Choose life, choose a bike, choose a club ride to Hellifield…

Five of us set off in chilly conditions expecting the weather to warm up over the course of the morning.  The planned destination was the Shed 24H cafe at Hellifield station, although Alan and Dom needing to be back sooner and tapering ahead of a major ride chose not to choose this, but chose something else… they chose a shorter route to Skipton diverging at Cononley.  Before the split we were – as always – caught at the level crossing while a train came through.

Andre, Dan and Hamish continued out into the sticks and around to Hellifield Station for our cafe stop at the Shed 24H vintage tea room at Hellifield Station.  We were debating whether such a vintage cafe would offer gluten free options (they do) and whether we might see a train, when the bright blue Midland Pullman came through with a tuneful honk of the horn for the handful of spotters on the platform.  We learned that this was a luxury train on-route from Cardiff to Carlisle.

By now it was a bright sunny day and the extra layers were dispensed with for the ride home via Burnsall and Bolton Abbey.  The route was 70 miles with 5,500 feet of climbing, which we did at 15 mph average.  Another nice day out on the bike enjoyed by all.