Kildale Ride

The plan was to do a figure of eight - starting at Kildale Station, and going up the Baysdale Abbey road, along the track towards the top of the Incline and branching left to Armouth Wath. Then north to Holiday Hill, across Great Hograh and Little Hograh moors, to Hob Hole, along Baysdale, over the top to Leven Dale and back to Kildale. This would have been the big loop of the figure of eight, which would have been followed by the small loop over Percy Cross Rigg to Hutton Moor, down to Airy Holme Farm across the Gribdale road, round the side of Easby Moor, through the woods and back to Kildale. Sounds good doesn't it! Unfortunately, as we all know, the best made plans of mice and men can come unstuck due to the weather.

The day was bitterly cold when Dave, Graham Dickinson, Graham Moss and his pal Ian, Charles Knowles, two aspiring members and I, off loaded the bikes in the car park. I must have back pedalled whilst still in the car park, when someone noticed the frozen contorted shape that my chain had taken up. We set off through the village and up the hill towards Baysdale, which became totally unrideable, and barely walkable due to sheet ice. At the top of the first steep bit we became aware that we were no longer eight, but seven. Had someone revolted or gone the wrong way?

Upon walking part of the way back down the hill, we were told by a group of walkers that the eighth man, Charles, had found that he had no free wheel capability and had beat a hasty retreat back to the car park and then home. Having reached the corner, where our route left the road and followed the moorland track, the way ahead now became an entirely different proposition with six to eight inches of snow on the ground. After half a mile of slipping and sliding while trying to make some progress into a gale that was throwing up a lot of spindrift, it was decided that it was futile to take the left fork towards Armouth Wath. So, a more sensible route off the moor was needed.

There was a route on the map down to Bank Foot, but where it was on the ground was shear guesswork. Dave went off making good progress, following a line with no heather poking through the snow which was assumed to be the bridleway, and had a good lead on the rest of the party. This didn't last too long though, as with clouds of snow and wheels in the air, desperate attempts were made to be back in the saddle before anyone noticed. More slithering and sliding, passing walkers on the way staring incredulously at our frantic efforts, we reached Bank Foot. It was a good thing we had regained some composure, for just around the corner who should we meet but Alan Turner and a party of walkers. In another attempt to look hard and determined, we exchanged greetings and "sped" off into the wind and snow to the bottom of the incline, and contouring round the bottom of the woods we reached the road between Ingelby Greenhow and Clay Bank.

A quick dash down the lanes, through Ingelby and Battersby, a confrontation with a car trying to climb an icy hill whilst I was skidding almost out of control towards it, and we were back in Kildale to the warmth of the Glebe Cottage cafe and a bowl of delicious homemade soup. A shortened day but exciting enough for those that took part. Better luck next time Charles.

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	Swaledale Outdoor Club

Kildale Ride

Len Pope