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Chris Otter's ride to Ravenscar via NY500 29/07/23

Posted on 31/07/23 |
After a washout day of weather the previous Saturday and a possibility of nil rain this Saturday there was clearly an appetite for a day long ride as 17 Team 5 members signed up and gathered at Squires for a ride to Ravenscar.

The ride briefing was done at 9.50 with the group being informed that as the first stint to NY500 was the longest there was a need to be off at 10am prompt to keep the day on course.  An outline of the planned route was given and Pete Tidball volunteered for Back Marker duties, an even more important element today with the number of riders in the group.

Leaving Squires on time we headed off on the usual route through Sherburn, Cawood and Escrick where a large queue of traffic brought the advanced rider skills of filtering into play.  On then to Wheldrake and Elvington and through Sutton on Derwent takingimage2 the left turn that heads across to the A1079.  Getting 17 bikes to turn right and then immediately left into Wilberfoss was always going to be a challenge here but eventually all were safely across and off out of Wilberfoss towards Fangfoss where a left turn sent us on to Full Sutton.  A brief stretch along the A166 was then ended with a right turn towards Skirpenbeck where the first dose of freshly laid loose gravel again brought advanced riding skills into play.  All safely through we turned right at the end of the road to head off for a romp down the Buttercrambe TT.  Turning left towards Kirkham we passed the Abbey ruins on the way to the A64.  An easy left turn onto the dual carriageway followed by an immediate right took us towards Foston before turning right up the hill towards magnificent Castle Howard. Past the stately home and a right turn brought us through Coneysthorpe before turning left down to Amotherby, on to Kirby Misperton before pulling into the NY500 car park for a well earned cuppa.

Surprisingly it started to rain as we arrived and continued steadily during our Tea stop, ending as we ventured out to mount up for the second leg of the ride.  ( perfect timing on my part I thought).  We lost one of our group at this point but were also joined by another T5 member, so maintaining the group of 17.

Leaving NY500 we rode into Pickering and out towards Kirby Moorside, turning right towards Cropton before getting to Kirby.  We eventually arrived in Rosedale Abbey image4where a right turn took us up over the top of the moor towards Egton Bridge, the views up here as glorious as ever.  From Egton on to Grosmont crossing the railway where an old steam loco was in the station we then followed the road with tight twists and turns all the way to Sleights.  Leaving Sleights via Ruswarp we took a right turn on to the B road past the Potash mine picking up the A171 road running from Whitby to Scarborough.  After following this road for a couple of miles we turned left towards Ravenscar where we found our second dose of loose gravel for the day.  All safely through we entered Ravenscar and the cafe for our lunch stop.

The cafe at Ravenscar offers a very reasonable wide ranging menu with it's star element probably being the "Ravenscar Riser", essentially a cooked breakfast in a toasted muffin probably around three inches tall with the ability to add extra ingredients if you feel it's not enough on it's own.  At least 2 of our number took up the challenge!

After a satisfying lunch taking in the sea views form the outside seating it was time to set off on the last part of the journey down to Fimber cafe.  Leaving Ravenscar we picked upimage3 the A171 for a short while before turning right at Burniston and on to Hackness.  Through here and on through Troutsdale we eventually reached Snainton and on towards Yedingham.  Crossing the A64 at West Heslerton we then took the usual route up to Sledmere and then the lovely twisty B1251 down to Fimber and our final cuppa of the day.   As the group had started to peel off at various points on the final leg it was a smaller group of 6 enjoying the cuppa and cake to follow the Ravenscar Riser.  

Thanks to everyone for a great turn out and to Pete for back marker duties.

Copy of the route below.

Route 29 7 23

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