If you have not seen this book, it is a good coffee table book - or for me, the book of my night time dreams. This gift was more like - stop talking, Go do it! Well, with 5 continents and 50 rides listed, rather than wait for a great day, the book inspired me to start with one small step at a time … and why not start with one closest to home? … our own backyard.
One of the great motorcycle journeys of the world - listed on Page 154 is - Kendal to Whitby. Yes, dear friends - after having completed it last week - I wholeheartedly agree - IT IS AN AWESOME RIDE and I am sure many people who have done it would agree.
There are options on this ride. You can skip a few sections. However, if you want the Full Monty - then don't cut any corners. This is the Full Monty!
… and that is what I set out to do! The book recommends to give this ride at least two days. Well, if I had that time, would have stopped along the way to see the various beautiful sights - castles, old cottages, brewery's etc. My focus was ride … so ride did I.
Day 1 - Newbury to Kendal - uneventful
Started from Berkshire Saturday morning (25th Oct) and took a leisurely ride (without touching any motorways :) ) … and blessed with some good weather
reached the lake district Saturday evening. Found a quiet site in Kendal at the camping and caravanning club site. Retired early - planned an early start.
For those in the region on Saturday, there were gusts of wind reaching 25 mph. Camped under a tree, on a windy day, all the noise kept me up until 1:00 AM. Well, ear plugs came in handy and slept well until 0700.
Day 2 - Kendal to Whitby (Page 154)
A quick breakfast and other essentials saw me on the road. What looked like a bad day
Turned out to be good by the time I started
And the beautiful countryside beckoned me
An early morning start from Kendal, took the A684 and just outside of Kendal came across the Lambrigg wind farm.
Up until now did not have a clue about what was in store for me. But well, the A684 it was.
… and then it started … the twists and turns. Just another pic of the beautiful countryside … where I stopped to catch a breath
and then before reaching Sedbergh saw an awesome series of twists and turns on the road assured me that I will never be able to square my tyre :). So no photographs until I stopped at Sedbergh.
Another set of cracking, footrest scraping turns :) - saw me reach Garsdale. This is the Garsdale Viaduct.
And the bridge on the same line
The next point along the A684 was Hawes. Another interesting town with a character. The towns are interesting … but so are the roads. I was blessed with awesome weather and the fall weather brought out the beauty of this part of the world.
Stopped along the way to admire the beauty of the countryside once again.
Bainbridge was the next town on the stretch.
There was something about Bainbridge. Something wonderful which this picture cannot explain.
Crossed river Bain and continued on the A684. Another awesome set of twists and turns took me through Aysgarth.
The signboards looked interesting. Took the left turn at the Aysgarth crossing to check if I can see the falls from the road. Did not want to get off to go and see the falls. Well, could not so turned back and continued on the A684. Do I need to say this again? … but I will - another set of cracking roads and reached Layburn.
On the suggested route in the "Great Motorcycle Journeys of the World" at Leyburn, you leave the A684 and continue on A6108 to Masham. Photographs? Nay mate. You need to keep both hands on the bar and your eyes on the roads! At Masham, came a deciding moment - do I continue to Ripon on the A6108 (the shortcut) or, as the book recommends, turn right on to the small Fearby Road, heading into Healey and beyond? NO SHORTCUTS! At Masham took Fearby Road down to the Leighton Reservoir. A very scenic and romantic place indeed.
My attempt at a scenic photo.
The bridge crosses the Leighton reservoir at the far end.
Further ahead, climbed up to Pott bank. Another scenic ride.
The vast empty expanse and the open area was breath-taking indeed.
I need to take a better camera next time to capture those rays of sun breaking through the clouds and shining on the Yorkshire countryside.
Further down I then descend into Lofthouse.
Then it was past Gouthwaite reservoir ...
... into Pateley Bridge. From Pateley Bridge took the B6265, past Fellbeck … all the way into Ripon. From Ripon took the A61 into Thirsk. Again, sorry no pics. You need to keep your hands on the bar and eyes on the road. A quick stop to look at the Thirsk Cathedral from the outside. (Well that is the only place where I could stop and take a pic of the Cathedral.)
From Thirsk, it was the A19 and the A172 into Stokesley. Interesting but fast smooth flowing curvy roads. None of the footpeg scraping turns I encountered earlier. This is a quick pic of the Stokesley town centre.
Well, from Stokesley, turned onto the B1257. The first sign I see is this.
Pic courtesy Google Maps
… and you know ! Yes, that is the road that I want to ride. Now starts another leg of the awesome ride … true fall colours B1257 - right through the North York Moors
… all the way down to Helmsley. Again, eyes on the road and hands on the handlebar type of road! no pics again. This is the Helmsley town centre.
A quick coffee at Thomas Bakers (I am sure many of you know this place. There were many bikers parked here having coffee from Thomas Bakers). From Helmsley to Pickering, took the A170. A fairly uneventful part of the ride. At Pickering,
… took a left on the A169 on toward Whitby. The A169, also called the Blue Bank Road gets into Sleights. Just before Sleights you have the Hole of Horcum.
Again, beautiful countryside and awesome views all the way. This road is a fast one, but then speed limits are in place :) and when out on a long journey, it is best to obey rules. A quick pic at the Hole of Horcum
And off to Whitby. On the way was the descend into Sleights with the sand runoff road on the steep descend. This may have been needed in the days of weak brakes, but do we need this now? An interesting bit of road there. From Sleights, it was all the way into Whitby. The cobbled streets of Whitby (Church Street) on the south side.
The Eskmouth Pier Road - North side.
Another processed pic of Whitby looking beautiful.
The ruins of the Abbey. Can you see Dracula there?
Completed the awesome ride. It was worth every minute of the day, every rotation of the wheel and every beat of the engine and the heart! Checked into the YHA at Whitby and dropped myself into bed - a satisfied bunny! a satisfying day indeed. A pic next day morning.
It has been a pleasure taking in the beautiful Yorkshire roads and the beauty of the countryside. A hello to many riders I met along the way.
My next ride is on Page 146. :)
