I don’t know anything about the best-laid schemes of mice but mine went ‘a-gley’ when the Dalesman café at Gargrave where we were due to have a pre-ride drink was firmly shut. It normally opens at 10 am but as we weren’t due to set off until 10.30 we were somewhat at a loss as to how to spend the next half-hour of a rather chilly morning. Just as we were about to go back to the car park with our tails metaphorically between our legs, the doors opened and a welcome cup of tea was ours.
The ride took us out of Gargrave along the Malham road for about a mile before taking the bridle track that cuts a corner before joining a quiet lane near the beautiful old house of Friars Head. This Grade II listed building was built in about 1670 although there are some more modern additions. 

We only stayed on the lane for a few yards before we turned right up an initially steep bridle track that passes near some pillow mounds, medieval earthworks built as a habitation for rabbits and hares, known as Giant’s Graves. A pleasant grassy descent and less pleasant climb brought us out on the lane between Hetton and Winterburn. From here we rode more quiet lanes to the Town End Café at Airton, a favourite haunt of cyclists of all kinds, for our lunch.
From here a very pleasant bridle track was taken to the oddly named village of Bell Busk. This gets its name from a bell that was hung in a tree or busk that was rung to warn if the nearby river Aire was in flood and dangerous to travellers. We then took a quiet lane along the Aire valley to rejoin the Malham road that led us back to Gargrave for an early finish and another cup of tea at the Dalesman café.
Thanks to Sol, Dave and John for your company on an excellent day out.

Neville Cohen