Click on the image above to view more photos of the ride on Flickr

Grayham, Sol, Roger, John & Irene and I met on the bridge over the River Went on a fine but relatively cool day for a three counties ride. We cycled north to Darrington where we turned east and crossed from West to North Yorkshire to reach Womersley. We stopped for elevenses at the excellent cyclists’ cafe. Still on tarmac we proceeded along quiet lanes to cross from North to South Yorkshire as we entered Norton. We went over the railway by way of a level crossing and then over the always busy A19.  A rough track took us further east until we met tarmac and a series of quiet lanes led by way of yet another level crossing over the main East Coast line. As we approached Fenwick I was surprised to recognise the pub that we had visited on the occasion of Ben Broom’s funeral some years earlier. Nearby there was a ‘trust me’ village library – a box on a post with a small selection of books. Leaving Fenwick, more lanes and a fairly busy ‘minor’ road took us into Askern.  We stopped at the cafe alongside the mere for cheap and wholesome food. This was a very pleasant spot for lunch and enabled us to avoid the only shower of the day. Sated, we continued along lanes and then a somewhat overgrown bridleway. Here I stopped to take a photo, put my right foot down but there was nothing there! Thankfully the others were able to help me by preventing me from toppling into the field below. A few nettle stings and we reach a better surfaced bridleway which took us into Kirk Smeaton back in West Yorkshire.  We tarried awhile to take photos of the attractive church and pub. Then, back in the saddle we covered the last 3 miles to cross the A1 & Wentbridge bypass before dropping back into the village. It had been a very rural ride – flat and easy but all the more enjoyable for it. In particular it was good to see John & Irene back in action.

John Kemp