Friday Night ride to Tan Hill, July 1st 2011

[rower40]

[Bart Simpson]
Eep.
[/Bart Simpson]

Just one concern.  The rarity and titchiness of trains through Kirkby Stephen on the Settle&Carlisle line is such that, with this number of riders turning up, the bike spaces therein will be at a premium.

I wonder if the Tan Hill do a special rate for booking the room for use during the day, not the night (!)  Then one could ride onwards to the station in the afternoon/evening, and avoid the (c)rush on the trains back home.

As I listen to the wind howling across the wide wasteland that is Pr*d* P*rk, I am reminded of the standard phrase to be used in these circumstances:

What could possibly go wrong?

I'm in - for now (other commitments may mess up any plans made that far in advance).  My lightweight Cyclocross bike should be here by then.  Not 'benting it, because the Grasshopper is too heavy has been getting all the fun.

[CrinklyLion]

Blimey, CL, which bits?  Apart from Sunday's route, obv.

All of it (as per your googlemap) as far as round Bedale!  Some from FMB, and some from the Cub's big adventure and the recce run for that....  Incidentally, in the daytime I liked the lanes up and left a bit of Ripon (we went past the barracks - Clotherholme road, Kirkby rd?  And there was a Lark something at one point....) very much more than the A6108.  But they probably aren't as well suited to a night ride.

[Deano]

I'll not take us along the A6108 (or only for a few hundred yards).  That's just what Google defaulted to.

Rower: good points about the trains, I was thinking of suggesting Penrith as an alternative station, but obv. that's a fair bit further away.  Tan Hill will probably be OK with us dossing about the bar for a few extra hours.

The reason for starting this topic so early is to give people chance to organise travel. 

[mcshroom]

Bill - starting from the west is probably easiest for you, unless you can get some cheap tickets to York and ride with the gang.  I wonder if mcshroom and any other westerners would find a western start easier?  There must be a 24-hour services somewhere along the M6 corridor - the only ones I can think of are Southwaite (too far north) and Tebay (not 24-hour).

Tebay Services' website says they are open 24hrs so that might be an option.

[Deano]

Must be thinking of the cafe.

[jane]

Ooooh goody! I knew I could  count on  YACFers to act on one of my many barmy notions for a bike ride.  And I should  be able to make it!  Looks perfectly possible to leave work and get a York bound train from Kings Cross on a Friday to arrive for midnight.  I should probably book as soon as they release the tickets though- Friday night trains north out of Kings cross are more closely packed than a tin of small silver fish.
      If I can sort the trip, I would probably do a short ride somewhere else after breakfast and camp on Saturday night- then head back somewhere handy for a London train on Sunday morning early. 

[jogler]

Not yet sure I can attend but if I do the sensible travelling plan seems to be
train from Derby to York
train from Kirkby Stephen to Crewe

[Aidan]

I'd love to do this, but the 2nd is my wedding anniversary and we have PLANS.


And no, I won't change them

[CrinklyLion]

I'll be at work in the day, but there's enough notice that I can swap my sites around and have my late finish/long commute on a different day and be home at a relatively sensible time.  Usual deal everyone- gizza shout if you get into York with time to kill and want to lurk round at the Den 'til kick off.  I might be asleep, mind!

[tiermat]

I'd love to do this, but the 2nd is my wedding anniversary and we have PLANS.


And no, I won't change them

I'm going to say I am not doing a ride then turn up at the last minute, just to prove you do exist, currently I have a feeling you don't!!!!

[billplumtree]

Bill - starting from the west is probably easiest for you, unless you can get some cheap tickets to York and ride with the gang.  I wonder if mcshroom and any other westerners would find a western start easier?  There must be a 24-hour services somewhere along the M6 corridor - the only ones I can think of are Southwaite (too far north) and Tebay (not 24-hour).

Yeah, it would certainly be more convenient.  And quieter and lonelier, up on them moors on me own in the wee small hours...    We'll see

I did think I might moot the idea of a Western start.  Obviously,we'd muster our forces at Lancaster, then re-enact the Wars of the Roses when we meet at Tan Hill 

[CrinklyLion]

pish - you're just trying to avoid coming over to the right side of the hills!

[billplumtree]

pish - you're just trying to avoid coming over to the right side of the hills!

That's a point - which side of the watershed is the pub?

[Aidan]

I'd love to do this, but the 2nd is my wedding anniversary and we have PLANS.


And no, I won't change them

I'm going to say I am not doing a ride then turn up at the last minute, just to prove you do exist, currently I have a feeling you don't!!!!

#

I do! Honest.  Crinklys met me. Twice.  And Arch  and Slowcoach, and Wowbagger, and Peli and Wooly, very briefly. TT has shouted at me and been ignored    I've met Bobb and Charlotte and Citoyen and Tokamak and Mseries.  So if I dont exist thats one hell of a collective imagination

I'm going to organise a Tiermat and Aidan  Ride Together on Saturday ( TARTS) on  the wolds ride just for you!  any dates you would like to suggest?

[Deano]

pish - you're just trying to avoid coming over to the right side of the hills!

That's a point - which side of the watershed is the pub?

The top!

It's Yorkshire - just.  It was actually County Durham for a while, but the Tykes were up in arms about it.

[CrinklyLion]

pish - you're just trying to avoid coming over to the right side of the hills!

That's a point - which side of the watershed is the pub?

The top!

It's Yorkshire - just.  It was actually County Durham for a while, but the Tykes were up in arms about it.

shhh.... you weren't meant to tell him!

[Deano]

I don't have any loyalty to either House - I'm from further north than both

[jogler]

U2: In Gods Country

[Deano]

Ooooh goody! I knew I could  count on  YACFers to act on one of my many barmy notions for a bike ride.  And I should  be able to make it!  Looks perfectly possible to leave work and get a York bound train from Kings Cross on a Friday to arrive for midnight.  I should probably book as soon as they release the tickets though- Friday night trains north out of Kings cross are more closely packed than a tin of small silver fish.
      If I can sort the trip, I would probably do a short ride somewhere else after breakfast and camp on Saturday night- then head back somewhere handy for a London train on Sunday morning early. 

Excellent!  I'm really pleased you'll make it, as you're slightly responsible for all this.

You could stay at the pub (I'm sure you know) - if you're planning to camp, and can get your tent to me beforehand, I might be able to leave it behind the bar for a few days.  I dunno if they'd go for it, but it's probably worth asking, if it saves you hauling it across Yorkshire.

[Karla]

This sounds like a good ride.  Fortunately, I suspect I'll never want to sit on a bike again on that weekend, so you won't have to bear with me.

[Arch]

I'd love to do this, but the 2nd is my wedding anniversary and we have PLANS.


And no, I won't change them

I'm going to say I am not doing a ride then turn up at the last minute, just to prove you do exist, currently I have a feeling you don't!!!!

#

I do! Honest.  Crinklys met me. Twice.  And Arch  and Slowcoach, and Wowbagger, and Peli and Wooly, very briefly. TT has shouted at me and been ignored    I've met Bobb and Charlotte and Citoyen and Tokamak and Mseries.  So if I dont exist thats one hell of a collective imagination

I'm going to organise a Tiermat and Aidan  Ride Together on Saturday ( TARTS) on  the wolds ride just for you!  any dates you would like to suggest?

No, no, you ought to do it in Derbyshire. Then it could be a Bakewell TARTS. 

Of course you exist. I've eaten pudding with you.

[jane]

You could stay at the pub (I'm sure you know) - if you're planning to camp, and can get your tent to me beforehand, I might be able to leave it behind the bar for a few days.  I dunno if they'd go for it, but it's probably worth asking, if it saves you hauling it across Yorkshire.

Thanks for that- I'll think about it although my weekend tent is tiny- Terra Nova Laser Photon- weighs less than a kilo. And my summer down sleeping bag  about the same.  Currently I am supposed to be running and swimming a couple of times a week in order to fuflfil a promise to a friend and accompany her on a triathlon in June (this will surprise those who know me well, but it is true) and I am upping my weekly cycling mileage in order to be ready for my planned summer tour (Dungeness-Durness hopefully).  So by July I should have lost those two kilos (if not more, with any luck) and won't notice the camping kit.  Those who have camped with me before will know how light I travel.

[jane]

By the way Deano- thanks for organising this- I am getting excited already- it will be a great ride, I'm sure.  The hours of darkness will be short and riding through the Dales in the early hours will be superb.  (Of course, there will be a stunning starlit night and moon to guide us, a gorgeous gold and pink sunrise, clear light blue early morning skies and light summer breezes blowing from the southeast. Possibly.)

[SlowCoach]

Count me in. I'm going to have to sort my calendar out though. That's this July 1st, Dun run - July 16th and Tiermat's ride Friday 29th  July isn't it? I'm not normally booked up like this as far ahead. I've no idea how I'll get home from this yet - riding back is a possibility - but the condition of the road from Tan Hill down to Bowes does make me wonder about using my mountain bike (with skinnier tyres on) rather than the Thorn. The thought of digging my bivibag out and camping does have a certain appeal though too.

Breakfast at Tan Hill certainly won't be a problem. Last time I stayed there (about 3 years ago when we stopped overnight on the Walney to Wear) we slotted in around the wedding reception. I don't know quite when the wedding was, but things were in full swing at about 10am... It's always been a pretty laissez faire attitude there.

With a bit of luck we may be able to fill one of the holes in my "to do" list. I've been snowed on whilst camping at Tan Hill in every month of the year apart from July and August. What's the chances of filling the July slot?

[Deano]

You could stay at the pub (I'm sure you know) - if you're planning to camp, and can get your tent to me beforehand, I might be able to leave it behind the bar for a few days.  I dunno if they'd go for it, but it's probably worth asking, if it saves you hauling it across Yorkshire.

Thanks for that- I'll think about it although my weekend tent is tiny- Terra Nova Laser Photon- weighs less than a kilo. And my summer down sleeping bag  about the same.  Currently I am supposed to be running and swimming a couple of times a week in order to fuflfil a promise to a friend and accompany her on a triathlon in June (this will surprise those who know me well, but it is true) and I am upping my weekly cycling mileage in order to be ready for my planned summer tour (Dungeness-Durness hopefully).  So by July I should have lost those two kilos (if not more, with any luck) and won't notice the camping kit.  Those who have camped with me before will know how light I travel.

Fair enough - there'll be people carrying more than that in cake...