Richard’s 2023 Rideout Report
Monday 19th June,
Alan John and I met at the Bluebird from where John led us up the A59 to Chatburn where he took us on a scenic route to Gisburn. We stopped at the layby for a drink where the Robin Hood trailer is normally parked but it was not there! We Turned off the A59 and travelled towards Gargrave through Bank Newton but it had started raining and my bike spluttered and stopped. Examination of the magneto showed no water but after a bit of fiddling with the gasket that was touching the contact connection the spark came back and off we went. Through Cracoe, Hetton and Grassington and up to Kettlwell with no further trouble. I arrived at the caravan park where Dave was just parking his caravan and Bob gave me my tent which he had carried up for me and off I went to the Kettlewell Camping Field.
After setting up the tent and changing into shorts and T shirt I walked down to the village to meet the others for a drink. We sat outside the black Bull in bright sunshine as the rain had by now stopped and the clouds disappeared. Bob arranged a table for us all at the Black Bull for 7pm and I walked round the village to familiarise myself with the layout. As I passed the YHA I met Lee who had just arrived and was staying there with Alan. I went in and by negotiation I managed to get booked in for breakfast the following day as the local shop was shut and I had no bread. We had a good meal in the “Blue Bell Inn” that night but the place was so short staffed that it all seemed a bit disjointed.
At about 10pm I headed back to the campsite to settle in to sleep. The facilities at the site were very good with hot showers pot washing facilities and all was very clean. No chance of forgetting what time it was as the church clock chimed every hour and quarter hour through the night!
Tuesday morning was dry although cloudy and I walked up to the YHA to have breakfast with Lee and Alan. A very good breakfast was had with cereals etc and a full English with toast and jam afterwards. On the way back to the campsite I stopped off at the village shop and picked up some bread rolls for breakfast for the next few days.
After getting everything sorted at the campsite I put my leathers on and the waterproofs as by now it had started to rain. And set off for the garage car park to meet the others. Today it was my turn to lead a ride and when we all started our bikes Lee’s machine refused. A lot of magneto attention and a compressed air can was tried to get the water out but to no avail. Lee decided to push the bike to the garage to see if the shop airline would effect a repair and he would join us at Hawes if the bike got going. We set off in quite heavy rain and about a mile up the road my bike succumbed again to the rain and stopped. In the pouring rain no repair was able to be effected at the roadside and a sensible decision was jointly made to abandon the ride until the rain stopped. Bob went back to get his van to pick me up and after 10 minutes he was back and I was recovered to the car park. Serious investigation now took place and I noticed that I could get a shock from the backplate of the magneto when the bike was kicked over. On examining the rubber grommet lead out for the HT lead I found it to be fractured right through to the steel plate and water had got in. John said he had a friend in settle with a bike with the same magneto but with a bakelite backplate and he offered to go to Settle to get it and bring it back to me. With many thanks he set off and some of us retired to the cafe across the road to keep dry and have refreshments while we waited for his return. We sat in the dry feeding tame sparrows with crumbs and drinking coffee until some more people arrived needing a table so we vacated the cafe back to the car park, and shortly after, John arrived back with the magneto backplate. I fitted the back plate but one of the screws to secure it in place was too short but with tywraps and insulating tape it was secured and “bingo” the bike was live again. I went to the garage to see if he had any BA screws that might do the job and by luck he had a very long 2BA screw which I checked fitted and took it back to him where he cut 10mm off the end to make it a perfect fit.
By now he rain was easing and we agreed to have a short ride later in the day if it stayed dry. At about 3:30pm the sun came out and the roads dried up so 4 of us decided to ride up to Hawes and back via Aysgarth. This went well and I filled up with fuel at Hawes ready for Bob’s run on Wednesday. On arrival back at Kettlewell, Bob had arranged a table at the “Racehorses Hotel” so I made my choice of meal and went back to the tent to change for the meal.
The “Racehorse” was also short staffed but they looked after us very well and the meal was very good. At 10pm I went back to the tent to turn in.
Wednesday
Today dawned bright, warm and sunny for Bob’s ride to Pately Bridge and Masham. We all gathered at the car park for a 10:30 start and with no mishaps we set off following Bob.
We rode past the campsite and down a very pretty valley to Grassington and on to Barden where we crossed the grand Bridge over the river Wharfe. From here we rode up to through Howgill and Skyreholme to the B6265 and turned right along the very scenic road to Pately Bridge where we sat in the car park for a while to rest. A chap on an RE Himalayan came in and we discussed the bike. It looked very well made. On then to Masham via the Coulthwaite reservoir, Lofthouse and on to Masham. Arriving at Masham we parked, up bought refreshments and talked to all the locals and riders that came over to see the bikes.
After our lunch we set off to Middleham and turned right towards Leyburn but avoided Leyburn by turning off to Wensley where we came to the ROAD CLOSED sign to Hawes. The road to Aysgarth was closed for resurfacing. Here I offered to take over as I know the diversion route and led the group along the back road through Redmire to Hardraw where we stopped at the Green Dragon where we had stayed on the rideout in about 2017 and went in to speak to the landlord about its re-opening and to have a drink and rest.
From here we continued to Appersett and back to Hawes where we turned right to travel the narrow, hilly road down to Kettlewell.
Again Bob and Barbara organised a table at the Racehorses and at 7pm we all met up for another fine meal. This was a lovely ride and good weather. That evening John told me he had planned a route to some of the same places we had just visited so he asked if I would do my cancelled run on Thursday as he felt it would be more interesting for the riders. I agreed with some trepidation as all my ride notes had been destroyed in the rain on Tuesday!
Thursday dawned fine and dry and the riders assembled at the car park at 10:30 where photos of us all and the ladies were taken. We set off up the valley to Hawes and then to Garsdale Head where we turned off the Sedburgh road to pass Garsdale and then Dent Stations and turned right at Cowgill to arrive at Dent. A bit of bike shuffling took place here as I think we parked in someone’s drive to start with! We spent a pleasant break here taking refreshments at the Meadowside Cafe. Then We followed the River Dee up to the outskirts of Sedburgh and got onto the A683 and road through Cautley. From here we passed “The Fat Lamb Inn” and at the “T” junction on the this road turned left and then right to follow country roads to get to the centre of Kirkby Steven. A mile up this road at our intended right turn we came upon a huge flatbed Truck with an equally large trailer hauling large hay bales and we all had to manoeuvre up the verges to allow the lorry to pass. Eventually we arrived in the middle of Kirkby Steven and settled down for lunch. I found a good bakery selling pies and pasties and then explored the church gardens and historic signs.
After Lunch we set off up the A685 towards Brough but turned off onto regional route 71 to Kaber and Barras, after Barras we turned off up to Tan Hill and joined the Pennine Way down the valley to Reeth where we parked up and all had ice cream from the Ice Cream Parlour. The final section of the run was down to Grinton and then over the moor down to Bolton Castle where we stopped for a photo shoot and then carried on to Aysgarth Falls. A left turn onto the A684 and shortly a right fork to West Burton and Buckden took us back to Kettlewell for about 4:30pm. Again Bob and Barbara organised a table at “the Racehorses” for our meal which everyone attended including John’s wife Pat who drove up from Settle to be with us. A lovely night to finish the week off.
Friday
Friday dawned bright and sunny with a forecast of rain later so many headed home early. I broke camp and left around 10:15 and Headed down to Skipton and along the A59 to the Mytton roundabout where at Northcotes I turned off to Ribchester, Longridge and Broughton to get me home about 1:30pm.
Apart from the rain on Tuesday and the bike troubles I really enjoyed the week with great support from all the riders. I must thank everyone who joined us and who helped in various ways to make the week so enjoyable