Day One
10am Friday morning, the top of Five Rise Locks. Not an ordinary ride awaits. Gathered here are 13 Bingley Belles, with an assortment of panniers, frame bags and rucksacks ready to set off on a bike packing adventure. The weather forecast in the run up to the weekend had not initially been promising but the sun was shining and before we could set off there was much debate about whether people really had needed to pack waterproof trousers! It has been a miserable summer so far but bulled on by (blind) optimism and anxiety about the weight of everyone’s luggage, many bags were hastily unpacked of various items and Jane’s husband, Andy, arms laden, was entrusted to look after them for the weekend!
Roll back a few weeks and sitting in Sarah’s front room were a group of women looking disbelievingly at a coffee table with examples of the few items they would need for the bike packing holiday! “What only two pairs of pants?” “Shouldn’t I take my ‘going out’ shoes?”
This was all Anne Thompson’s fault. She’d suggested that we could try a bike packing holiday as Bingley Belles. It will be fun, she said and a bit of an adventure! An email was sent out and who knew it, but some people were interested in giving it a go too! Youth Hostels were booked, and an organising group Anne, Fiona, Nicola and Sarah met to plan the trip and reccy some of the route.
The meeting at Sarah’s was the opportunity to share details of the trip, including what to pack (not a lot). Bikes would need to be serviced and made ready and some women booked themselves on a few rides in preparation to get some miles in the saddle! There was a lot of anxiety about the need to sit on the bike for hours each day and for 3 days in a row. There was much debate in the WhatsApp group about what cream or ointments would be required! Jane was in charge of 1st aid and so went off to buy tubs of chamois cream.
So the day has arrived and after a photo by Andy the group set off heading ultimately for Malham in the Yorkshire Dales. Most of the route today would be familiar to everyone as we set off along the canal towards Utley. Joining the road and splitting into two groups we headed to Jubilee Park in Sutton in Craven for a drink at the café. It was already warm and cold cans and finding some shade in the park was a necessity.
On to the first hills of the day and views along the Aire valley, as we climbed up and over to Cononley and then to Skipton for lunch. Where else to lunch other than at Holy Trinity Church café, sadly no pie and peas on Fridays but toasted sandwiches and soup enjoyed by all. From here we joined the canal towpath and cycled all the way to Gargrave. We had to help heave heavy bikes loaded with stuff at the lock. Gosh it is hot now! Once in Gargrave, the majority of the group rested in the park while Sarah, Barbara and Anne headed to the Co-op to buy supplies for tea. Some have a dip in the river to cool down and everyone enjoyed a choc ice when they got back from the shop. We have planned to use the self-catering kitchen at the youth hostel and make a pasta dish for the group. Barbara spotted that the courgettes were on special offer and piled lots in the basket! Along with onions, mushrooms, tins of tomatoes, halloumi and chicken, plus lots more, we all had to try to find a little room in our panniers to carry our goodies on to the YHA.
Finally, we arrived. 30 miles in the saddle and luckily staff were on site to sell us cold drinks. We booked in and settled into our dormitories, unpacking just enough for a shower and a change of clothes. Well not all of us booked in, Liz headed up the road to find a campsite. She had carried her tent and supplies, determined to be a real bike packer. Putting us all to shame moaning about lugging our few bits!
Volunteers assembled to chop and cook while a small party headed off for a cold dip at Janet’s Foss! It was a beautiful evening, and we enjoyed our home cooked food, cold drinks and lots of chat. Off to bed early and plans made for assembling in the morning for the cooked breakfast we had ordered from the hostel staff.
What an uncomfortable night! You would have thought we would all have slept like babes but the heat and closeness, particularly in the dormitory on the top floor meant there were tales to tell of cold showers in the night, fighting with windows to open them fully and ultimately not much sleep had! Let’s hope a full English breakfast will help to set us all on our way for day two of cycling.
Day Two
Panniers packed and off we set on a convoluted route to Kettlewell via Settle and Horton in Ribblesdale. Today’s main theme it turns out will be ‘how many Belles can get lost?’ Within the first 3 miles we have lost two people. Not off the back of the group but actually those at the front. It turns out that finding the ‘right’ triangle of grass to wait on in Airton was difficult. A lack of phone signal required a manual hunt before we were all back together again!
From Airton we headed up! The first of three long hill climbs today. 3 miles of up into the most stunning countryside, sharing it with sheep and Highland cattle. It felt like such a great achievement to reach the top. And then one of the scariest descents into Settle, a white knuckle ride and cramping of hands gripping onto the handlebars and pulling the brakes! Phew, all down safe and sound. We stopped at the bike café in Settle for a cuppa and met the local police who were handing out bike trackers for free to cyclists. Apparently, they had acquired funds to buy them from repossessed ill-gotten gains from a local drug dealer. Great!
Off we go again through Settle to take the back road to Knight Stainforth and the second hill of the day to Helwith Bridge for lunch. Well, you can guess, two more Belles lost in Settle (a different two). They’ve taken the wrong turn; plans are made to meet them further up the road….no hanging about…. we have a table booked at Middle Studford Farm Tearoom for 12.30pm so time was of the essence. Every woman for themselves, there is promise of the best quiche in Yorkshire waiting for us. All back together we arrive in plenty of time and sit out in the glorious sunshine to enjoy lunch. Unfortunately, not enough quiche to go round but lots to choose from the menu. Those who had it reported that it truly was delicious. The last part of today’s ride means travelling further up the valley via Horton in Ribblesdale and High Birkwith and onto bridleways that take us through the forest and over and into upper Wharfedale. Part of the path is shared by those walkers doing the Three Peaks Challenge. The riding is tough off road and initially quite steep but we all make it and stop part way up to take in the views across towards the Ribblehead viaduct. Truly spectacular. Sitting on the grass catching our breath also requires some of us to have to apply insect repellent. A few of us are sporting some interesting bites! Jane’s first aid kit to the rescue again!
On and into the woods and of course, we all got lost! Sarah’s memory failing her though she blamed all tracks in the woods for looking too similar! Thanks to Barbara’s OS Maps app we work out a route and some take the off road route through the woods and the others turn back to join a smoother track. Its 10 miles downhill from there all the way to Kettlewell, a truly beautiful valley following the Dalesway route alongside the river Wharfe.
Arriving in Kettlewell, Liz sets off to set up camp and the rest of us make use of a very comfortable and beautiful hostel. Lounge, kitchen with free tea and coffee for guests, a book library, garden with stunning views and fantastic showers. Once we have all ordered breakfast for the morning, we set off to the Kingshead pub for an evening meal! The only rain of the day fell whilst we were in the pub…couldn’t have been better especially as it helped to clear the air for a less humid night. A great day, 34 miles of cycling and a better night’s sleep had by all!
Day Three
Up for a hearty breakfast…amazing granola….let alone the cooked breakfast and homemade yogurt. The Hostel really feels like home from home and plans are made to return one day! Our last day of cycling and a little pep talk is had before we all set off. We are determined not to lose anyone today, so a new strategy is adopted which involved 1. No one is to overtake the leader, who surely knows the way! 2. Someone will stay at each junction to see everyone safely through and heading in the right direction. 3. No wandering off to the shop!
Off we go, heading down the valley via Grassington, Hebden, by-passing Burnsall and a stop to regroup at Appletreewick. We have a table booked at the Café on the Green in Bolton Abbey and checks were made about how far we have to go and how long it will take us to get there. Quote of the weekend when Sarah declared that we had an hour to get there, and Fiona replied in desperation ‘Yes but we shouldn’t see it as a target to take an hour to get there!’ Hilarious!
It’s quite a lumpy route to Bolton Abbey and entry to the estate is difficult as the gate is locked requiring us to carry bikes over a low stile. Panniers off and everyone helping to lug bikes up and over. Lorraine went to lift her bike and the back wheel fell off! Wow, how scary, we had only just come down a very steep descent. It would appear that the only thing holding her back wheel on had been her panniers! Luckily, she could see the funny side as most of us were too busy laughing!
We arrived in time for lunch and had tables reserved out in the garden. Perfect. Fiona and Agnes left us here after they’d eaten, both needing to get back in a hurry. Of course, a last group photo was required before they were allowed to go. This took at least 20 minutes as people kept wandering off to the toilet or to pay! Farewell said, the rest of us were back on our bikes to tackle the final hill of the trip, up and over to Embsay and on to Skipton. Here we joined the towpath and headed on to Kildwick for a last coffee stop at the new Canalside Café where the goats entertained us. ‘I’ve never been to as many cafes’ claimed Liz ‘and all of them great’!
The last leg took us back on the road to Keighley and Five Rise Locks where it all began. Though the weather had a fundamental role to play, it has been a truly a fantastic trip. We are so lucky to have some amazing routes on our doorstep and YHA accommodation available too. We had so many laughs, saw some absolutely stunning scenery and ate some fab food. We’ve also all had our own individual achievements from riding three days in a row to climbing the most feet in a day and managing to go on holiday without lots of stuff! We’ve had a great time and made some special memories that we will all treasure.