An opportunity had come up to get away for a few days riding in the North of England; the weather forecast looked reasonable…so its ADVENTURE TIME again to ride some of the UK’s best roads 🙂
Day 1:Tuesday 16th July 2019: North to Greta Bridge in Country Durham, via Yorkshire Dales…260 miles
It was a beautiful sunny morning, perfect for riding. The plan was to follow the fantastic B660 out of Bedford through the back country roads and join the A1 North at Stamford in Lincolnshire. Finally I have managed to find a good route around the sprawl of Bedford and soon joined the B660 Kimbolton Road. This leads through the countryside and corn and poppy fields of Cambridgeshire and Rutland; great road and nice scenery punctuated by pretty villages.
A quick blast up the A1 and A1M and I am soon in Yorkshire..time to turn off into the Yorkshire Dales and enjoy the roads and scenery. You are greeted by miles and miles (actually 5000 apparently) of stone walls separating the fields; the scenery is mix of green rolling hills and fields, then by contrast onto the roads across the barren moors. My route took me along a mix of narrow country lanes and fast open roads on the moors. Judging by the smell it seems to be muck spreading time in parts of Yorkshire at this time of year! This was confirmed when I met head on with the largest tractor and muck spreader on a VERY narrow lane..just managed to squeeze past holding my breath 🙂 On this trip I am riding solo, therefore can stop when and wherever I like to take photos or just enjoy the moment; the real full on riding day is planned for tomorrow.
Stone Walls 
Local Point of Interest
Yorkshire Dales 
Stone Walls & Blue Sky
Just admire
I have an App called “Best Biking Roads” it enables you to check for good roads around your location. I decided to see if there was anything of interest I hadn’t planned it and noticed a potentially good route just a short detour from my planned route..nice day, no rush to be anywhere. why not try it? 🙂 The route was a nice undulating and twisty road across a moor leading past a Military Firing Range..the Red Flags were flying!! The road ended at a village called Castle Bolton..which funnily enough had a nice castle which was built in 1387.
The Red Flags are flying 
Says it all!
Time to head off on the last 25 miles to the hotel, the Morritt arms at Greta Bridge. Arrived about 6pm ish, Parked out the front next to a Triumph Thuxton and headed to the bar for a nice pint of the local “Black Sheep” bitter. Weather forecast for tomorrow is good and I have a 220 mile circular route planned taking in North Pennines and much more of the Yorkshire Dales!
Day 2:Wednesday 17th July 2019: All the best roads in Nth Pennines & Yorkshire Dales 220 miles
The Triumph Thruxton was owned by a couple from Rochdale who had done a couple of days touring in the area; had a nice chat after breakfast as we got ready for the day. Within 5 miles I was into more good roads and scenery, and another castle. Before long I was in the North Pennines crossing the vast expanse of Weardale; great open fast road, no cars just a few sheep! The barren landscape finally gave way to green fields and pine forests as I entered Northumberland; time for a coffee stop in the picturesque little village of Blanchland. As I sat in the sun a guy walking his dog stopped to chat, turned out he had just bought one of the new CCM hand made British bikes..nice.
Barnard Castle 
Coffee at the Post Office
Mid week outside of school holidays is obviously the best time to come riding here; hardly any cars to contend with 🙂 I turned off the main road down a little side lane and stopped by a babbling brook for a comfort break. The farmer had recently cut the field leaving big rolls of hay, it was so quiet..just the sound of the stream 🙂
Peaceful 
The babblng brook
I headed north to Haydon Bridge on the border with Cumbria and then took the road to Alston across the moor and then across Teesdale down to Middleton-in-Teesdale. Wow! 40 miles of superb open, undulating and twisty road..flat out in places, not a car or speed camera to be seen; one of the best roads I’ve ridden in the UK!! I was having so much fun and needed to slow down a bit, so pulled in at a place called High Force, High Force, one of the most spectacular waterfalls in England, located at Forest-in-Teesdale, in the heart of the Durham Dales, Co. Durham.
oop North 
Great road
High Force falls 
Highest in England
Where I had stopped a group of bikers were having a break; I noticed the bikes were all new BMWs with Belgian plates. We nodded to each other (as bikers do) and a couple came over to check me out. They spoke good English and apparently were part of a 30 strong group over from BMW Club Belgium and had been staying in the Lake district for a week or so. One of them had the new 1250 BMW GS so we chatted bikes for a while and raved about the local roads 🙂
Soon I was back into North Yorkshire with its miles of stone walls; time to ride the Buttertubs Pass from Kirkby Stephen to Hawes and then the infamous B6255 Hawes to Ingleton road down to the famous and fantastic Ribblehead Viaduct. This road has a warning sign at the beginning of it “35 motorcyclists injured during the last 3 years” and various police warning signs along the way!!
Hmmmm
Ribblehead Viaduct 
Ribblehead Nth Yorkshire
I made it down to the end of the road OK and kept wondering along the way how all those bikers could have got injured or killed on that road. Sure its fast in places and quite a few tricky bends; maybe its because it attracts a higher number of bikers than most roads and then the percentages start to apply? I turned off left at the Ribblehead Viaduct to ride one of the most picturesque but narrow roads over Malham Moor towards Grassington. The sun was out and the views were great 🙂
Love these stone walls 
I was now on the final part of the loop back to Greta bridge; it had been a long day and I was tired..these roads need full concentration for sure! The forecast had predicted rain after lunch but I had missed it. As I drew up to the hotel about 6:30pm the rain started ..perfect timing at the end of a fantastic day’s riding. One of the best days and selection of roads ever in the UK 🙂
Tomorrow is another 200+mile day through the North Yorkshire Moors and then down to Derbyshire and the best roads in the Peak District.
Day 3:Thursday 18th July 2019: North Yorkshire Moors & The Peak District 220 miles
A sunny start, but forecast suggests there is chance of catching a shower before the end of the day. I’ll be staying in Stockport tonight on the edge of the Peak District; its 80 miles if you go direct, but 220 miles by my route taking in the Nth Yorks moors and then the best of the Peak District. Apparently THE road to do is known as the Nth Yorks TT, its the B1257 Stokesley to Hemsley; as I start the 20 miles ride I see the sign “45 motorcyclist casualties in the last 5yrs” accompanied by another warning sign aimed at bikers…!!
How dangerous can this road be?? I had a good run at it meeting just a few cars on the way so was able to “make progress” but still had time to wave to a couple of motorcycle cops coming the other way 🙂 ; sure this road had a few technical bits and was interesting to ride, but nothing a competent motorcyclist couldn’t handle if riding sensibly..maybe that’s the problem with the guys who didn’t make it.
The only moment I had during the 20 miles of the Nth Yorks TT was the serious fright I got when an RAF Typhoon fighter jet flew over the road about 50ft off the ground during one of their infamous low level training flights across the moors following the valleys. The noise was deafening and came without warning..made my heart skip a beat I can tell you!!
After the moors I joined the A1 and headed south, then picked up the M1 for a quick blast before turning off at Wakefield and heading for the Peak District. The first road was the Woodhead Pass towards Glossop. At the top was a great view for miles.
No doubt about it the Peak District is very picturesque, however, being surrounded by the densely populated areas of Manchester & Sheffield the amount of traffic is so much greater than Yorkshire & further North. There are some great roads, but riding is spoilt by the number of cars & lorries encountered..and lots of speed cameras. The A537 famous “Cat & Fiddle” run is ruined by a 50mph avg speed camera zone for miles and miles.
My route took in “Snake Pass”, another infamous road that I have never ridden. I decided to give it a go; its the A57 from Glossop to Sheffield. Its about 18miles through great countryside passing the Ladybower Reservoir. I was fairly lucky with the traffic and managed to get a reasonably good run; much of it is 50mph limit which is probably plenty with the traffic..the time to ride it would be early on a Sunday morning 🙂
On the way I stopped at the Ladybower Café, a permanent portacabin in a layby opposite the reservoir. I was greeted by the friendly blonde lady who runs it with the typical northern greeting “yer awright?”, I had intended just a cup of tea but was tempted by a sausage, egg and tomato roll. This was delivered in what I would call a “bap”; I was informed that up there it was called either a Muffin, a Barm cake, or a Cobb..Either way it was very tasty. Had quite a chat with the lady, who was plugging her bikers night do later. Apparently the cops call in there as well and she finds out where they are gonna be hiding along the road and tips off all the bikers 🙂
I have to conclude that whist the Peak District is quite picturesque, the roads are spoilt by the amount of traffic. By all means come to ride the Peak District if you are touring and want to see the sights; but if “riding” is more your thing then my advice is give the Peaks a miss and go for Yorkshire and the North Pennines every time!
Day 4 Friday 19th: Its raining..time to go home!!
After 3 days of sun the rain has come with a vengeance for my ride home; as I cross the high peaks to join the M1 at Derby I am riding in the clouds and mist and the rain is heavy! Just as well I had all that wet riding practice in Ireland on the last trip 🙂 It rains all the way home and I have another seriously dirty bike to clean…
In conclusion; Yorkshire & North Pennines offer fantastic riding along with great scenery; definitely worth the trip North. Haydon Bridge to Middleton-in-Teesdale via Alston is certainly one of the best roads I have ridden anywhere in the UK. When coming here again to fit in a quick trip I would miss out the Peak District and depending on time of year maybe add in a day’s riding in the Lake District instead.
The next adventure is only a few weeks away..The Pyrennese; cant wait 🙂
“LIVING THE DREAM”
Agreed….I found the Dales amazing…shame they’re not a little closer to home for weekend blasts eh? PY
Yes, but then we’d have to live oop north!
John, nice read! Looks like you had fun all by yourself….
When riding alone I enjoy the freedom to ride and stop as I like and can usually find someone to chat with over a beer in the evening 🙂