Ride Wednesday 13th March 2024

Riccall to Stamford Bridge with lunch at The Balloon Tree Gate Hemsley

From Riccall we cycled along the Solar Way Cycle path to York, crossing the Ouse via the Millenium Bridge at Fulford, Bad Bargain Lane, see footnote Warthill with lunch at The Balloon Tree Gate Helmsley. This was one of the best lunches we've had on our travels, quick service with our drinks arriving at the same time as the food. Most popular choice was the Bacon Brie and Cranberry Ciabatta. Our return to Riccall took us South through Elvington using off road tracks. We then tried a track accross Heslington Tilemire which was a new track for us and would probably be an excellent track in Summer but not after this Winters rain, parts were a swamp and took some leg power to get through but we did and had a good laugh and some leg pulling once on firmer ground.

Bad Bargain Lane was formerly known as Osbaldwick Back Lane. It was named after a small holding at the corner of Piker Thorn Lane in the nearby parish of Holtby. This was regarded as a 'bad bargain' by a disgruntled owner as the enclosure allotment contained two thirds of an acre of swampy pond.