April Showers

You know the old saying – well there were a lot of showers in our part of the world  this week but Friday, while a bit windy, was a glorious day.

I had plans to ride across to Colburn to a new fabric place that my attention was drawn to but on phoning, found it is mainly an on line shop and she wasn’t going to be open on Friday. She was going to be in Leeds so couldn’t be there for us. Still , we werent deterred and it off across that way.

I had looked at the map and found that  in Richmond there are some waterfalls and so decided that was where we were headed for.  So off we went across to Middleton St George and then along through Neasham to Croft. The route we took then climbed up  right just after the bridge and along to Moulton. The BookStop  has new books in stock in the old bus stop which I think is a brilliant idea. Sometimes there are plants for sale too all monies in an honesty box.

From there we rode down to Scorton. Many years ago , I used to visit a medical centre there but I noticed in new housing there is now a new purpose built one. Just had a look to see if any of the doctors I knew there, were still in practice. Only one still working and she was only part-time back then. Makes me realise I am older than my head tells me I am. heehee.

From Scorton , it was along through Bromton on Swale and the gradual climb up to Richmond. DS1 said he had been to the falls before but we made a slight detour down across the bridge and had to come half way back up the steep bank. Then it was across to a footpath and along to the falls.  Even though we have kayaked on the Swale, we have never been here before.

The signage called the waterfalls a Foss which is a Yorkshire word for force. The water flows across limestone strata and is reputed to be the fastest, quickest rising river in England. I remember more than 20 years ago taking DS1 to a kayak slalom event  at Tanfield. The water rose about 12 feet overnight. Although this was the Ure , the two rivers rise in a similar area and water can come down in a huge wall of water if it rains in the hills. A number of people have been washed away and down in the sudden torrents.

 

Friday was lovely to sit and have lunch there.

From Richmond we went back up to the market place and then headed back towards Brompton. There is a set of traffic lights that are at the top of a bank and so its a bit of a problem in heavy traffic. We crossed and got onto the pavement to avoid an awkward right turn and not to hold up traffic.

There were some heavy lorries  and when we could we pulled over to let them pass – no point in aggravating drivers and holding up a string of cars.  Guess where we headed next? Chocolate caked called out to us from the pop -up café in East Cowton. Yum yum.

Then it was off home  in time to have an evening meal courtesy of the slow cooker – spag bol. Nearly 70 miles.   Oh forgot to say, I had a tumble in Richmond  but fortunately nothing broken but I have a bruised elbow and a sore neck – a bit of whip-lash where my head hit the ground. A good excuse to buy a new helmet.

We didn’t go far on Saturday but did have a ride along the river . We found that there is building work going on  this is for drainage work for the river. I think it must be flood prevention work.

 

Then it was through Stockton and Preston Park so my total mileage for the week was 105 miles. YTD 1026 miles