Harrogate ride <60km?

[andyoxon]

Any thoughts on a good ride route, for 2-3hrs+ start & finish in Harrogate, at a weekend.

Nidderdale greenway to Ripley and around somewhere?

[yorkie]

If you head to Ripley, you could carry on northwards to Fountains Abbey (out of Ripley on the B6165 towards Pateley Bridge, then first right signposted Fountains Abbey)
That will take you onto the Way of the Roses cycle route (NCN 688) to Fountains Abbey at the end of Watergate Road.

You could then continue along NCN 688 through Studley Royal deer park (through the back gate, pedestrians and cycles only) and on through Ripon. The return to Harrogate can be through Littlethorpe, past Bishop Monkton and Burton Leonard to Knaresborough.

The last bit to Harrogate can be along the Beryl Burton Cycleway (turn right immediately after the A59 bridge over the River Nidd in Knaresborough, opposite the entrance to Mother Shipton's Cave)

Cafes are available at: Ripley Castle, Fountains Abbey Visitor Centre, Ripon City Centre, and Knaresborough Town Centre.

A quick "rough and ready" plot of this route in RwGPS gives a distance of 48km (starts and finishes at Harrogate Railway Station (East Parade side)) and approximately 400m climbing.

Hope this gives you a rough idea of a route.

Edit:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46281562 is the rough plot, feel free to borrow and adapt as you wish.

[Deano]

Up and down Nidderdale would be a canny ride, you can probably reach the hills around Pateley, or head towards York if you prefer something flatter.

Wetherby's a pretty good stop with its famous chippy, or there's a decent wee cafe at Bolton Percy if that's not too far.

And don't forget to call in Spa Cycles!

[yorkie]

...be careful if you do head towards York though, the road past the railway station is closed for the full weekend (this weekend and next!) for the preparation work for the demolition of Queen Street bridge. The city centre will be absolutely manic - more so than usual!
(That's absolutely closed closed, not even pedestrians can get through!)

Doylys is a good call, though.

[andyoxon]

Thx yorkie/deano     Also notice, heading west from Ripley is Hollybank lane, wondering what it's like...

[yorkie]

Thx yorkie/deano     Also notice, heading west from Ripley is Hollybank lane, wondering what it's like...

I've never used Hollybank Lane, I'm afraid, but I know some people who have and they haven't complained about it...


...and a quick shufti at Google Maps Streetview (other mapping services are available, etc.) seems to show it as either tarmac or some other hard surface for the full length (courtesy of a user called Tim Cook - photos are about 2 months old as well!)


Edit: it's part of the NCN as well (Route 67, allegedly)

[andyoxon]

Ride done on Sat. 

48km pretty much as per the rwgps route above.  Took it easy ~2.5hrs. Loads of other cyclists about.  Had some good sunny spells weather; legs came out, but wore a roubaix l/s jersey jacket.  Nidderdale greenway to Ripley was good, path very smooth; gorge viaduct impressive.  Ripley to Fountains Abbey had some great distant views over to the east heading up around How hill.  Diverted to look at Ripon cathedral.  Ripon to Knaresborough, lovely quiet route through Bishops Monkton.  In Knaresborough I took in the view from the castle, then the B6163 bridge & Forest Moor rd back to Harrogate. 
Where the greenway route crosses the A61 nr Ripley, tried waiting for a gap in the traffic, then spotted the dedicated traffic light crossing.  A-roads on a Sat in the area seem well worth avoiding; which the route did.

[yorkie]

Good to see you had an enjoyable ride.
I quite like heading up that way, as it's hilly without being too hilly - the main problem around York is finding any hills at all - and it's manageable out and back from York in a reasonable timescale.