25th January 2009 First New Year Ride Out & Lunch

With Reg and Wendy Threlkeld.

The first ride-out of the year didn’t look very promising (well it was only January, what did I expect!) we’d had very heavy rain for days in the North Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire areas, so the question was should we trust in the weather Gods and pray... damned hard! The forecast looked gloomy for the twice recce’d route we’d chosen and on peering through the curtains at six in the morning it was stair-rod rain and bouncing off the patio; and at the bottom of the drive was a good wheel wash!

However, although riding 45 miles to the meet point at Ferrybridge didn’t look appealing, we decided to ‘get on with it’ and hope for the best – but luckily, by eight o’clock the rain was easing a little so off we went. On arrival at Ferrybridge we were joined by six other members on bikes, who thankfully, had seen very little rain in the more northerly parts.

From the services it was a short sprint onto the A645 to the picturesque town of Snaith, it’s tidal River Aire running through the centre quite a feature, then at East Cowick join the long sweeping straights and bends on the A614 south towards Thorne whilst taking in lovely views of the Stainforth and Keadby Canal, with the River Don running parallel with our riding route – continuing on to Blaxton, Finningley, Austerfield and the old coaching town of Bawtry where we take a right turn to join the A631 to Tickhill.

With pleasant views of the countryside as we ride up Spital Hill, the weather is dramatically improving to give a brighter day than expected at six that morning!

Leaving Tickhill and its attractive 18th century Buttercross Market Place, we take the A60 which is an excellent biking route for several miles to the charming village of Oldcotes, where we enjoy our P&T stop – parking is limited outside the cafe but is worth it...the tea and cakes were very nice!

Fully fuelled we rejoin the A60 passing Langold, North and South Carlton, and Hodthorpe just skirting Clumber Park, which even early in the year is beautiful.

Still riding south, at Cuckney we take a right onto the A632 for some good twisty roads through pretty villages of Nether Langwith and Upper Langwith – from there it’s south west through Scarcliffe then finally at the end of our 80 mile ride, the Twin Oaks Hotel at Palterton where we met up with nine other members for a superb lunch yet again with an extra course being the usual great camaraderie!

It’s hard to believe that this lovely hotel and restaurant was once a row of derelict miners cottages, belonging to the old Ramcroft colliery until it closed in 1966; in 1986 the present owners sympathetically renovated the cottages and turned them into the attractive hotel it is today – it’s also very close to the motorway network and major roads for travel in any direction... particularly Derbyshire.

Thanks to everyone for joining Reg and myself, it was a thoroughly enjoyable day and the weather was better than expected – the praying did the trick!