WHARFEDALE SPRING CLEAN RUN MAY 2023

Sunday May 7th was set for our annual Spring Clean Run. 

We did wonder how many would attend with it being Coronation weekend, and we also have a few members away on holiday.

7 cars turned up at Otley Garden Centre at 10am, for a quick coffee, before heading off at around 10.30. I had agreed to meet the group at the A168 where it crosses the A1, near Hunsingore. So that made 8 cars in total.

John and Janet Roberts had organised the run, the end point being the NY500 Café Car & Bike Meet, just outside Pickering. John and Janet have cycled most of the roads in the Dales and North Yorkshire, so finding a good route was not a problem, and what a great run it was too, with a mixture of open roads to push on, and nice lanes through lovely villages. Passing some familiar, but still very nice to see landmarks on the way.

Comfort stop in Coxwold

We blasted our way up the A168 to Boroughbridge, then turning right headed for a comfort stop in Coxwold with some great views of the White Horse on the way. After Coxwold we passed Byland Abbey, it is one heck of a monument, we then passed through Ampleforth and onto Helmsley by the back roads. We continued on the A170 through Beadlam, before turning off left heading for Hutton-le-Hole then onto Lastingham.

It was great seeing all the villages decked out for the Sunday Coronation picnics and gatherings.

From Lastingham we dropped back down onto the A170 and into Pickering, a short run down the A169 saw us arrive at the NY500 at 1pm, time for a sandwich and a cuppa.

A couple of the cars on display at NY500, there was also a good collection of Chopper pedal bikes, and a few motorbikes as well.

The forecast a day or so earlier hadn’t looked that good, but as it turned out it was a brilliant day with plenty of sunshine.

Thanks to Janet and John for organising a great day out.

Ian Meeson.