Maunby Bridge is one of the five ways over the Swale south of Catterick – and for cyclists it is the quietest. It was built for a railway between Leeds, Ripon, Stockton and Hartlepool. Technically it isn’t a right of way, but for around the last ten years the landowners on either side of the river have allowed people on foot, bikes or horses to cross the river there. It is approached via Low Swainby Farm, itself guarded by Graculus-like bird sculptures.
Ten of us set off from Richmond, to be joined by two en-route, and three more at our lunch spot at Sam Turner’s in Northallerton. The weather co-operated with the expedition. The “fast group” led the way but was distracted by the café at Leeming Bar, and further disadvantaged by taking seriously it’s duty to take photographs along the way. It was inevitable that the “slow” group, which had taken a sneaky short-cut to boot, arrived first at lunch. A carefully-staged photograph of the fast group next to a Greta Thunberg quote on Maunby Bridge is featured here.
The route from Richmond was about 73km – gaining 1 point on the Cyclists league table for the group that completed the circuit. The fast group considered that the short cut meant that on the league table the slow group should only claim 90% of a ride. Unfortunately the poacher may also be the gamekeeper, so that may be an argument that is difficult to prosecute.
Stephen Clark