Up on the moors

THE smell of toast and the sound of children's chatter drifted from kitchen windows as I wandered around Robin Hood's Bay early in the morning.

The village must have the highest population density this side of Tokyo. There are dwellings crammed into every corner, up high and down low. No space is spare.

In the 1820s some 130 fishermen lived here but now most of their houses are holiday homes. An ice cream van was arriving but for me it was already time to leave for Pickering on the second leg of a new cycle route created by the North York Moors.

I began by nipping into Whitby along the excellent Rail Trail cycle path. It was before 11am but a long queue was already forming outside the Magpie Caf. My lunch, however, would come from the Co-op and, with my paniers stuffed, I headed off for the Moors.

I repeated part of my earlier route along a magnificent viaduct high above the Esk. It's hard to imagine such a civil engineering project being undertaken today and it seems a waste that all that effort has, ultimately, resulted in merely a cycle path.

The uphill effort soon made me forget the seaside. I passed a pair of walkers 30 metres apart, both sagging and trudging. The man in front greeted me by raising his hand but saying nothing as if making a gesture of surrender.

We were exercising alongside Sneaton Low Moor, an area which played an unusual role in the Second World War. The RAF devised a system of lights here to simulate street lighting which was activated at night along with fires and controlled explosions to give the effect of a town undergoing an air-raid.

The aim was to trick approaching Luftwaffe aircraft into dropping their bombs on the moor rather than their likely destination, Teesside. You can still see the remains of bunkers used to control the decoy operation outside the entrance to a caravan site on the Maybeck road.

The picnic site beside Maybeck is a delight. If you have the time and energy, make the 20 minute de tour on foot into the woods to Falling Foss. Framed by birch and beech, the Foss is a beautiful 67ft waterfall in the trees.

As I left the happy families at the picnic site, I felt like an explorer setting out into the wilds. The stony road through Newton House Plantation was hard and long. Shortly after emerging from it, I was relieved to spot a trig point among the heather for then, at last, I knew the ascent was over.

I sheltered behind bales of browned heather, the only place where I could re-fold my map without getting in a flap. To my right was the Fylingdales radio station. To the left was Lilla Cross, which was erected about AD 625 over the reputed grave of Lilla, an officer of the court of the King of Northumbria, who died saving the life of the King. It is believed to be the oldest Christian memorial in England.

A second plantation, Langdale Forest, was easier on the gears but harder to navigate. Junctions didn't match up with those on the map and the numbered stakes placed for the benefit of forestry workers were as useful to a lost and lonely cyclist as a map of Mongolia.

When I emerged from the trees, I came across a convoy of four-wheel drive vehicles spattered in mud. I half-wondered if they were the search party. It was a relief to swap the scrunch of tyres on track for the whisper of tyres on tarmac and the view towards Langdale End was the best of the day.

Shortly after the hamlet I passed a sign indicating that Low Dalby was nine miles away starting with a 1:6 hill. To make my heart sink further, the Jingleby Thorn Tea Rooms were closed for the day.

I was now, however, on familiar territory having travelled along these forest roads on my outbound journey. I made quick progress through Low Dalby and Thornton-le-Dale before finally coming back to where I started in Pickering. Tired but satisfied, I laid my bike down on the first available grass verge and devoured an ice cream. For once, I didn't bite off more than I could chew.

Directions

Distance: 43 miles

Time: 5 hours excluding stops.

Website: www.moortoseacycle.net

Leave Robin Hood's Bay to east along Mount Pleasant North at top of village. At end of road, L then second R on to rail trail. Over A171 in Hawsker via pelican crossing, through Stainsacre and, 600m after viaduct, look for shed with pointed roof and red door. Here fork L, through barrier and down from trail. At road, turn R under bridge onto South End Gdns. At roundabout, straight over into Whitby.

Repeat route back to Stainsacre. Leave trail by going down slope to R just before golf ball-like greenhouse. L onto Rigg View then R up Stainsacre Lane. Road bends to L but carry on signed 'Sneatonthorpe 2, Sneaton 4'. After Catwick House Farm L along Raikes Lake'. At T-junction R then at crossroads then first L to Maybeck picnic site. Continue over bridge and up stony track. Pass through gate to enter forest. At T-junction of tracks follow track round to L then keep on it. When track leaves the forest continue ahead. Pass through gate to top of hill. Pass fingerpost and continue ahead signed 'Saltergate'.

Enter forest through gate on L. Keep straight forward on main forest road ignoring turnings. After number post bearing a white '66' on a green square you reach a clear fork. Take R fork past a black '57'. Go over crossroads and past black '59'. After passing through gate a forest road joins from L. Turn R and follow road round to L. Pass by green '80' and blue '64'. On leaving forest road becomes tarmacked.

At T-junction turn R. At phone box follow the road round to L. Go up steep hill, pass Jingleby Thorn Tea Rooms then, at crossroads, straight ahead past a green iron gate flanked by two stone walls. At T-junction follow road round to R, ignore entrance to Flaxdale then follow road round to the L down House Dale (unsigned) along Forest Enterprise green cycle trail. Towards foot of a long downwards hill pass through two gates and beside workshop and tennis courts in Low Dalby. Road bends round to R and then descends through village.

L at t-junction and, after ascent, L signed 'Thornton-le-Dale 1'. In village straight over crossroads then R up Westgate. Follow road until A170 then L to Pickering.

Click here to view a map of the ride

Updated: 09:10 Saturday, October 18, 2003