Bob's done a top job round the corner with the next day's story, so just a few extra bits....
I must compliment him on actually riding and training it to Dent armed only with a very vague "I'll see you in Dent on Friday morning then", and that had been a couple of weeks previously, since on arrival in Dentdale my phone had no signal so he didn't even know I was in the county! Still, when us Boners say we're going to do something we do it.
I'd spent the night Gatewood-caped on a flat spot somewhere in the village, waited a couple of hours by the church for the shop, then brewed my porridge and ovaltine in the graveyard. There's only two roads down into Dent and I'd obviously picked the wrong one to wait at but Bob found me eventually, chilling listening and watching the swifts and sparrows.
The climb up to Kingsdale was indeed quite challenging although I managed to ride most of it. When Bob pointed out the YD300 climb on the other side of the valley I doffed my cap to sufferers of it. The landscape hereabouts is of course quite bleak, along with the iconic miles and miles of stone walling. The impressiveness of these is somewhat tempered by the fact that, as Bob pointed out, they were all a product of the Enclosures. So much for the bucolic unchanging 'olde Englande'.
Our Bob ready for the blast down into Kingsdale...
Entrance to Yordas Cave...
Underground bikepacking.... and an excellent potential bivvy spot too...
Chap about to lower himself down Bull Pot, and some other bloke in a strange gilet....
The gaping chasm of Rowten Pot, right next to the track - no elfen-safety fences here of course!
The last time I rode the Turbary Road was in the other direction on one of my first MTB rides way back in 1986. Hadn't changed much!
A brew and some Welsh Rabbits and paninis in Ingleton refuelled us for the climb over to Clapham for yet another brew in the sunshine at the cafe, then Bob introduced me to the interesting tunnels that lead over towards Austwick.
A welcome return visit to the Austwick green lanes in the 'right direction' but without Temres gloves then down to Settle for some food and drink, sadly bypassing Elaine's teashop at Feizor as tempus was fugitting. She would have been the fifth eatery of the day so that was a shame.
As Bob mentioned there was an unusually large selection of barnery for potential kipping, but a lot of them were somewhat threadbare and we'd set our heart on the spectacular limestone kilns. That was until we spotted an absolute gem which Bob had previously seen so many times that he'd almost ridden past it until I requested a quick viewing. It was a cracker. We duly returned after dinner and I must say it was one of the comfiest nights I've ever had, with thick straw for a mattress and a proper door and everything! It even had a trendy mezzanine level which Bob explained was for storing cattle feed which could easily be dragged down to the mangers.
Bob was up and away at sparrow's fart while I had a two hour lie in listening to the birds in the eaves. Lovely. Then over to Malham to meet Mrs P and her mates at their posh pub. The pub people were so sympathetic to my 'horrible nights out' they insisted on giving me a free full breakfast to 'build me up again'
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A corking few days with lots of variety and interesting situations.
Barns: 1
Byres: 1
Pubs: 3
Cafes: 5
Caves/Potholes: 16
. Well I tried the lime kiln but it turned out to be otherwise occupied! Gracefully retreat and try again...
(*)