitch all 'spruced' up.




Stomachs were rumbling by now as we must have hit the 10 mile mark so, with the skies getting darker it made sense to push on harewood as there are more trees to seek shelter


cow and calf in the background for those familiar with ilkley.




We just had to get the iconic arch in there somewhere, with loony in the shot.



Please knock and enter..




on the way back to the lunch stop, quickly, starving by then!




we're there! scoffing, swigging, generally resting tired legs.



Back at woodhall. heading back over the bridalways upto sicklinghall.



easy rider.




Again thanks for keeping me company, the ride will be tweeked for next time if the bridge is out and the lazy council have done nothing to rectify the issue, apart from that the ride ought to have been 25 good, easy and quite fun miles.

Still i enjoyed myself and am looking forward to a bath and some chinese cuisine(aka buffet) 2 maybe 3 plate fulls.

see you all again soon, take care dudes

Cheers Marc for organising "Marcs marathon" clocked at 32.2 miles via GPS (Viewranger not silly strava so it doesn't lop the corners off ), great day out and the weather held out for us , first time I've ever had a burger in a bagle too, nearly rode into a large herd of deer only to be herded out of the way by a flock of sheep being moved via dog and Trooper (the Isuzu type !) a bit later . It's Alm's Cliffe Crag by the way not the Cow n Calf but tis still a well known lump of rock.
Hope all those with distance to travel got home safely , had me bath and I'm about to fire up the barbie.
To summarise a great day out with great people as usual on RB.
Matthew

back in now bit late sore legs; but a good workout.
nice route bit of evrything enjoyed the day and stayed mostly fine.
bike doesnt even need a wash;great ride thanks to all
see you next time.
only one pic of me walking up an hill this time geting fitter :facepalm:

As has been said before great ride a good mix of trails and some lovely views of some where I,ve not ridden before,
Lunch stop was first class with good food and fine local ale, big thanks to Marc for arranging this and thanks to Ken/Matthew and Rich for the excellent company.

Here's a selection of pics with a link to the rest of the album at the bottom....

Good compamy



Any old iorn




Under cover




Just so




Simple smiles





Leader of the pack




Harewood House




Wonky windows




Bambi and freinds




Poor mans front gate




Shepherding Leeds style




Almost home







Here's a link to the rest of the album....... http://s746.photobucket.com/user/thesur ... od%20House


Thanks for looking

cracking pics kaya, thanks.

Awesome timing with the deer and the sheep round-up, never seen that in this area, a real bonus.

For me the route is a winner, ear-marked for future rides and with or without the bridge issues i can sort a better route, no problem.

cheers.

Looks like you had a good ride, I know I enjoyed the recce's of the ride, it was just unfortunate that the date clashed with my Daughters show at school

Looked like a nice day, I spent all weekend on callout, never rode a bike!

Hi rich.

The weather came good after noon-ish but a bit drizzly in the morning, the sort of stuff that dries at it hits you really. Despite the showers that fell in the week before the ride it was very dry compared to expectations. Moonlander would have been a great choice, hoping for the same next year with yourself there,

cheers

Good evening all, back from my hols and suitably rested, so time for a late aftermath message... nearly a week after everybody else. Sorry!
That was a really good ride, although there wasn't many of us it just made for a more elite ride! I love the rolling countryside round there and when Marc and me were investigating before the ride to see if the bridge was open, which of course it wasn't, we found the fence round Oxclose Wood which I'd helped build with British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, nineteen years ago and still in good nick! There was some good Red Kite-age and a whole flock of deer [40 mins, Gas mark 5, wrapped in caul fat and studded with rosemary. If only they knew their fate!]. So thanks for a good ride everybody and see you all again soon.

Glad you are all rested up now rich, how were the seychelles? lucky sod.

If that bridge doesn't get fixed by late summer i will have to use some political influence and blue blood muscle. The politicians with care of that district will not be welcome at any of my garden parties, see how they like that!

hehe.