Following on from JB’s happy tale of The Bear eating his way around northern England, late April some friends together with meself travelled up from Kent to be taken around the Dales finest green lanes by Chris (2gses)
The event was the organised by the Teeside & North Yorks TRF over the Saturday and Sunday - being Southern and therefore working to provide for the rest of the country we had to travel up early so could get back before Birmingham went bankrupt.
Chris kindly agreed to being our own personal guide
Here he is
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/d92q46
We set up camp at Swan Farm campsite in Redburn, within strolling distance of the Bolton Arms pub
we didn’t know at this point how feckin cold it would get
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/83G3Sh
Bright and early Friday (we’ll it wasn’t raining) having checked on our experience (limited) and ability (more limited) Chris set off like it was nearly closing time at the Bolton Arms with us chasing after him. He can make a Honda 250 shift
Here he is
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/686G74
Thereafter followed a succession of lanes of a kind not found anywhere in the Home Counties, punctuated by Tea and cake
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/9J88vg
I’d managed to dririve off the trail shortly before this stop, finding myself caught in a fence and hanging over a drop into the river a metre or two below. I was too far over to haul myself upright and had nothing to step onto. I was therefore firmly stuck.
Helpfully, Chris ignored me and went to order scones with cream and jam
A short while later having been rescued I arrived in time for Tea and a nice view
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/iu1G1Z
More lanes, more views, great route ably swept by Chris’ mate Phil since Chris was generally so far ahead I couldn't see him anymore.
Doing a rain dance, it worked
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/r6J74Q
Had to get going again as we’d heard Bradford had ground to a halt in protest at their benefits being delayed by our jolly
Take the opportunity while you can if 2gses is leading
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/oR07Mn
Back to the camp and then pub Got mugged by the bar chap who after funding out we were from Kent served us Shandy and charged £5 each to enter their quiz
Being pissed already on Shandy and suspecting Sunderland may riot if we didn’t cough up, we graciously came second and got our money back. Got free chip butties too
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/q6qs0A
Expecting a peaceful night in my tent I was kept awake by this twat and his gang, who said the countryside was peaceful?
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/40u21K
Was a bit parky out but I’d planned ahead- sleeping bag, duvet, woolly hat and merino wool socks meant I was warm and toasty. Woke up to find
1. The milk had frozen
2. Si from our group had found it so cold in his van he had gone for a walk instead - all night
So day two, without Si as he was knackered and went home and Mark because the lights had gone out in Cardiff so he had to go earn some tax to give to Jones and Jones the leccy.
Day two was as good as day one, faster and more open without a bastard hill Chris had led us up on the first day. I think it is called Bastard Hill actually
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/C55Q46
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/C03z65
(These may have been day one but who cares)
More views
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/me393n
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/939o59
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/kc8b91
Overall a cracking weekend made possible by the TRF and expertly led by Chris - top top bloke . If he mentions it next year get in quick
Cheers Chris
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/2p8C3r
Finally
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/7Jy5L7
The event was the organised by the Teeside & North Yorks TRF over the Saturday and Sunday - being Southern and therefore working to provide for the rest of the country we had to travel up early so could get back before Birmingham went bankrupt.
Chris kindly agreed to being our own personal guide
Here he is
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/d92q46
We set up camp at Swan Farm campsite in Redburn, within strolling distance of the Bolton Arms pub
we didn’t know at this point how feckin cold it would get
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/83G3Sh
Bright and early Friday (we’ll it wasn’t raining) having checked on our experience (limited) and ability (more limited) Chris set off like it was nearly closing time at the Bolton Arms with us chasing after him. He can make a Honda 250 shift
Here he is
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/686G74
Thereafter followed a succession of lanes of a kind not found anywhere in the Home Counties, punctuated by Tea and cake
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/9J88vg
I’d managed to dririve off the trail shortly before this stop, finding myself caught in a fence and hanging over a drop into the river a metre or two below. I was too far over to haul myself upright and had nothing to step onto. I was therefore firmly stuck.
Helpfully, Chris ignored me and went to order scones with cream and jam
A short while later having been rescued I arrived in time for Tea and a nice view
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/iu1G1Z
More lanes, more views, great route ably swept by Chris’ mate Phil since Chris was generally so far ahead I couldn't see him anymore.
Doing a rain dance, it worked
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/r6J74Q
Had to get going again as we’d heard Bradford had ground to a halt in protest at their benefits being delayed by our jolly
Take the opportunity while you can if 2gses is leading
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/oR07Mn
Back to the camp and then pub Got mugged by the bar chap who after funding out we were from Kent served us Shandy and charged £5 each to enter their quiz
Being pissed already on Shandy and suspecting Sunderland may riot if we didn’t cough up, we graciously came second and got our money back. Got free chip butties too
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/q6qs0A
Expecting a peaceful night in my tent I was kept awake by this twat and his gang, who said the countryside was peaceful?
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/40u21K
Was a bit parky out but I’d planned ahead- sleeping bag, duvet, woolly hat and merino wool socks meant I was warm and toasty. Woke up to find
1. The milk had frozen
2. Si from our group had found it so cold in his van he had gone for a walk instead - all night
So day two, without Si as he was knackered and went home and Mark because the lights had gone out in Cardiff so he had to go earn some tax to give to Jones and Jones the leccy.
Day two was as good as day one, faster and more open without a bastard hill Chris had led us up on the first day. I think it is called Bastard Hill actually
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/C55Q46
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/C03z65
(These may have been day one but who cares)
More views
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/me393n
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/939o59
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/kc8b91
Overall a cracking weekend made possible by the TRF and expertly led by Chris - top top bloke . If he mentions it next year get in quick
Cheers Chris
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/2p8C3r
Finally
https://www.flickr.com/gp/156759364@N04/7Jy5L7