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…and we shall have snow!
Skyreholme-Hebden-Cray-Hebden-Skyreholme
Click here for a map of the route.
Blithely ignoring the forecasts of sleet showers (and worse) we set off with Simon and Dianne for Cray. Or at least we eventually set off, after Simon assists in sorting out various transmission-related tandem problems. On waking up this morning the hills were white, but the roads clear, so in optimistic mood we head for Hartlington and then up the hill towards Hebden, where the chain promptly breaks. No problem, of course, as we’re cycling with Simon, who is also known as Bicycle Repair Man (as in “Thank God you’re here, Bicycle Repair Man”). This minor mishap doesn’t hold us up for long, and we head up to Grassington and the road through Grass Wood. We’ve been plagued by head-winds recently, and today is no exception, but we make reasonable headway to Conistone, Kettlewell, Buckden and then up the hill to Cray.
Cray is a small hamlet on the road up to Kidstones, and we never normally stop there as it is less than halfway up the hill over to Bishopdale. Today, though, it is our lunchtime destination, and, leaving the tandems in the helpfully supplied racks, we head into the White Lion. No sooner have we grabbed our first round of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord and Copper Dragon than the snow starts to fall outside. It continues to snow while we eat our lunch, and we decide that further alcoholic fortification is required before the return journey. Eventually we can’t put it off any longer, and head outside, to see the view shown above. The first mile or two is steadily downhill, and Simon and Dianne hit 40mph down the hill – we’re cycling a little more cautiously as the snow is getting in our eyes!
The wind is behind us now, and we head back through Kettlewell to Conistone. Just before we arrive in Conistone we overtake a group of walkers. Shortly afterwards, they overtake us as we stop to repair a puncture on Simon and Dianne’s tandem. They claim to have lapped us, but it doesn’t count!
Thereafter it is a steady trip back to Skyreholme, faster than our outward journey because of the tail-wind. We’re a little damp but it has been a great day out. Since October we’ve now cycled nearly 1500 miles on the tandem, we’re aiming for 100 miles a week now in the seven weeks remaining before we set off for Land’s End.