Yorkshire, to York

In my last post, I made a spelling mistake I often make, that we were not about to go along the North Yorkshire coast, when we were actually "now" about to do just that.

Well, we left the Stockton camp site and went through Stockton towards the Transporter Bridge over the Tees.  This was along main roads to start with, but all with excellent cycle tracks, almost like Holland.  It got less "wonderful" after a while and an ordinary road towards the bridge, but was fine.  We had packed up a parcel for used maps etc before leaving, and saw a post office along the way, so went to post it home. There was also a cafe, and we had a late breakfast that was (a) cheap and (b) extremely well cooked.  Then on to the bridge.  May try later to put up a photo of this; have been lean on images recently.  But it is a wonderful contraption, consisting of a high horizontal structure with a sort-of trolley running along; below this trolley hangs a platform on cables; the trolley runs from one side of the river to the other and the platform goes too, carrying up to 12 cars and bikes, pedestrians, etc.  It was built that way to get a river crossing that allows ships to go through, but without vehicles and pedestrians that are crossing to have to go up high. 

After the transporter bridge, a long cycle past vast steelworks and chemical works, to Redcar and then mainly along the coast to Saltburn by-the-Sea.  We stopped here for refreshment and the energy this gives was sorely needed for the climb that followed.  We though that serious climbing was behind us after Norway and Scotland, but not so.  Up and up, ultimately to 158 metres high, and that was by-passing a descent to sea level in the middle of the climb, at Loftus.  In the second part of this, it started to rain seriously from low cloud, so that at the top we were in the cloud and also being rained on, and soaked.  Gouing down after this was a little perilous but all was well, and into the higher part of Staithes.  Looked to a place for the night; Far to wet for camping!  Stopped by a pub, the "Captain Cook" where the landlord saw us outside and straight away said we would need a warm room, and had one left. Reasonable price, excellent supper and a good range of beers. 

Next day, walked down to Staithes village, a very steep descent that the "official" cycle route would have sent us down, something like a 30% gradient.  The village is of the sort on calendars etc, very picturesque.  Then on to Whitby, on the main road, that also gave us a 25% gradient - down, but one had to be pretty careful!  Whitby was pretty solid with people, but we got to buy the next map we needed and have tea and find the bike shop closed.  We then continued along a converted railway, called th "cinder track" towards Scarborough.  Started over a high viaduct, it then climbed and descended to the village above Robin Hoods Bay, then a serious climb to a bit more than 200 metres, at Ravenscar, before going down to Scarborough.  Met people along the way, and quite a long chat about cycle holidays.  Through Scarborough, but getting late now.  Got to a campsite near Cayton, South of Scarborough where the warden was not at all helpful and said we were too late, then to a large holiday centre that had camping and was fine, if expensive.

Next day, on to a relative of Katherine's, where we had a long chat and a nice lunch.  The day had started very wet, but cleared up, and when we left in the afternoon, it was fine.  Cycled about another 25 km through Driffield to a very pleasant campsite in the country.  This was a glorious ride over the edge to the Yorkshire wolds, with wonderful light and visibility.

Next day did not have wonderful visibility.  It was one the few days in the whole of our journey when it has rained all day.  We set off for York, over the main part of the Yorkshire wolds, in continuous light rain and almost in the clouds.  The highest point was about 190 metres high, before a descent to the vale of York, and the town of Pocklington.  Made a mistake on the way down, so missed a village with a much better pub (we think) and had a more ordinary pub lunch in Pocklington.  Then on, in heavier rain, to Stamford Bridge where Harold of England defeated Harald of Norway in 1066 (before his forced march to the South Coast and defeat by William the bastard, or rather conqueror).  The need for coffee and cake was met here, and finally to York, to Susannah (our daughter) and Dave and their children; on this section of the route, in pouring rain some was on narrow paths through fields, the rest took us through York suburbia about half way, then no further way-marking at all.  Got guidance from people we asked and got to the millenium bridge over the river Ouse.  On from there to their house.  When we arrived, we were cold and deeply wet, but we did arrive - this was yesterday - and are here until Tuesday 30 August.