In This Edition

This edition of the newsletter is later than planned, due to a combination of bad weather affecting rides and personal injuries.  For the curious I would just say I wasn’t on a bike when either incident occurred and I was stone cold sober.

It has been an eventful time with us having to cancel some rides.  Usually this has been due to the weather but we are also struggling to provide enough Ride Leaders to cover our very full programme of guided rides.  For anyone interested, we offer Ride Leader training, a place on a first aid course and the support of our experienced team for as long as you need it – all free of charge.

A highlight of 2025 was the Women of Wakefield – Wonders of Wakefield ride, featured in our summer newsletter.  This was a great success and we hope to run something similar next year. 

We are looking forward to Spring 2026 when the new cycle hub at Pugneys will be opened.  There will be bikes for hire, guided rides and repair facilities.  We also hope to run Bike Maintenance sessions from there.  Keep an eye on Facebook!

In 1997, in a village hall in Lower Ackworth, Pontefract, the Cyclist Touring Club (CTC) AGM decided to set up a sub-committee with the remit of campaigning to improve cycle infrastructure in the Wakefield District. The committee consisted of Steve Kidd, Bill Houlder, Graham Lawrence, Des Hampshire and Sandy Clark. After recruiting local cyclist and MP, Jon Trickett, and organising a number of ‘campaign rides’, the CTC was able to persuade Wakefield Council (WMDC) to set up a consultative ‘Cycle Forum’.
Leading members of the Forum met regularly with WMDC representatives and were able to suggest improvements to cycle infrastructure and agree an annual path-building programme. Importantly the council also agreed to the appointment of a cycle officer. Unfortunately, after the banking crisis when austerity started to squeeze government spending, WMDC decided that savings should include the abolition of the Healthy Transport Team, including the Cycle Officer.

It was at this point in 2008 that Wakefield District Cycle Forum was born as an independent voluntary community group. An invaluable addition to the Forum activists was David Keighley. David brought many ideas to the Forum’s programme including a programme of ‘missing-links’ designed to create a joined-up network of traffic-free cycle routes in the district. In its new form the Forum was not only able to canvass for council-built infrastructure but also successfully acquired funding to commission building projects to build and improve many of the cycle routes now familiar to cyclists in the district. Today, this programme still plays an important role in the Forum’s activities.

As part of the ‘we can do it’ mindset, the Forum also set up a work group, which was responsible, with the support of WMDC, for carrying out maintenance sessions on the path network. This group is still active and carries out regular workday sessions to repair paths and clear debris.

The Forum had also taken over a programme, initiated by the NHS, ‘Cycling for Health, which was run by Forum activist Roger Talbot. From it originally ad-hoc structure this programme has been developed by the Forum and its many ride leaders, to the now extensive, well established guided rides programme. Around 100 guided rides are run every year, graded in order of difficulty and all with qualified Ride Leaders. Everyone is welcome and there are bikes to borrow for those just wanting to try a ride.

It is now 2025 and the aims and the activities of the Forum are as vital as ever: –
– We are an advocate for local cyclists and actively campaign for new routes, linking existing ones and challenging the obstructions provided by ‘A’ frames and the like.

– We encourage cycling for all ages by providing an extensive program of graded guided rides. Riders can start with easy, largely off-road trails, progress through longer rides and then try our strenuous road rides with further to travel before the first essential refreshment stop.

– We organise many FREE events, including over 100 guided rides per year, Holiday Wednesdays at Nostell during summer school holidays, Bike Doctor sessions, Basic Bicycle Maintenance Days and information stalls.

– Our working parties lay new routes and clear existing ones.
If you want to help, either as a Ride Leader, workday volunteer or assist with essential admin, please get in touch via email – info@cycling-wakefield.org.uk
Thanks to Des Hampshire, Sandy Clark and David Keighley for the information in this article.

The rule of thumb for deciding whether to cancel a ride used to be along the lines: ‘if it’s not raining when the ride is due to begin then the ride goes ahead.’ These days, weather apps can allow ride leaders to give more notice but with the changeable weather we’ve had this year, it’s sometimes difficult for them to decide whether or not to cancel an upcoming ride.  A forecast of rain at 2pm may mean rain at 11.30am, a hailstorm at midday or no rain at all until 6pm.  Overall, it was a year of extremes, with many months seeing above-average temperatures and rainfall, including the hottest summer on record.

It started in spring when only 15cm of rain fell between February and June – less than half that expected in an average year. It became the driest spring since 1893 and the sunniest in 132 years. The main lake at Nostell NT shrank dramatically and small watercourses across the area disappeared altogether.

Met Office scientist Dr Emily Carlisle commented:

‘“the domination of high-pressure systems, unusually warm seas around the UK and the dry spring soils…have created an environment where heat builds quickly and lingers, with both maximum and minimum temperatures considerably above average.”  

Not ideal cycling weather!  These conditions led to a hosepipe ban being introduced in Yorkshire in July which lasted until the 10^th December 2025, despite a wet September with rainfall 32% above the norm followed by a very wet November. A large area extending from the Midlands to Lincolnshire and East Riding of Yorkshire was particularly wet, with over twice the normal rainfall.   Nevertheless, a maximum temperature of 18.9°C was recorded at Thornes Park Wakefield on the 5^th November, which might have helped to keep the fireworks dry. December, on the other hand, has been very cold, with temperatures between 3 and 7 degrees C, rain and a few days snow expected.

Cycling, as an ecologically friendly way of travelling, can help reduce global warming.  It’s also a good way to work off the effects of too much cake and mince pies and a considerate way to travel if you’ve overindulged on the brussel sprouts!

Arguably the most critical aspect of maintenance is being able to recognise when your bike isn’t quite “right” and doing something to prevent it becoming an issue or a failure.  Despite doing regular maintenance, things can happen and bits can wear or pick up damage earlier than planned.

In poor riding conditions, after cleaning off the bike check your tyres for foreign objects and cuts etc. Tubeless sealant needs topping up every 6 months. The other safety critical consumable is the brakes. Check pads or blocks regularly and replace them before they’re badly worn.

On rim brakes make sure you can still see the rim wear indicators (either a thin groove or a few small blind holes).  If there aren’t any left, you might need a new rim. 

On discs check for a step between braking surface and the inner disc. If there is one, get the disc measured as they do have a minimum safe thickness.

Another long suffering component is the chain and it’s easy to leave it mucky and just do one more ride. Check it for wear regularly, as replacing it in good time is much less expensive than leaving it too long and having to replace your cassette and chainrings as well. They will need changing eventually but you should aim for 3-4 chains per cassette.

Now the hosepipe ban has been lifted don’t be tempted to put any pressurised water near your bike as it gets past seals and displaces grease causing accelerated corrosion. Let chemical cleaners and soft brushes do the hard work and then rinse them off gently.

Take care with chemicals on braking surfaces unless they’re brake friendly. Drying your bike off is very important and lubricating chains and suspension stanchions is crucial for long life. Remember to wipe off excess lube from the chain so that muck doesn’t stick to it and form a grinding paste.

Regular maintenance based on the time ridden or the miles covered is a good idea. Checking, regreasing or replacing bearings, tightening bolts up regularly and servicing suspension keeps things operating as they should.

You can check a lot of these things yourself even if you can’t do the servicing or repairs.

If you don’t know how to do the basic checks or running repairs to get you home then look out for Forum organised Bike Maintenance Classes in the New Year and we’ll explain what to do, show you and then supervise you to do it.

On a cold wet Saturday in September, Meg & I attended an event at Snowhill, Wakefield.

It was organised by TP Consultants on behalf of WMDC as part of the Section 106 provision for the Snowhill Housing Project.

We joined the consultants and a Halfords mobile cycle mechanic to provide information, bike servicing and bike registration.

Six bikes were serviced, three registered and lots of people talked to. All in all, not a bad turnout.

October’s Nostell easy ride was unusual, but possibly a sign of the times, in that all the bikes taking part were electric assist. 

I know some pride themselves on relying on muscle alone but e-bikes do enable people to keep cycling when otherwise they’d need to hang up their helmets, drive to the start of a ride or take a rest day.

The November ride from Nostell NT was on a bright sunny day, as highlghted by all the riders wearing sunglasses. You can tell from the photo, however, that it was chilly too but everyone is smiling.

The last WoW of 2025 was a somewhat select gathering in damp, dark conditions.

Riders did get to see the long-awaited repairs to the zigzag on the Trans Pennine Trail at Navvy Lane going northwards (what3words bagpipes.jugs.lightens) which should make future rides safer.

Santa came to Nostell in December but not content with cycling there David K and Sandy tried out the splendid Santa sleigh provided.

To introduce a different venue, here’s a Forum Group on a ride to Walton.

21^st December 2025 was our final easy ride from Rycroft.  Despite the fog, the Sports and Youth Centre car park was full as usual.  Unfortunately, not with cyclists transporting their bikes to the start of the ride but with parents bringing their children to play football in the heavy mist.  

British Triathlon had a nominal bike hub at Ryhill with loan bikes available. They arranged some skills and learn to ride sessions but the local response was less than ideal and they have now withdrawn their support. 

Our own efforts to introduce locals to the pleasures of cycling and improve cycling skills and knowledge of local cycle routes so they had the confidence to cycle to shops, wheel with their children to school, set off on family rides or cycle to work in Wakefield, came to naught.

Members from other areas often supported the rides but the original reasons for setting them up at Rycroft remained unfulfilled.  The unwelcoming a-frames on the paths around the community centre and the reinforced and extended barriers on the path which links with the route to Anglers and Nostell NT, designed apparently to stop horse riders riding down a steep section of the path but effectively blocking it to anyone who could not lift their bike vertically, did not convey the idea of a cycle friendly location.  The decision was made to stop the Rycroft rides and divert our attention to the shortly to be reopened Bike Hub at Pugneys.

When it came to the final ride itself, our ride leader was truly on his own.

Citizen Coin was introduced in the Wakefield district in June 2024 to encourage local people to start volunteering and at the same time to publicise local businesses.  It was decided to reward volunteers involved in activities as diverse as litter picking, helping out at Girl Guides meetings or gardening at Pontefract Castle, with virtual Citizen Coins.  These are redeemable for discounts at participating local businesses.

WDCF joined the scheme in 2025 and has been rewarding committee members for attending meetings and ride leaders and back markers for guiding rides.  The coins collected have been used by volunteers to pay for things like swimming sessions, discounts on cycle goods and cups of coffee.

To join the scheme, you need to download the Citizen Coin App and follow the registration process.  Once registered, you can search for and sign up to activities – preferably those promoted by Wakefield District Cycle Forum.  Coins can be gifted to other participants in the scheme and so you could also treat a friend.

It has been decided to extend the scheme so that where the activity involved has health benefits, thereby potentially easing the strain on the NHS, those taking part can be rewarded, as well as those organising and leading the rides.  Attending one of our rides as a participant entitles you to one coin whereas acting as a Ride Leader or Back Marker entitles you to two coins.

Over the year more businesses have joined the scheme and often the conditions imposed for getting the reward have been made easier.  For example, one café dropped the requirement to buy a panini before you could have a free coffee and has probably sold more bacon sandwiches as a result.

The sign in sheets for rides in 2026 will have a QR code printed on the back for participants to claim coins.  You will need to register before you can start collecting coins so download the App or go to Citizen Coin Website and register.

You can get further information by emailing info@cycling-wakefield.org.uk and including ‘Citizen Coin Enquiry’ on the subject line.

Our Agbrigg path, starting near the local community centre and the allotments and passing along part of the disused Barnsley canal, provides a short, picturesque route to Walton Country Park. Some local people, including those who campaigned for the path in the first place, have been unwilling to use the route because it crosses Oakenshaw Lane at a point where the speed limit was the standard 60 mph for a single carriageway road.  The local authority was unwilling to put in speed bumps or a raised crossing, because of the proximity of bends in the road. They did agree to reduce the speed limit to 40 mph with some 30 mph stretches, but the important section including the crossing to Walton CP, used by walkers, cyclists and horse riders was to be set at 40 mph. We joined the objectors and wrote pointing out that multiple speed changes in a short section of road were likely to cause confusion and suggesting fixing the speed limit at 30mph for the whole length of Oakenshaw Lane to Doncaster Road. This would halve the number of road signs required, reduce pollution from cars braking and accelerating as the speed limits chop and change and cut down the likelihood of motorists getting confused as to what speed limit is in force at any particular point on the road, whilst increasing journey time by only 15 seconds.  Statistics show that the risk of serious injury or death, particularly for pedestrians, drops dramatically as speeds reduce and a minor tweak to the amendment could bring real benefits. 

The council has listened and 30 mph signs have recently appeared on Oakenshaw Lane.

We understand that the present owners of what is commonly known as ‘Metcalfe’s field’ are in discussions about moving the path so that rather than cutting across the field it goes down the roadside edge of it, thereby avoiding any conflict between crops and cyclists- a step to be welcomed.

Andy and David Keighley regularly ride the WoW and less often the Wheel to keep an eye on the signs and to check for any fallen branches, flooding or deterioration in the surfaces.  Others help out on an ad hoc basis when a sign is obscured, a manageable branch blocks the way or litter spoils the outlook.  The efforts of all are appreciated so why not add a Swiss army knife, folding saw or strong plastic bag to your saddlebag?

Our annual Festive Meal will be held on January 29^th 2026 at the Counting House in Pontefract at 6.30pm, on the premiss that the meal will be served at 7 o’ clock. It’s a lovely old building, with quaint twists and turns, and it’s good to see it back in use again. The food is delicious and I look forward to seeing you there. Links to the booking form, which we want back by the 14^th January, can be found at Festive Meal Booking form

Those of you who wanted a Christmas meal or get together before the 25^th December may have enjoyed the informal get-together at The Singing Chocker, organised by Sharon and Lisa. The picture below shows who turned up for a cheerful re-union.

There are no easy rides in January or February.  Details of our steady rides appear on our website. Our Rides programme for 2026 is at the printers but to whet your appetites, the first page looks something like this:

Access full 2026 rides leaflet here:
WDCF Rides and Events

In This Edition

Spring came early this year and summer’s about over now.  The dry heat meant that for the first time we had a crop of figs in our garden so ripe that they burst, attracting an annoying swarm of wasps.  Possibly the same ones who’ve been pestering customers in the café at Nostell NT all summer!

Shaded cycle routes have proved more popular than crossing Sahara-like open tracts of land.  Muddy paths have been replaced with bone jarring concrete ruts and some streams have been reduced to trickles.  Brambles have joined the blackthorn in drooping over paths and attacking unsuspecting cyclists. Although a helmet keeps them out of your hair, it’s not been the weather for wearing long socks to protect shins and many show scratches and scars.

Apart from our routine rides programme, summer has brought out the usual crop of festivals and events, plus our iconic Holiday Wednesdays. None of this would be possible without our teams of enthusiastic and willing volunteers and thanks are due to all of you.

Often people join WDCF as a temporary measure, perhaps just to take part in a particular ride, while they regain their confidence following a long interval since they last got on a bike, or because they are unfamiliar with the area or its off-road cycle routes. Experienced riders recovering from an accident or health incident may prefer to ride with a friendly group until they’re fully fit. When they’re ready, these people cycle off into the sunset with our blessing. 

Thankfully, some stay with us to become ride leaders or back markers, while others help maintain cycle routes and assist at events like Holiday Wednesdays or to join our autumn path clearing team.  Of course, the committee also helps keep the Forum going and promotes it both locally and more widely, whilst endeavouring to improve cycling provision in the district. 

Another section of the membership simply continues to come on rides with us, quietly encouraging nervous riders, explaining group riding protocols and holding gates open, taking advantage of the physical and mental health benefits of cycling and contributing to the camaraderie.

Of course, membership of WDCF does not preclude you from liaising with or joining other groups.  Members ride or volunteer with Pontefract Cycle Club, Open Country and the Tandem Club, to name just a few.

Our Facebook page carries details of our rides each month together with reports and photos from those attending.  In alphabetical order, here are photos of our Agbrigg ride in July, a smaller party on the Fitzwilliam ride in May and our the Ryhill ride the same month.

On the 16th August a small team of WDCF volunteers turned out for an inclusive sports event at Thorne’s Park Leisure Centre and the adjoining sports field.  Sharon attracted visitors to our information stand with her renowned tombola stand, while David K, Meg and Sharon talked to anyone in reach.

Attractions weren’t limited to games of chance, however.  Once again there were dancers, but this time not a stick of liquorice in sight. 

Talking to other stall holders was enlightening.  Apparently Brazillian Jiu Jitsu / Judo courses can teach people how to fall without hurting themselves.  Nordic walking with poles can improve stomach muscles, although cycling is better for the knees.  Whilst A-frames, chicanes and overhanging brambles make many of our rides impossible for a side by side bike, I did suggest to a full-time carer that joining us for a free easy guided ride with a borrowed bike and helmet would be an inexpensive way to get some fresh air and exercise. They would meet some new people while their partner could take over caring duties for a morning.

Outside, there were a variety of adapted cycles to try out or simply look at and ask questions about.  The photo shows a tandem where the rider in front is a wheelchair user.

Pontefract is well known for its liquorice sweets, particularly Pontefract cakes, a local delicacy first created by chemist George Dunhill in 1760. Pontefract Liquorice Festival is much more recent, dating only from the 1990s.  Nevertheless, it attracts visitors from across the county and further afield.  The festival features music and dance, parades and performances, talks and stalls manned by local charities and interest groups.  The last of these is where WDCF comes in. 

A local contingent, consisting of Sandy Clark and David Leigh from Pontefract, Meg and Neville Andrews from Ackworth and Lisa Wilson from Castleford turned up for all or part of the festival on Sunday the 13th July.  Armed with our rides leaflets and WoW maps, we chatted to people visiting our stand and anyone in hailing distance of it.

Some of us visited other stands, not to sample liquorice gin but to extol the joys of cycling and to explain the rides programme we put on.  Anyone with children was told about Holiday Wednesdays, starting later that month.

Our stand was in prime position to watch the colourful dancers wearing liquorice allsorts themed costumes and twirling ribbons as they paraded to the Market Place. 

It’s possible to visit Nostell NT’s spacious grounds, tearooms and toilets free of charge.  For National Trust members or paying visitors there is also the mansion itself, the adventure playground and the gardens. For others, WDCF’s Holiday Wednesdays have become an annual tradition. 

The route of our circular skills course on the lawn immediately in front of the house varies slightly each week – as does the weather.  Children can use their own bikes or borrow one of ours, whether they want a balance bike or something bigger.  The same applies to helmets, which we insist children wear.  Most children want to have their circuit timed, although they are welcome to an untimed practice run first.  We offer signed certificates showing they have completed the course, with the time added if they wish.  If numbers aren’t too high, they are welcome to try and beat their initial time and some come back again and again.  We also offer guided rides round Nostell for those more confident on their (or our) bikes.

Sometimes, one or more of our bike doctors will be in attendance to mend or mark bikes and we’ve always got a ride leader or two handy to adjust seats and helmet straps.

2025 is the last time we will have a fundraising tombola stall at Nostell, ably stocked and run by Sharon, but we will continue to offer information, encouragement, programmes, and maps all without charge. 

Last year, as part of the ‘Our Year’ celebrations, we put on a Big WoW event setting off from Pugneys Country Park -see our Autumn 2024 newsletter for details.  WMDC asked us to put on another WoW event this year so Tillie Davies, a Physical Activity Programme Officer with the council, and I put our heads together.  The council is in the process of putting up new blue plaques to mark notable women in the district who have largely been overlooked or ignored. After discussion, we agreed to put on a WoW celebrating Women of Wakefield. 

We chose the date of the 7th September as we hoped people would be back from their summer holidays by then and our volunteers recovering from the hard work of Holiday Wednesdays.  The September ride was due to start from The Hepworth Wakefield, named after our own Women of Wakefield Barbara Hepworth, and this seemed an appropriate place to begin.  Tillie and I researched suitable subjects for celebration linked, however tenuously, with places on the route of the WoW.  Pages of research were synthesised into more succinct snapshots while Tillie managed to find photos of many of the chosen few.  The ride was publicised formally and informally with websites, Facebook, emails and accosting any woman with a bike.  

The day dawned a bit chilly on the 7th and Neville and I made our way to the Hepworth.  There was a small group of cyclists assembled by the cycle racks when we arrived, all men and all come to join the WoW WoW.  For a time, it looked as though I was going to be the only ‘Woman of Wakefield’ there and I was born in down south!  Then Tillie arrived with a clutch of female cyclists she’d come across in the Hepworth car park.  As 10 o’clock approached, the trickle turned into a flood and we finished up with 26 cyclists on 25 bikes and the majority of the riders were female.  It was nice to see Forum members from across district and groups of women who were new to the Forum and had come especially for this ride.  

The poster advertising the ride gave the timing as 10am to 3 pm as we weren’t sure how much our talks would extend the ride and we didn’t want anyone picking up a fine for overstaying their parking.  In the end, the ride finished at around 2.30pm after one stop to remove jumpers when the sun came out and a second to put on waterproofs when we left the tree covered track and the light showers became more persistent.

We’re hoping to see many of our new female riders again and dished out multiple copies of our ride programme.  One commented that she’s seen the WoW signs and fancied trying the route but hadn’t felt confident enough to do it on her own. That was really the aim of the ride.  Another asked if we were going to post our short synopses of the lives of our chosen women on Facebook as she hadn’t heard everything- a problem we faced trying to address a group of cyclists strung out in a line next to the path rather than organised in a clump. 

Always short of material, I advised her that our Tessie- talks and Meg’s musings would appear in the next newsletter (this one), due imminently.  

Meg & Nev met a couple of local members of the Tandem Club at the York Cycle Rally in June.  They try to organise a ride at least once a month and like us, sometimes struggle to get people on their rides.

We have done the WoW a few times on our tandem and although some of the sections are a little challenging, we offered to lead a Tandem Club ride in August, starting from the Waterside Car Park in Wakefield.

The Hepworth is a great introduction to the WoW but the next section to Chantry Bridge is somewhat of a pain.  Then follows a pleasant amble through the woods to Heath via the steep hairpin up to Kirkthorpe Lane.

Crossing Doncaster Road at the lights always takes ages and this time was no exception.  These lights should really be more co-ordinated to allow pedestrians, horses and cycles to get across in one go and not piecemeal, as at present.

The rest of the route to Nostell was uneventful and we spent a pleasing half hour sampling scones and tea at the café.

Then through Anglers and past Cold Hiendley reservoir, which always seems to live up to its name, followed by the interesting zig zag up to Navvy Lane, always more fun with a long wheelbase vehicle.

Along the Chevet Branch line and down through the woods at Newmillerdam to reach Pugneys where we had a brief stop to admire Sandal Castle in the distance.

After that it was a short trip back to the car park.  On the day, we had four tandems and one single bike and even with the odd sharp bend and uphill zig zag, everyone said they enjoyed the ride. 

At the end of the ride, we were given the tired but treasured solo bike on the basis that we would ensure that it was fettled and passed on to a good home, so that’s what we did.

Neville Andrews

Our starting point for the 2025 Women of Wakefield: Wonders of Wakefield ride was The Hepworth, named after the sculptor Dame Jocelyn Barbara Hepworth or more commonly Barbara Hepworth. 

Although Barbara Hepworth spent the latter half her of her life in Cornwall, we claim her as a Woman of Wakefield as she was born here in 1903 and went to Wakefield Girls’ High School.  Remaining in the West Riding, she won a scholarship to Leeds School of Art from 1920, followed by  a county (Yorkshire!) scholarship to attend the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London, and in 1924 travelled to Florence on a West Riding Travel Scholarship. This was in the days before student grants! 

While at Leeds, she met fellow Yorkshireman Henry Moore and, although friends, they became professional rivals. Barbara Hepworth was the first to sculpt the pierced figures that are characteristic of both her own work and, later, that of Henry Moore.

Barbara’s first marriage in 1925 was to sculptor John Skeaping, winner of the prestigious Prix-de-Rome, for which she was the runner-up.  They had a son together.  In 1931 Barbara met and fell in love with the painter Ben Nicholson.  They had triplets, Rachel, Sarah and Simon in 1934.  Of course, Barbara continued producing her art, commenting:  “A woman artist is not deprived by cooking and having children, nor by nursing children with measles (even in triplicate)– one is in fact nourished by this rich life, provided one always does some work each day; even a single half hour, so that the images grow in one’s mind.”

When war broke out, Barbara and her children moved to St Ives in Cornwall, where she remained. Towards the end of her life, when she was not very mobile and drinking heavily, Barbara Hepworth would take a sleeping pill and then light a last cigarette in bed. The pill took 15 minutes to knock her out, the cigarette 10 minutes to smoke. On 20th May 1975, the inevitable happened and she died in a fire at her home in Cornwall, aged 73.

There is a permanent exhibition of Barbara’s work at The Hepworth and Yorkshire Sculpture Park (which you can cycle to and park your bike at but cannot cycle round) is the only place in Europe where you can see all 9 elements of Barbara Hepworth’s iconic artwork ‘The Family of Man’ displayed together.  Each figure represents the different stages of life, from youth to old age and together they form a family of sculptures. 

The ride’s next stop was at Heath where Baronetess Dame Mary Bolles lived. Mary Witham was born in 1569 into a wealthy family at Ledston Hall Castleford.  Her father died when she was 14 and 10 years later a local woman Mary Pannal was accused of having caused his death by witchcraft and tried and executed for the crime. They say she was the last witch to be burnt to death in England.

Mary Witham married well, twice and, having survived both husbands, bought Heath Hall near Wakefield, later known as Old Heath Hall. She was created a baronetess in her own right by Charles I in December 1635 becoming Dame Mary Bolles.

Mary died aged 81 on 5 May 1662 and her will left the interest from £500 for poor children in Wakefield and £200 for poor children in Sandal to be bound apprentices.  It directed that the room where she died be permanently sealed.  The room was closed off but after fifty years it was opened and from then on, the ghost of the infamous Blue Lady haunted the Old Hall, Heath.  The door of the haunted bedroom has been preserved in Wakefield Museum. You can also still see Dame Mary Bolles’s water tower. Built in the 1600s over a hillside spring, it contained an 18 foot (5 metre) water wheel which pumped a water supply to Heath Old Hall on the hill above.  The Hall has been demolished but the water tower remains as a grade II listed building.

From Heath we cycled on to Crofton, where Tillie gave a short talk about Richmal Mangnall.  Miss Magnall (1769-1820) started as a pupil at Crofton Hall School for Girls in around the 1780s and progressed to become a teacher there from the 1790s until in 1808 when she took over as the school’s headteacher.

So what? you may ask. In 1798, she published the first edition of her Historical and Miscellaneous Questions for the Use of Young People. At first, the book was intended for use at the school in Crofton but later it became an influential textbook used at schools across the country. By 1857, nearly 40 years after its creator’s death, it had reached 84 editions and ‘Mangnall’s Questions,’ as it became known, was referenced by many influential writers and social commentators, including Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, and James Joyce.

We then proceeded to Nostell, lunch and Sabine Winn 

Sabine Louise Winn was born in Vevey in Switzerland on 25 March 1734.  After the death of her first husband in 1761, she met Sir Rowland Winn, the 5th Baronet, when he was on the Grand Tour.  They fell in love, married and lived in London for several years before moving to Winn’s family home in Yorkshire in 1765, a place she described as “one of the most desolate and ill-fated corners of the universe”.

The couple commissioned Thomas Chippendale and Robert Adam to redesign the interior of Nostell Priory. They were painted by Hugh Douglas Hamilton in 1767, a picture of  serenity, happiness and domestic bliss, but behind the smiles of 18th-century “lady of the house”, Sabine Winn’s is a story of isolation, loneliness and marital anguish.

Despite her efforts, she never mastered English and her husband was rarely there and invariably away on business. “I want to live only for you, yet I am always without you,” she wrote in 1769. Sabine struggled to fit into the role and responsibilities of such a grand country house.  “I shall no longer act tactfully if you do not come back this week,” she wrote in one letter. “In the name of God return to your senses and show that you have feelings of your own.  The truth is that you love London a good deal more than you do your wife.” Winn would sometimes respond by promising her a new pet!

There were numerous financial and family problems along the way, not least with their two children.  Sabine was said to have cosseted her son so much that the Winn family tried to have him removed from her care. Her daughter brought “shame” by marrying a baker.

Nostell Priory today has only one completed wing because Robert Adam’s plans were not fully realized.  He designed four new wings, but only the family wing was built, and construction was halted after the death of Sir Rowland Winn, the 5th Baronet, in 1785. This resulted in the asymmetrical façade that is seen today 

After moving to Nostell in 1765 Sabine is not thought to have left Yorkshire at any time until her death in 1798.  The challenges Sabine faced at Nostell – the language barriers, the strained family relationships, her worries over physical and mental health – are all concerns that resonate today.

From Nostell we proceeded to Anglers Country Park where Tillie told us about Florence Beaumont

Florence Margaret Beaumont was born 17th of June 1876, in Stanley, Wakefield. When asked at the age of 14 what reform was most necessary, she replied ‘that women should vote’.  From a young age, she set her sights on securing the right to vote for all women.  She did use a bicycle to get around, wearing bloomers on the basis these were most practical.  Despite not actively seeking power for herself, her unwavering will and unshakable morality propelled her to prominence, and she founded and helped run several women’s rights and suffrage organisations.  Florence was among those chosen to represent the women’s voice at the League of Nations in 1928.

Florence died unexpectedly a year later, cutting short her remarkable life.  Her legacy lives on today in every woman when they exercise their political power.

Our final stop was at Pugneys Country Park near the miniature railway station, from which we could see Sandal Castle, once the home of Alice de Lacy

Born on Christmas Day 1281 at Denbigh Castle, Alice de Lacy was a wealthy heiress and the last of the De Lacys.  She was married to her first husband, Thomas of Lancaster, when she was just 12. The marriage meant that the De Lacy inheritance, including Pontefract Castle, passed to Thomas, who became the richest and most powerful man in England.

In 1317, Alice was at the centre of a clash of the two castles when John De Warrenne of Sandal kidnapped her in revenge for Thomas humiliating him.  Thomas did not try to get Alice back, instead he seized Sandal Castle. Alice and Thomas’s marriage was a long but unhappy one, and ultimately in 1317 Alice left Thomas – a highly unusual action for a medieval noblewoman to take.  Five years later Thomas was executed, leaving Alice free to choose her next husband Eubulus le Strange, 1st Baron Strange.  Eble died in Scotland in 1335 after about 11 years of marriage and Alice took a vow of chastity.  

Things then took a turn for the worse for Alice. The very next year she was abducted from Bolingbroke Castle in Lincoln by Sir Hugh Freyne taken to Somerton Castle and married against her will.  She petitioned King Edward III for help telling she was being held prisoner, could not see her family or friends and had been forced to break her vow of chastity.  Sir Hugh died in Scotland on the King’s service not long afterwards. That wasn’t the end of Alice’s problems with men.  In July 1338, Pope Benedict XII ordered the bishop of Lincoln to “warn and compel, by spiritual penalties, Alice de Lacy, countess of Lincoln”, to keep her vow of chastity. 

Alice died childless in 1348 aged 66 with no control whatsoever over where her fortune went, its disposition having been settled by her parents, husbands and their families long before that.

Wakefield Metropolitan District has many more notable women and a lot more could have been said about the limited number we chose to feature on our ride.  It has been suggested both that we repeat the ride for those who were unable to attend and that a second ride celebrating notable Wakefield men is arranged.  I’ll leave it to the men to come up with a list and a suitable name for it!

Our two bike doctors, Neville and Malcolm, have been busy this summer.

The pictures show them at an event at Outwood Newstead Green School Havercroft, mending and security marking bikes.  They have also been present at some of our Holiday Wednesdays adjusting a family’s bike to suit a new rider or security marking a new bike.

Aided by Andy, they’ve also kept the Forum’s loan bikes in good fettle.

From time to time, we are offered unmaintained and unrideable bikes to add to our stock. Sometimes our doctors are able to resuscitate the patient and return a serviceable bike fit for family use. On other occasions, life support is uneconomic and such bikes are given to charities who combine training cycle mechanics with supplying bikes at little or no cost to those who could do with a bike to get to work but can’t afford one. Experience suggests that asking a friend’s brother or a brother’s friend to look at a second hand bike is asking for trouble!

In This Edition

Spring is my favourite season. The anticipation and expense of Christmas, with its joys and disappointments, is over.  The decorations have been put away and the guests have gone home.  The days are getting longer and the weather is, by and large, improving.  Best of all, it’s time to get the bikes out.

After the shy snowdrops have faded, celandines and muscari salute Ukraine, followed by bluebells and violets, with gorse, forsythia, and broom adding the mellow yellow to the scene.  The sculptural shapes of trees are clear, before the pointy beech buds and burgeoning chestnuts confirm tentative identifications.  Frothing blackthorn blossoms highlight future puncture points, while the hawthorn blooms wait until the leaves have unfurled before they show.  

If you’re head-down, busy concentrating on the path ahead, you can still catch the fizzing scent of bluebells, the drift of wild garlic in the air and the curious perfume of the May blossoms.  For the less romantic, there’s the smell of coffee and bacon sandwiches and, for the real philistines, turkey sheds and sewage works, but these less welcome aromas are soon passed!

Although the Agbrigg rides have only been going since 2022, they are now often our most popular guided ride, apart from the iconic WoW. This is a testament to the commitment of Sandi Kinkead, the principal ride leader for the venue, and her willingness to reach out to groups who do not generally cycle or are unaware of the opportunities on their doorstep to access the open countryside. Our Agbrigg rides have helped introduce a more diverse section of the community to the joys of cycling. The photo  a recent ride from Agbrigg  to the splendid ruins of Sandal Castle. David Keighley is progressing plans to include the castle in the official WoW route, so we all hope to be storming it soon.

This year we agreed with Wakefield MDC to put on a number of rides from the Fitzwilliam area of the district. We were assured that there would be bike storage facilities available so that we could provide loan bikes for new rides and we had hoped that the improvements proposed for the route from Dando Way Ackworth to Fitzwilliam station would be completed by then.

Sadly, procedures and the nesting season intervened. Undaunted, six stalwarts turned up for the inaugural ride in March starting from Hemsworth Water Park. As the Hemsworth café was still being refurbished, we cycled to Ackworth along cart tracks to the Born and Bread café – small and friendly with cheap bacon sandwiches and some outdoor seating, so we could keep an eye on the bikes. Access did mean crossing a busy road, however, there are no loos and the coffee didn’t suit everyone’s taste, so we are not likely to be regulars. Avoiding a quagmire on the path required a sharp, steep left turn uphill, followed by a bend. We spaced ourselves out a bit to avoid a pileup but no-one faltered and all made it up successfully. It was an encouraging start.

The subsequent April ride proved even more select, with just 4 of us. We did take a different route round Fitzwilliam Country Park, where the sun had baked quagmires into ruts, and this time ate at The Sandwich Bar, which isn’t far from the Water Park.

We’re continuing to talk to anyone who comes in range and hope to persuade some locals to join us.

Our first bike mechanics’ event of the year was a Bike Care and Repair session on the 9th March at Anglers Country Park. The weather was fine and those who attended had an interesting presentation with lots of props, as the photo of Malcolm, Sue and Phillip demonstrates.

On Sunday 27th April we attended a Rycroft Bike Hub Event in the top field of the Rycroft Leisure Centre, adjacent to the main entrance.  The weather was warm & sunny but not too hot. Harry Wood, from ‘The Right Track Outdoors’, set up a cycle skills course, Malcolm geared up for the Bike Doctor sessions and Neville filled in with Bike Registration. 

Meg & Sharon provided help where it was needed, including admin and moving bikes and tables.We had six pre-booked half hour Bike Doctor slots but sadly, only two of those turned up. However, Malcolm was kept busy trying to solve the impossible problem that was the new mudguards for Sharon’s bike.

We did manage to get nine bikes registered – seven of those for the same couple, one for Tillie Davies our new WMDC Physical Activities Team Programme Officer and one for Geoff who has previously been with us at the Fitzwilliam ride.

I believe Harry had five entrants for his skills course. Although not a roaring success, I believe that we all thought it was worth the effort and for next time an email reminder will be sent to those who book a Bike Doctor slot the week before to confirm.

To celebrate Earth Day on Sunday 27th April, Transforming Wakefield offered WDCF a stand at The Hepworth, Wakefield to promote our cycle rides and events. David Keighley quickly assembled a small team to cover the day, consisting of himself, Sandi, Andy and me, and a selection of leaflets and literature. Neville was unexpectedly able to join us, as the Bike Hub Event at Ryhill had finished away sooner than expected. This allowed me to wander round see what was on offer.

Most of the stalls there were, like us, promoting active travel as a wonderful way to cut pollution, reduce road deaths and improve the health and wellbeing of those involved.

Ruth Love of Just Transition Wakefield  spoke enthusiastically about the canal/river towpaths in the region and how walking and cycling on these is safer and healthier than the roads.

Unfortunately, the towpath at Thornes Lane Wharf is still suffering the long-term aftereffects of the city centre floods in 2008 and is now blocked, requiring convoluted on road diversions. Just Transition is one of a group campaigning to remove the blockage and lists WDCF as one of their supporters.  We feel that that the cheapest option is the one most likely to be completed with the shortest delay and would support that choice.  To offer support or enquire you can email: ruth.alex@valleycreations.org.uk

Everybody’s Cycling, a Charitable Community Benefit Society, aims to encourage people of all ages and abilities to enjoy the benefits of Cycling by providing fun and practical cycling events across the UK.

They have a fleet of adapted cycles for people with disabilities and offer cycle try-outs. Cathy Chadwick-Rayner is the Project Co-ordinator carrying out an audit of disability cycling facilities in the combined authority area, so if you’re aware of anything new, please get in touch.

Email: cathy@everybodyscycling.org

Cathy is already aware of our old friends Open Country and also Get Cycling, which has recently introduced its Pathway to Pedals scheme.

This aims to increase access to inclusive cycling for disabled people. They offer month-long loans of specialist cycles to qualifying individuals as well as running social cycle sessions for them, their family and friends.  They can be contacted at Getcycling – Pathways-to-Pedals

On the May bank holiday, 5th May, Nostell NT hosted events to view the splendid array of bluebells there.  Walks were signposted through the flowers while we were asked to put on three rides at designated intervals along the cycle trails leading down from the obelisk.  David K organised a short rota of ride leaders and he and Sandy Clarke sorted out publicity and bikes. Neville and Meg did the ride leading while Lisa, Sharon and Sue turned up too to show willing and assist David back marking the rides. 

The first ride at 11am was the most popular. We chose the right-hand trail as its more sweeping bends are easier for a tandem and we’d checked it the day before. Unfortunately, early in the ride, before they’d got started on the woodland paths, a tyre came off one of our loan bikes so Jack and his mum had to abandon the ride, with a promise that if they came back after lunch, we’d have a bike ready for them. 

The path up to the obelisk is straight and steep whilst the path down is curvy with steep bits going both down and up.  We assured people that there is no shame in getting off and walking a bit.  Nevertheless, it was a relief to stop for some photos of bluebells.  One little girl needed some encouragement to get back on her bike so Neville demonstrated how easy it was to ride.

She did set off determinedly with Lisa’s close encouragement, although a brush with the gate as she left the trail was disheartening.

We nearly cancelled the third ride as it didn’t look as though anyone was coming, despite Neville having spent the break replacing the defective tyre. Jack and his mum turned up, however, and his enthusiasm was rewarded by us taking them on both the blue and the green trails, even though this meant ascending to the obelisk twice.  Their smiles show it was worth the effort. 

It was heartening to see that the safety barriers on both trails were created using natural materials, like brushwood and logs, rather than garish orange plastic. Admittedly, the former won’t last as long but the replacements are already growing! 

After completing a few damaged patches in Nostell Estates, we are finally set to return to repairing the trail from Waterton Park Golf Club to Navvy Lane along the old Barnsley Canal towpath. Bearing in mind that this route was installed in its present form around 30 years ago its hardly surprising that, whilst it is generally safe, with the passing of time edging etc have rotted in places and the surface become worn.

WMDC have given us the go ahead to recommence repair works and have supplied us with edgings, stakes and planings so we have the materials. It’s bodies we need now. We have a core work team of three at present. Whilst this may not seem a lot, we cannot over man the work as we have to keep the route safe and operational. The work in itself is quite heavy in nature excavating short stretches, installing edgings, stakes and geotextile and backfilling. All of this is in a relatively isolated location so all the materials and equipment have to be walked in, albeit with the help of our electric barrows.

It is our intention to hold a couple of workdays each month usually on a Tuesday, dependant on the weather. Duration on the day will be to suit the particular repair in hand but we aim to start at 10.00 on site and finish around 13.00. Tools and equipment are provided. Ideally, we could do with a couple of additional volunteers who are prepared to commit the time on a regular basis. It’s a good workout so, if you feel that you are up to it, please get in touch via our website and we’ll take it from there.

Email: info@cycling-wakefield.org.uk

Finally, a note of thanks to Waterton Park Golf Club who have kindly agreed to store our edgings in their compound. This is a great help as we had been struggling to find a suitable, convenient location so what they have been able to provide is ideal.

That’s it for now, enjoy your summer cycling,
Andy Beecroft (Workgroup Coordinator)

In This Edition

The current erratic weather extremes make it doubly important to check our Facebook page before you set off for a programmed ride, in case it has been cancelled, postponed or moved.

The temperature changes with the terrain, so a sunny start does not guarantee a warm ride. You should be prepared to wrap up well to avoid frozen fingers or a chilly chest.

Although nearly all our rides include a café stop, you may want to bring a warm flask just in case.

Autumn meant crunchy cycle rides under clear chilly skies. Leaf fall brought views of lines of russet trees in the distance and not a myriad of mushrooms but a plethora of fungi of pleasing variety. Winter, on the other hand, brought winds whipping up blasts of icy rain.

The weather for November’s Easy Ride from Queen’s Mill Castleford was crisp and clear, with bright blue skies and cheerful, well-wrapped cyclists.

However, the Santa Ride from Nostell NT had to be cancelled due to the appalling weather. Fear of further falling trees had led to Nostell NT closing for the day. As a result, the ride was moved to the following weekend and met up with Ryhill’s Easy ride on the 17th November at the beautifully decorated Woodlands Café Anglers Country Park, where hot drinks and mince pies were provided. Riders from the steady ride from Thornes called in too to join the festivities.

Queen’s Mill Santa ride went ahead as planned the next weekend, following a route chosen to avoid hazardous wet and muddy paths as much as possible. Castleford Greenway provided a secure, sheltered route with limited time on the road but gave pedestrians a chance to admire the Christmas jumpers and Santa costumes. Mince pies and coffees were supplied at Huggamug on Pontefract racecourse.

In appreciation of our hard work over the past year in putting on a busy programme of guided rides and our involvement with the Big WoW, Louise Galloway, Physical Activity Programme Manager at Wakefield Metropolitan District Council, invited WDCF ride leaders, back markers and others involved to a festive thank-you lunch at the Create Café Wakefield.

Work commitments and holidays precluded some from coming but a fair number were able to attend a delicious meal in friendly company. It was good to see people from across the district and to relax without the need to keep an eye on the bikes!

After Lou’s lunch came Sharon’s shenanigans at Galway Girl in Pontefract.  The venue was packed and incredibly noisy.  Unexpectedly and uncharacteristically, one couldn’t hear Sharon speak.  Unfazed, Sharon had a word with someone and we finished up downstairs with the strongroom to ourselves, seated cosily in seclusion with pizzas. The stalwarts of the party are shown as some of us needed to get up in the morning!  Thanks are due to Sharon for organising this and to Lisa for the photo.

You’ll have seen many comments about pernicious A-frames in past newsletters and other cycling journals.They’re not good for cycles, whether that be standard bikes, tandems, tricycles, cargo bikes or handcycles, nor prams, pushchairs, wheelchairs, horses or mobility scooters.Strangely, motorbikes seem to find it easy to get round them.I thought you might like a couple of cartoons demonstrating who, it is believed, these Machiavellian structures were actually designed for.

Wakefield Council is proposing to bring a new bike skills trail to Fitzwilliam Country Park.  The trail is designed to introduce more people to off-road mountain biking, while challenging more experienced riders. A planning application has been submitted for the new skills trail, with a decision expected in February 2025. If approved, work will begin later in the year.

The scheme is supported by Councillor Michael Graham, the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Growth  and Councillor Jack Hemingway,

Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change. The Black Hills Project, in partnership with our friends Reverse the Cycle, are championing the project. Once the new skills trail is complete, they aim to provide support to encourage young people of all abilities to try off-road cycling and highlight environmental responsibilities amongst riders. The project is being funded by the Town Centre Regeneration fund and is supported by local district councillors.

In light of these developments and the upgrading of Dando Way’s route from Ackworth Moor Top to Fitzwilliam station, WDCF is introducing a new easy ride to the Fitzwilliam area from Hemsworth Water Park in March.  Details will appear on the 2025 Rides leaflet.

A select group from the Forum visited Pontefract Racecourse to look at proposals for cycling and walking improvements on the A639 – Park Road, Pontefract.

The following plans are being developed by Wakefield Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority: 

• Widening the carriageway to add an extra lane in each direction   
• A new 3 metre wide shared and segregated cycle and walking pathways between Park Lane junction and Princes Drive via the improved roundabout
• Improved bus signal priority for northbound traffic on the A639 Park Road
• Improved cycle route between Park Lane Junction and Glasshoughton Station/Retail Park/Xscape
• A new toucan crossing on Beechnut Lane Although it’s now too late for you to add your comments, you can find out more about the proposals by visiting www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/A639parkroad where you can view the plans online.

On Sunday 19^th January, Wakefield District Cycle Forum, in conjunction with Rycroft Leisure and British Triathlon, is holding a Bike Hub event at Rycroft Leisure Centre between 10am and 1pm.

This will feature: –

• Bike Doctor sessions in half hourly slots for which booking is essential – where Malcolm Morris will be acting as Bike Doctor
• Bike Care and Puncture Repair group presentations lasting around an hour and a half  – hosted by Neville Andrews
• Bike Registration where Louise Galloway of WDCF will be security marking bikes and registering them on the Police National Database
• Fun skills course run by a 3rd party, Harry Wood

This is the first of 4 sessions that we hope to run during the year in January, April, July and October. These will be advertised on our website and Facebook.

Path clearing and Plans

Having completed the worst of the paths in Nostell, we are going to restart repair works to the trail from Waterton Park Golf Club to Wintersett in the New Year when conditions allow. Wakefield have dropped a load of planings for us and have committed to providing edging timbers and pegs to complete the work. It will be a low key operation in order to minimise impact to trail users so will be ongoing for some time.

A small workgroup consisting of me, Geoff Banks, Neville and Meg Andrews spent a morning recently clearing leaves from a section of the Trans Pennine Trail,

a useful project appreciated by those who walked or cycled past us that morning. 

If you are keen to help, keep your eye on Facebook as we will post an event when Workdays are to be held.
Cheers 

Andy Beecroft.

Work on the Trans Pennine Trail

A long-term problem on the Trans Pennine Trail in Wakefield has now been tackled. Work has taken place on a section of the Trail for all users between Heath and Stanley. The section in question follows a public bridleway down a steep slope between Kirkthorpe Lane and The Half Moon.
The bridleway is prone to being scoured and damaged at times of heavy rain. Over the years, repairs have only lasted until the next significant wet weather event, and the problem has been repeated. On the last occasion severe damage was caused to the path. When this was investigated, it was apparent that the highway drainage on Kirkthorpe Lane had backed up and caused water to flow directly down the slope causing a lot of damage to the surface of the path.
Wakefield Council has made use of grant funding from The West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s, City Region Sustainable Travel Fund (CRSTS), to carryout repairs to the path. A sealed surface with the addition of a suitable surface treatment for use by horses was considered at first. There were however some concerns over the steepness of the slope and overhanging vegetation potentially causing the surface to become slippery over time.
Initial works on site and investigations into the drainage systems revealed a connection from the highway drains running under the bridleway to an outfall at the bottom of the slope. This was found to be blocked in several places, contributing to the problems of water flowing onto the path. Work was undertaken to clear and restore the drain between the road and the outfall. The path was then resurfaced and graded with recycled stone. Water should now pass through the restored drainage system during heavy rain. An additional soakaway at the top of the slope was also created to prevent surface water flowing directly onto the path if the drainage exceeds capacity. A field gate and adjacent access to the path was also removed, repainted and replaced.
This work should provide a long-term solution to this problem and prevent the path from being washed away again.

David Holdsworth -Public Rights of Way Officer, Wakefield Council

In our previous newsletter, I did promise to pass on any suggestions I received for efficient wet weather gear or warm winter clothing. Andrew Welch kindly responded, recommending the Brisker 100% hydromatic waterproof gloves.  I told him I’d try them and report back. 

When I found the gloves on-line, they were highly recommended but sadly not produced for small female hands like mine.  Clearly washing up gloves should be sufficient for us! 😉

At last- the final WoW display board has been erected at Sandal Castle.  Thanks for your hard work, David.

In This Edition

The ambitious title is a bit tongue in cheek but not entirely inaccurate. Cycling is good for body, mind and the planet. It provides healthy exercise, even with electric assistance, largely in the fresh air, and does not cause pollution.

Every trip taken by bike keeps one more car off the road. The queue for the roadworks on the way to Wakefield was one car shorter when we turned off through the woods at Nostell on our tandem and we got there faster. If every driver with a bike had followed suit, there would hardly have been a queue at all.

Cyclists are not insulated in metal boxes and interact with passing cyclists, pedestrians, dog walkers and horse riders, although interaction with motorists is sometimes limited to hand signals. They stop for refreshments, aiding the local economy, and often shop locally.

They notice things like blocked drains, fallen trees or discarded sofas, and will report them to the appropriate authorities so they can be dealt with or deal with them personally. A folding saw is very useful and can’t really be classified as an offensive weapon.

Keeping fit by cycling reduces the risk of type two diabetes and other hazards of obesity, helping cut the burden on the NHS. So, get out on your bike – you know it makes sense!

The 4^th August finally arrived and our Gazebo was duly erected at Pugneys Country Park, along with those of Experience Community, who offer a variety of adapted cycles, Open Country, who provide tandem rides for those with visual impairments and/or learning difficulties and the police, who were offering getting your bike tagged and recorded on the national Bike Register system for free.

Mark and Meg signed people in and answered questions about the ride and the Forum.

The day was overcast but it never actually rained. The 10 am ride to the Hepworth was not as popular as we had hoped but at 10.30 things picked up a bit with those angling for a longer ride, leading to a full complement for the full WoW itself at 11am.

As the day wore on, it became clear that the shorter the ride, the fewer wanted to try it, particularly when people had to book ahead and bring their own bike.  Our team of volunteers remained ready, able and willing to conduct their designated ride regardless. Some riders finished up with 1 to 1 attention and no-one was left behind.

There was a good turnout at Nostell NT for the WoW on Sunday 6^th October, this being the ride we had chosen to remember our friend Bob Newton, who sadly and suddenly died in October 2023. Bob had spent his final days at the Prince of Wales Hospice Pontefract and, with his family’s consent, this commemorative ride was used to make a collection for the Prince of Wales Hospice in appreciation of the care and support the hospice gave Bob and his family and have given to others in the Five Towns since opening in 1989.

The ride raised £180 which, when gift aid is taken into account, will give the hospice £211.25. One of our members, Gary, photographed the ride and you can see his YouTube video of it on the PoW WoW video. 

The scary twists and jumps are his off-road diversions for photographic purposes and not compulsory!

by Pat and Bob Sweet

We have spent a few years working through an alphabetic list of cycle rides – some long distance and others just day rides. We have just completed the Varsity Way and were disappointed with the lack of signposting and many road and rail works causing disruption.

I found WoW on-line and we decided to pack the tandem in the car and try it out. We weren’t disappointed. There was clear signage at every junction except in Nostell Park and we did get a bit disorientated in the city itself.  The route is lovely with very little road riding.

We parked at Pugneys where there was plenty of parking spaces and set off anticlockwise, as we wanted to visit the National Trust house at Nostell which is open 11 till 4.

It was harder going than anticipated with a few scary bits by water on a narrow path, fast downhills through woods and some rough path furrowed by water. The trail was mostly dry though and the weather glorious. It was a welcome respite to go through trees and we were never bored by the constantly changing scenery. We passed several reservoirs and were hustled off by a gaggle of militant geese at one. At Anglers Country Park we had a comfort stop and ate our butties washed down with coffee from the café. This looks to be an ideal place to take children, though one little boy was more taken with the sight of a two-person bike and the new word – tandem.

It was novel cycling through ripe corn on well worn paths and here we were nearly at Nostell.

We loved meeting and chatting to fellow bike enthusiasts at the WDCF tent. Thank you for the lovely welcome and it’s great to see how community minded the group is with its super course lay out for the children to try out bikes. There’s lots to see in the house which we enjoyed too.

It was yet another park rich with coal mining history and then the mansions at Heath. Somewhere here were ponies tethered across the trail so they could get shade from the hedges.

They didn’t mind us though. We’ve never seen a chapel on a bridge before and in sharp contrast opposite is the concrete building housing Barbara Hepworth’s works. Unfortunately, it was after 4.30 pm and they were closing.

We weren’t sure how to get back on the route to Pugneys but we soon found it, not Sandal Castle though. We were on a road here and traffic was building up so we must have missed the sign.

There was a great bit by the Calder and then a lock from river to canal before we arrived back at Pugneys and the car. What an interesting area Wakefield is. Thank you to the WoWers who maintain the signs and paths. We will be back.

You can see a video of Pat and Bob’s ride at:- Pat & Bob’s Video

The annual extravaganza known as ‘Holiday Wednesdays’ took place again at Nostell NT in July and August this year.

Every Wednesday during the school summer holidays our team of willing volunteers, braving sun, rain and high winds (and sometimes all three in one day), erected our cunning, curvaceous course with its signature quirks and hazards on the rolling lawns of Nostell, immediately in front of the grand mansion itself.

Each week the course varied slightly to avoid damaging the grass and to satisfy the whims of whoever was in charge of the route that day.

It might be an exaggeration, in light of the curious but varying odds on the tombola and the erratic weather, to say that a good time was had by all, all day and every day, but the majority seemed to enjoy themselves most of the time.

We will no doubt be repeating the enterprise in 2025.

New readers may have gained the impression that we spend all our time riding round the Wonders of Wakefield, when we’re not supervising youngsters circulating whatever tortuous trail we have set up for them.  Although we’ve planned 12 WoWs for this year (9 done, 1 cancelled due to a storm forecast and 2 to go) we do 8 easy rides a month for 10 months of the year plus four or five other steady or steady plus rides.

Queen’s Mill Castleford isn’t on the WoW, so to redress the balance a bit here’s a group stopping for refreshments at the Green House Café while on an easy ride from there 

a slightly smaller group at Fairburn  

and our youngest rider about to set off from Ryhill, also not on the WoW.

Avid readers of our Rides Programme will know that we also run a monthly steady road ride from Darrington, as well as rides from Aspire in Pontefract Park, Thornes Country Park, Agbrigg Community Centre and St Swithun’s Community Centre at Eastmoor. Just check the Rides page or our Facebook page for details.

The Big Bike Revival is an initiative funded by Active Travel England to help adults begin or return to cycling.  As part of this Cycling UK gets together with not-for-profit groups and volunteer led organisations to provide a programme of free activities and services to achieve this.  The programme finishes at the end of October.

We were contacted in August by Cycling UK, who had been passed our details by Wakefield Council and were trying to source bike mechanics for an event they were running at Frickley Athletic FC in South Elmsall on Sunday 29th September. Neville and Malcolm agreed to assist and I went along, armed with maps and leaflets, to help, take photos and keep an eye on our equipment during their lunch or coffee breaks.

When we arrived well before opening time to set up, there were two tables for us sheltered in gazebos, with associated seating. Cycling UK had their own stand and there was space too for the police to security mark cycles. Ranks of cycles had been set up, including children’s bikes, for some planned lead rides in Frickley Park and the cafeteria had been stocked with cupcakes, gateaux and energy bars -all vegan. Anyone who turned up and registered would be entitled to claim a free hot drink and cake. The Cycling UK stand was stocked with free navy beanies bearing their logo, give away Park Tools pocket Allen keys and leaflets.

Sadly, the only two people to turn up were Ian and his recumbent tricycle and Osama Alkhobi, who’d seen our Facebook post about the event and brought his bike along to be looked at.

Our bike doctors were able to give him some advice and to look over the bikes supplied for the lead rides. Neville was engaged in security marking the FC’s bikes when the police representative arrived ready to bike mark. Malcolm checked her bike over, oiled and greased it.

The Lord Mayor turned up with his entourage including a chain guard- not a plastic cover over a cycle chain, but a discretely attired security guard for the mayor’s rather lovely gold chain. The mayor and his companions tried out Ian’s bike, talked to the bike doctors and me, posed for photos and then left.

Meanwhile, Frickley parents turned up to drop off their children for football matches and collect them afterwards but sadly there was a chain link fence between their route and our stands and, despite our encouragement, no-one wanted to make the U-turn required to see what we all had on offer.

It was a useful opportunity to build a relationship with Frickley Athletic FC and the local representative of Cycling UK but a limited success in reviving cycling in Frickley.

My plea in the summer newsletter for a recommendation for gloves that are actually waterproof sadly went unanswered. Genuine seal skin goods would be frowned on and the gloves I bought which bore that name unfortunately did not live up to their reputation and my expectations.

I admit that we were out in soft Irish rain with a bit of wind force behind it but I hadn’t anticipated that, wearing all the items illustrated in a downpour, only my pants remained dry.

That was due to the number of layers over them, rather than any impermeably of the garment in question.

The only product that did not let water through it was the bright yellow plastic hat cover.  As far as gloves go, I think I’ll have to resort to Marigolds. At least they’ll match the hat cover!

If you’ve any useful suggestions for efficient wet weather gear or warm winter wear that won’t either break the bank  or cause the cyclist to  collapse from heat exhaustion at the coffee stop, email news@cycling-wakefield.org.uk and it may appear in our winter newsletter and on some-one’s Christmas present list.

In This Edition

After our January Festive meal, which followed not long after a poorly attended AGM in October 2023, someone had a brainwave.  Why not combine the 2024 AGM with a meal?  Moving the AGM to a weekend should mean that more people were free to attend and earlier year, when it should be warmer, would mean we could have an informal outdoor meal.  

Strawberries and champagne were rejected in favour of a barbecue at Dimple Well Lodge, who had served us so well at Christmas, and the invitations went out.  Our normal Sunday morning ride went ahead, together with our regular stall at Pontefract Liquorice Festival.  Unfortunately, global warming did not mean we got a sunny day and it poured down.  Nevertheless, 25 brave souls turned up for the AGM with 23 staying for the barbecue, which mercifully took place behind the scenes in the dry.  

The minutes of the AGM will appear in our minutes section, so I’ll not repeat details now, save to say that Tim Scarrott has replaced Malcolm Morris as rides co-ordinator and Sharan Kaye is taking on responsibility for statistics and membership secretary from David Leigh, who continues as Treasurer.

As far as the barbecue is concerned, we feasted on prawn skewers, burgers, salmon, pasta salad, rice salad and more. It was warm and dry indoors and I believe a good time was had by all.  Staff at Dimple Well were friendly and helpful and we were finished in time for the football, but I’ll say no more about that!

We are grateful to Tim and Sharon for stepping up and to Malcolm and David for their past service in the roles. David continues as Treasurer and a ride leader while Malcolm retains his role as organiser of the Great WoW rides and a Bike Doctor.

The long summer holidays can present parents with difficulties keeping children entertained, so some years ago WDCF started ‘Holiday Wednesdays’ at Nostell. We set up a circular skills course with various twists, turns and obstacles that children take it in turns to complete using their own bikes and helmets or borrowing ours. 

After a practice run, circuits are normally timed so that children can either take home a certificate confirming they have completed the course and how long it took them or challenge themselves to improve their time.

Riders range from toddlers on balance bikes to teenagers, with the occasional parent or grandparent reliving their youth on our chopper.

One of our ride leaders will often take a group of cyclists on a short tour of the grounds taking in one of the two cycle trails created at Nostell. We’ve often got some more unusual bikes to try, including a penny farthing and an ‘impossible’ bike, where everything works counterintuitively and takes some working out.

Our information stand will be there, with details of our rides, local cycle routes etc, and our bike doctors were there on the 24^th July and will be back on 28^th August, offering help, advice and minor repairs. 

Holiday Wednesdays are free, although Nostell does charge non-members for car parking.

For parents in Havercroft or Ryhill whose children are aged between 5 and 10 and have their own bike and helmet, Rycroft Bike Hub is putting on Bike Activities for Kids at Rycroft Community Leisure Centre for an hour on Tuesdays 6^th 13^th and 20^th August between 2 and 3pm.

For Tuesday and Wednesday events, children under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

It’s not long to go now to our BIG WoW event on the 4^th August 2024. Malcolm has enrolled ride leaders: Lisa, Neville, Malcolm himself, David Leigh, Timothy and Sandi, with Lisa taking on 2 of the shorter rides.  We have 6 back markers: Cathryn, Geoff, Karen S and Cherry from the Forum and Karen and Ed from the council.  Cherry will be assisting Lisa on both her rides.

Departures will start at 10 am with Lisa’s short ride to the Hepworth and back, followed by a longer ride to Anglers at 10.30 led by Neville and finally at 11am Malcolm and Cathryn set off on the full WoW circuit.  David Leigh leaves for Newmillerdam at 11.30 with Tim following at midday to Nostell. Hopefully rested from their morning exertions, Lisa and Cherry set off again to Heath at 12.30, with Sandi and Ed taking off on our final ride to Sandal Castle at 13.00.

All of the places on the full WoW have now been booked and the other rides are filling up nicely, although take up is slower on the shorter rides, where I suspect less experienced riders are waiting to find out what the weather is like before committing themselves.

Mark and Meg will be based at Pugneys for the day, dealing with necessary paperwork and promoting the Forum.  There will be representatives there from Open Country, who are also doing the WoW that day on their tandems, Experience Community displaying a variety of adapted Cycles and free bike registration on the National Bike Register.  So even if you’re not riding the WoW it’s certainly worth coming along on the day.

By and large people have been enthusiastic about the BIG WoW, with council staff erecting new direction signs and assisting to keep the route clear of vegetation for the ride itself- a difficult task with the combination of sun and rain we’ve had this year. However, some local miscreants have taken pleasure in obliterating the WoW direction signs on the Nostell Estate with black spray paint and stickers.  The signs have been cleaned more than once and the source of the stickers contacted to see if they can identify the perpetrators and persuade them to desist.  Recent vandalism has been limited to black paint but often at important junctions. 

Although we enjoy taking people on guided rides, the plan has always been to mark the paths so that people can enjoy them whenever and with whoever they wish.  Until these vandals desist, a map or gpx file might be a good idea.

Who, you may be thinking, am I talking about?  After a gap of a few years, WDCF can now proudly offer the services of not one but two qualified cycle mechanics.  In alphabetical order these are Malcolm Morris and Neville Andrews who, after a fortnight’s training in Darlington paid for by WMDC, can now call themselves Cytech Level 2 mechanics.

They have been supplied with a sparkling set of equipment, including the iconic Park Tools black aprons, and have already put these to good use, quietly fettling Forum bikes and manning bike doctor sessions at Queen’s Mill and Featherstone Rovers’ Holiday Club, coupled with a bike marking event at Calder Park.

You will see Neville and Malcolm fully tooled up at two of our Holiday Wednesday sessions at Nostell NT on the 24^th July and 28^th August. Further opportunities will appear on our Facebook pages so keep your eyes peeled.

Loan bikes for our Easy rides from Queen’s Mill, Castleford no longer languish in a brick building with a leaky roof and ill-fitting door.  Thanks to a grant application by Castleford Heritage Trust and a contribution from the Forum, they are now stored in a smart, secure, green metal bike store.

The shed arrived and was erected shortly before the Time’s Running Out Climate Crisis relay was due to reach Castleford. Again, we co-operated with the Heritage Trust.  The Time’s Running Out pre-publicity suggested a team of lithe, oiled, Lycra clad cyclists hurtling into town.  Their arrival in a blaze of publicity was to be combined with a grand bike shed opening, complete with green ribbon, a bike doctor session, sale of stone ground flour and a craft session.

Reality was more muted. The team consisted of a publicity van preceding just one walker, who had been joined for the last few hundred yards by a member of the local council (who happens to be a trustee of the Mill) carrying a bundle of reeds, representing a more ecologically friendly ‘torch’ and various local government officials.  Councillor Tony Wallis and one of the support team wearing a Time’s Running Out T-shirt symbolically ‘cut’ the ribbon and the new shed, now stocked with 6 cycles, was officially opened.

Meanwhile, our team fettled the bike of the solo cyclist who was going to undertake the next leg of the relay to Manchester and checked over the Forum bikes.  These had been put into storage while the old shed was demolished, the site cleared and a new floor laid.  They were welcomed back into use two days later with our Castleford Easy ride.

Although the ‘blaze of publicity’ was something of a damp squib, the event was an opportunity to let local visitors know what we aim to do and about the rides we run from the Mill.

After years of campaigning by us and other community groups, the illicit barriers on the bridleway at Portobello, mentioned most recently in our winter newsletter, have at last been tackled by WMDC.

Some local residents, having petitioned for the barriers in the first place citing the nuisances of fly tipping, quad bikes and miscreants disposing of stolen vehicles by setting fire to them, resisted any changes.  As fly tipping can attract an unlimited fine and up to 5 years imprisonment following conviction in a Crown Court, we suggested contacting the police would be the appropriate remedy, rather than blocking the bridleway. 

The gate remains but the A-frame has gone and the gap where it stood widened. Neville and I were invited to attend with our tandem on the day the frame was to be removed and we arranged to be accompanied by Peter Bannister and his tricycle. 

The initial removal of the metalwork allowed all three of us to walk through the gap and some work with a shovel meant it could be ridden through in one direction. When the digger was unloaded, however, in a short while the path was accessible both ways. 

Thanks are due to David Holdsworth, the Rights of Way Officer at the council, to Steve and Andrew for doing the work and to Peter for test driving the new section with us.

It has taken a very long time to get this sorted and we hope for quicker progress on other unlawful and discriminatory restrictions.  Highways are not closed simply because people speed on them, throw rubbish out of car windows or have accidents. Instead, miscreants are liable for civil or criminal penalties. Roads are (or should be) designed to be safe and accessible. So should cycle paths.

It’s not just The Doctor who’s returning.  As from 18^th August and every third Sunday after that the Thornes Steady ride is coming back, with the Steady Plus experiment there consigned to history.  Easy Riders who want to progress to the next stage are welcome to turn up at Thornes Park stadium at 10 am on a ride day to meet Andy and his team.

If you’re ready for a Steady Plus Ride with more road miles than usual, our last Wakefield Wheel Ride of the year sets off from Nostell NT at 9 am on Saturday 31^st August. If you can’t make the date, a map of the Wheel appears in our Maps section together with suggestions for shorter and more manageable sections of the route, so you can build up your proficiency for a full circuit in 2025.

It has been agreed that we will use our Wonders of Wakefield ride on the 6^thOctober to commemorate our colleague Bob Newton, who died last October after a short illness. Bob spent his final days in the Prince of Wales Hospice Pontefract and his family are grateful for the love and support the whole family received there.

Some of our members have recently participated in a Cyclothon to raise funds for the hospice. Our PoW WoW will be a much more modest affair and more a chance to remember and give thanks for our own Shadowman.  Those riding the WoW on that day will be asked to make a donation to the hospice in Bob’s name, so please bring some spare cash or a credit or debit card.  We hope the ride will be a credit to him.

Our second Rycroft ride this year was much better attended – and it didn’t rain!! We acquired four new riders, Sarah and Jack Purcell and Lyndsay and Seb Ayre.  For Paul Marshall, it was his first ride with us from Ryhill. Jack (10) and his mother aim to come with us on a WoW ride, having carefully studied the map at Anglers.  We hoped that by the next time Jack and Seb (7) joined us, the tracks would have dried out a bit so we could do more of the ride off road. 

Sharon’s progress with the Forum stepped up another notch when she put on a ride leader’s vest and took up position as back marker.  She’s even exploring the possibility of buying a bike of her own.  I wonder what colour it will be?

Lyndsay and Seb turned up for our Castleford Easy ride on the 15^th June, together with Naomi and Ivaar plus cousin Etla representing the younger element of our riders. A bevy of stalwarts brought the numbers up to 11.

Rain  was forecast for later in the day but we hoped to be back by then.  Dark clouds loomed overhead as we crossed the river and as we turned under the bridge at Methley with the promise of refreshment at the Green House Café ahead, the heavens opened.  Waterproofs were quickly donned but we were hit by a sudden and persistent deluge.   As the road ahead turned into a river, plans were changed and after a swift U-turn we headed back to Queen’s Mill. Sharon and Seb stormed ahead to keep warm, while Neville zoomed back and forth checking and blocking the sideroads so riders could continue on without pausing. We all got very wet but nobody dissolved. Some set off home for a warm bath, while the rest enjoyed a hot drink at Queen’s Mill tearooms. Hot chocolate with marshmallows and cream in a cheerful bear mug soon put a smile back on Seb’s face.

July’s Castleford Easy was an opportunity to welcome 4 new riders to the Forum.  They had all visited our stand at the Liquorice Festival and been persuaded to try riding with us, whether to find some new cycle routes in an unfamiliar area or to get back on a bike after a gap of some years.  This time, we rode in hot weather that had drifted north from Spain in balmy breezes.  We did actually get to the Green House Café this time and, although there were some dark clouds in the sky at times, we all got back to Queen’s Mill safe and dry.  We welcome the fact that Carol, Tony, Elaine and Philip all plan to ride with us again.

The Festival was a useful opportunity to publicise our rides and the Forum in general.  Despite some sweet talking, however, Lucy Liquorice wasn’t offering any free samples!

At last, a dry spell so we could get some much needed repair and improvement work done to the network. Whilst there has been very little response to Facebook event posts for work days, our small team have managed to address the worst of the damaged areas on Nostell Estates’ trails over the last couple of months.

Our efforts were greatly boosted, however, by the appearance of Open Country for a joint workday in June at Nostell. A team of fifteen turned up, edgings were installed to raise levels in a couple of locations and they then proceeded to use up all our pile of planings to backfill these areas. A big thanks to Ella, Beth and team for their sterling work. It was a great effort and we hope to arrange more joint workdays in the future.

We will continue to hold workdays as and when we can. These will be posted on our Facebook Events page so keep a look out and if you can spare a couple hours, please get in touch by email to volunteer@cycling-wakefield.org.uk.

Andy Beecroft

We planned to have a cycling break in Belgium as we like the beer and the chocolate.  However, there is no longer a convenient ferry service to Zeebrugge and I don’t like driving much.  We’d never been cycling in Ireland and, as there was a ferry from Birkenhead to Belfast, the north of Ireland seemed to beckon.  At that point we didn’t know about the hills or the persistent winds from the North Atlantic!

We booked an overnight cabin and breakfast and, fortunately, the sea crossing was very smooth.  However, breakfast on the ferry was a big disappointment, which the other passengers seemed to have known about as there were only another three people in the dining room.

The drive through Northern Ireland to Donegal was uneventful and we were slightly surprised after a couple of hours when the SatNav announced, halfway through a village, that we were now in the Republic of Ireland.  Travel in Europe before Brexit – bliss.

The travel company – Ireland by Bike, arranged the accommodation (B&B) and baggage transfer between each leg of the journey.  Never having been to this part of the world before, we wanted to take it easy and allow plenty of time for café stops and sightseeing.  The plan was to do no more than 25 miles per day.  Seamus, from the travel company, met us at the first overnight stop in Donegal.  He provided a useful local information and a booklet full of sightseeing suggestions, as well as maps and gpx files.  He also paid for the parking as the onsite machine wouldn’t allow more than 24 hours and the Tourist Information office was less than helpful – we did pay him back!

For anyone familiar with the area our itinerary was as follows: –

Day 1: Arrive Donegal and cycle around Lough Eske (26km)
Day 2: Donegal to Killybegs (40km)
Day 3: am Killybegs to Carrick (21km)
………pm Visit Sliabh Liag. (14km)
Day 4: Carrick – Glencolmcille – Carrick (26km)
Day 6: Carrick to Glenties (41km)
Day 7: Glenties – Portnoo – Glenties (41km)
Day 8: Glenties to Donegal (32km)

The weather was sometimes dry, mostly damp and sometimes torrential.  If anyone could recommend gloves that are actually waterproof, I would be grateful!  The route was mainly on minor roads – no ‘A’ frames or barriers, but traffic was sparse and the few motorists we did meet slowed down and gave us plenty of room.  There were plenty of hills, some of which were shown in red on the elevation map but low gears and electric assist got us to the top and then it was downhill and then it was uphill and then……

Highlights: –

Killagtee Church and Cross: After tramping through knee high wet grass, we finally located the cross in a corner of the church which was built in 1152.  The Maltese cross marks the transition from inscribed slab to sculptured high cross and holds an import place in the development of Celtic art.

Sliabh Liag (Mountain of the flagstones): The highest sea cliffs in Europe.  We decided to tackle this after the relatively short ride but with some very steep bits, from Killybegs.  The road starts at almost sea level and just goes up, and up and up..  Fortunately, a short way after the turnoff from the main road, there was a visitor centre and as luck would have it, the shuttle bus was just about to depart – the best €12 we have ever spent and the hot chocolate from the van at the top car park was incredible.

Glencolmcille: Lots of Dolmens, megaliths and a folk museum which is a replica of a thatched cottage village in Ireland through the centuries. As always when travelling with an expensive bike and panniers full of stuff you would rather not get nicked, leaving the bike to wander around can be a bit worrying.  No need on this journey, everywhere we went we were offered a safe place to leave it.

Carrick to Glenties:  The hilliest section of the journey.  Think Lake District and you’ve got the idea.  Fortunately, the route up to Crockuna was steep but in short sections.  Once at the top, the view and the ride down the valley was spectacular.

This was a very damp but very enjoyable holiday and I can recommend the travel company ‘Ireland by Bike’ as being professional, competent and extremely helpful.

In This Edition

We’ve had a really soggy start to 2024. The WoW has become a tour of the Waters of Wakefield, with new ponds appearing at field edges everywhere and any sunken spots rapidly filling up with water.  Where previously the light sparkled off fields of polytunnels, now it’s little lakes glinting in the sun.  Steep uphill climbs have become downhill torrents, with floodwaters washing away path sides and concealing hazardous dips in the track. 

Andy’s Workday Words featured later has something to say on the subject and I urge you to read and respond. Meanwhile you’ll see that it is possible to wrap up well and enjoy the weather.

To help newcomers who haven’t been able to book a place on a WDCF WoW ride but want to give it a go, the council are providing new WoW signs in up to 40 locations.

The photo shows Lou Galloway indicating one of the places for a new sign and the direction it will point. Meanwhile, the Our Year pink version of the WoW map has been installed in the map stands at Anglers, Newmillerdam, Pugneys and Walton Park and new stands are in course of preparation for the Hepworth Wakefield and another as yet undisclosed location.

After a splendid start to Our Year of WoWs in January, featured in our last newsletter, the numbers in February and March were reduced to 20 in February and 21 in March respectively.  Fortunately, the number on the latter ride included some experienced ride leaders, as the March ride started with two punctures, which needed sorting before the ride could start, to be followed with another couple of punctures en route. 

A tyre which failed part-way round was considered too unreliable to continue and that cyclist was accompanied home by a ride leader. The mud on many of the paths was greasy and the depth of it in places concealed rocks, kerbs and other obstacles.  As a result, 4 people fell over at some stage, including our tandem, but damage was limited to bruises, both of shins and ego.

This year represented an important anniversary for cyclists in Wakefield District.  It’s ten years since the site of the disused Chevet Branch Line became a cycle path, now forming an important section of the WoW.  Sandy Clark, pictured below, as one of its creators, said a few words on the WoW to mark this.

The council recently consulted on removing the narrow, off-set A-frame at Portobello, which is at present the only way to get along the bridleway short of limboing under the gate across the road. We responded with suggestions and have now been advised that in removing the A frame, it is now the council’s intention to alter the gap adjacent to the gate as much as possible in order to improve the access for as many users as possible.  We’ll be testing it on our tandem and will report back.

March also brought our first Wakefield Wheel of the year, a circular ride of 38 miles with more on-road riding than the WoW.  This is not publicised on Eventbrite but is featured on our rides leaflet.  Eleven of us set off at 9 am from Nostell on what was still a muddy ride, with Malcolm leading and Tim on his first ride as back marker.  Our only casualty this time was Tim’s wife Kerry but she came a cropper near their home, so it was an easy choice for her to leave us at that point.

The weather was more amenable than last year’s Wheel, but the ride was taxing non-the-less. All finished with a justified sense of achievement.

If you don’t want to limit your cycling to the weekends, can’t find anyone prepared to come out with you in the evenings, don’t fancy washing your bike when you get back to base at 8 or 9pm but would be happy to go out with a friendly and supportive group, piloting a tandem with a passenger with sight impairment or learning disabilities, then Open Country is at hand. They do have a few electric assist tandems and some of their visually impaired stokers are fearlessly ferocious pedallers, so you won’t be doing all the work.

Open Country’s Wakefield Cycle Group have now come out of their winter cycling hibernation and their evening tandem rides, carried out under the name ‘Wakefield Tandem Club’, have restarted. This year, Ella will be running the Wednesday rides, mostly taking the tandems in their bus to various local locations. Beth will be running the Thursday rides, generally starting from Thornes Park. See the poster  for contact details.

Open large poster in a new tab

Open Country is also involved in improving access to the countryside for all and this year have been improving the surface of the Trans Pennine Trail over Heath Common. We’re grateful for that.

Following the departure of Graham West & Steve Valentine, the Forum has been missing a vital component – Bike Doctors.  Others have bravely stepped up to volunteer when required, thanks Andy, but we were unable to run regular Bike Doctor or Bike Maintenance sessions.  The Bike Doctor billboard remained firmly behind in the Stables at Nostell when we ran our ‘Holiday Wednesday’ sessions during the summer.

To distinguish between the two activities: –

Bike Doctor: People turn up with their own bikes and any straightforward repairs are carried out on the spot by a qualified bike mechanic. Minor repairs may include any of the following: –

• 1. Brakes – adjust/replace pads and cables.
  2. Gears – indexing, adjustment and cable replacement.
  3. Chain – check for wear, lubricate and advise if replacement needed.
  4. Tyres – Fix puncture. Check tread, air pressure and advise if replacement needed.
  5. Other – Critical torque settings. Check headset & bottom bracket and advise if replacement needed. Check bar end plugs and cable end caps and replace if missing.

Maximum time allowed – 30 minutes

• 1. Bike Maintenance: People may or may not bring their own bike but they are shown how to do basic maintenance, followed by a ‘hands on’ sessions where practicable.  The class would last about two hours at an indoor venue and includes: –
  2. ‘M’ check – to identify any issues and make sure the bike is safe to ride.
  3. Puncture repair – remove and replace a wheel, repair an inner tube.
  4. Rim & Disc Brakes – Pad inspection and adjustment.
  5. Gears – high & low limit and indexing adjustment.
  6. Chain, cassette and chainrings – check for wear.
  7. Bearings – check if loose or gritty.
  8. Washing, drying, degreasing and lubricating – why this is important.
  9. Basic toolkit and what spares to carry.
  10. Get you home advice – how to cope with a broken chain/spoke/cable

Recently, Lou Galloway – our main point of contact with Wakefield WMDC, approached the Forum with a generous offer to pay for two people to qualify as bike mechanics on a course run by Cytech, who provide internationally recognised training and accreditation for bicycle technicians.

The grant would enable two people to attend both the Level 1 and Level 2 courses at the Cytech training centre in Darlington.  There was no budget for travel or subsistence and each course had a start time on 08:30 in Darlington – some 70 plus miles away.  Level 1 required attendance for 2 days and Level 2 for 2 weeks!

Malcolm and I volunteered and so began almost 3 weeks of a daily commute from Wakefield to Darlington.  Fortunately, we were able to share the driving and the associated cost.  Thus began, what was for me, an eye opening experience in the mysteries of the various bits on a bike that I’d never considered before.  How many people reading this article can tell the difference between a freewheel and a cassette?  And did you know that a cassette has a freehub?  Confusing or what!

The course tutor was Chuck Heckman and I cannot praise him enough for his empathy and his ability to answer any bike related question whether it was from a complete novice like me or from one of the much more experienced people on the course.

The workshop was very well equipped and we each had our own bench and tools.  We were instructed from the very beginning about the importance of torque and that the most valuable tool in the kit was the torque wrench.  Tea and coffee was available at any time and there was a separate room where we all gathered for lunch.  The rest of the people on the course knew far more about bikes than I did and at times the lunchtime conversation seemed to be in a foreign language.  I thought that Pinarello might be an Italian pasta dish but apparently it is a high end Italian bike.  One of the participants even had a converted loft storing 15 bikes – none of which he felt able to part with.

From time to time Chuck would assemble us at the front to deliver a talk on the various bits of a bike that we were going to be dealing with and then we would return to our benches to carry out the allotted task.  He was always happy to answer questions and explain any of the procedures that seemed a little obscure.  Printed sheets were also made available, which meant that I could study the bits that hadn’t quite sunk in during the talk.

One element of the course was to build a wheel from scratch.  We were given a hub and a rim and then had to calculate the correct spoke length. Having received the right number of spokes of the correct length, the complex task of interweaving the spokes and fitting them into the right holes began.  And no, left and right spokes are not necessarily the same length!.  However, the best bit was yet to come – truing the wheel.  We were told that most standard bike wheels were built to a tolerance of 7mm but we had to get to 2mm – fun indeed.

There was a very friendly and supportive atmosphere for the duration of the course and I was able to ask for assistance when I inevitably got lost setting something up or forgot which bolt was a left-hand thread.  By the way ‘lefty loosie and righty tighty’ doesn’t always work.

I think that we all learned something, even those who were already employed as bike mechanics  and I certainly did.  The Level 2 course final exam was to strip down a bike to its basic components, which left only a frame in the bike stand, and then build it all back up again, while truing the bottom bracket and reaming the headset.  We were allowed to leave the outer cables in place – a small mercy.  Needless to say, I was the last to finish the rebuild and most people had gone home by then.  Malcolm unfortunately had to wait for me to finish and was able to eat his sandwiches while I finished the rebuild.

In the end, we both passed the final test and became qualified bike mechanics.  There is a Level 3 and even two e-bike modules but Level 2 is where I stop.  Hopefully, I will be able to remember most of it when we start the Bike Doctor sessions.  Watch Facebook for details.

Neville Andrews

WDCF meets in the area covered by the Rhubarb Triangle- much safer than the Bermuda Triangle and drier, as the Bermuda version is all at sea.  To celebrate this local pink sweet delicacy, an annual Rhubarb Festival is held in Wakefield.  

As part of the Our Year celebrations, WDCF had their own stall at the festival, ably manned by Mark, Cherry, Sandy and David Keighley.  David did manage to slip away, however, for a sly tipple with the voluptuous dame Ruby Rhubarb but was caught on camera.

In February we received an email ‘Calling all communities in Ryhill and Havercroft! Come along to the Rycroft Bike Hub Launch on Saturday 2 March between 11am and 2pm It doesn’t matter whether you have a bike or not or are a keen cyclist or have never ridden a bike – you’ll find a friendly bunch of volunteers waiting to chat to you about what you’d like to see happening at our new Bike Hub! There’s free food, a free puncture kit and other giveaways, and a chance to have your bike checked/serviced (if you have one). For people of any age, this is an event not to be missed.’ 

The occasion was to promote the start of a series of events aimed at helping those who would like to cycle but lack either the skill or confidence to jump on a bike and ride.  The events are sponsored by British Triathlon and overseen by the Ryhill Leisure Centre.  There is no charge and there are bikes and helmets available to borrow.

As our monthly Easy Rides from Ryhill weren’t producing any local riders who weren’t already WDCF members, we decided it would be good to have a presence at the event so Neville and Malcolm duly turned up both to promote cycling through our guided rides and to wave the flag for campaigning for cycling infrastructure in the area. They were joined there by Louise Galloway, a Health Improvement Officer with WMDC and our best link with the council.  The bike doctor team from the Brig Altofts were also there.  The weather wasn’t good but the meeting was in a large room at Rycroft Community Centre so children were able to cycle round indoors.

We hoped that our next Ryhill Ride would be attended by a plethora of locals keen to get on a bike and, under our guidance, explore their local cycle routes. The weather didn’t bode well as it was raining heavily when Neville and I arrived to find a full car park and Malcolm waiting for us.  Sadly, there was some sort of football match on and the locals seemed keener to watch other people rushing round rather than take part in useful, enjoyable exercise in the fresh, but damp, air. At 10.30am, the start time for the ride, Malcolm and Neville were proposing to abandon the ride but Meg prevailed on them to wait another 5 minutes, quoting the propensity of at least one of our members to turn up 5 minutes late for almost every ride. Before extra time ran out, two riders duly turned up, Naomi and Ivaar.

Pre ride checks had exposed the wet and slippery nature of the usual route to Anglers Country Park, so with the consent of all 4 riders, Ivaar making clear his anxiety to get set off without further delay, we abandoned the disused railway tracks and set off along quiet roads.  Naomi’s friend hadn’t been able to join her as she had gone to the Lake District.  Looking at the number of new ponds that had appeared, it seemed as though the Lake had come to us.  Entering the car park at Anglers, we were grateful for the free wheel wash provided- or it may just have been a very large puddle. By the time we left the café, the rain had stopped and the sun was shining.  No-one had fallen off or had a puncture and we all had a good time.

After a very frustrating wait, we are planning to restart general workdays shortly. As most will be aware the paths and trails out there have suffered as never before this winter with extensive and repeated flooding causing all sorts of problems.

What have until recently appeared good, solid trails have deteriorated and now need a good fettling to return them to a robust condition.

Initially our main focus of attention will be the network on Nostell Estates land, letting WMDC continue recent good work on public routes, including installing the track across the grassed area at Stanley Ferry from the cottages to the road bridge. In preparation, we have had a load of road planings tipped in a central location and will require plenty of ‘hands on deck’ once we can get at it.  David Keighley and Geoff Banks  are shown filling the channel scoured out next to the wooden drain installed last year, while the writer, Andy Beecroft, takes a brief break to record the scene.

 Notice of workdays will be posted as an event on our Facebook page so keep an eye out for when this occurs. If you notice any particular issues on the network when you are out and about, let us know and hopefully we can sort it.

Like many others we were depressed by the January weather and decided we needed a break somewhere warmer. A friend had suggested the resort of Monte Gordo, at the eastern end of the Algarve in Portugal.

We arrived on a sunny Sunday and were impressed. Our friend had said cycling was a big thing in the area and therefore we planned to hire bikes for at least half the holiday.

On the second day we walked across to the cycle shop opposite the hotel and hired two bikes for three days. Whilst road bikes and mountain bikes were available the vast majority for hire were Dutch sit up and beg style. The makes – Torgano City 700 and Orbita – were unknown to me.  (We learned that a very high proportion of holiday makers in the area were Dutch, contributing to the popularity of cycling).

Monte Gordo lies 3 kilometres from Vila Real de Santo Antonio which is on the Rio Guadiana. This substantial river forms the border between Portugal and Spain.

We decided that Ayamonte, in Spain would be our first goal. As we set off, we were immediately impressed with the on road segregated cycling provision. We cycled to Vila Real de Santo Antonio and caught the very reasonably priced ferry across to Spain. We looked around the town, had lunch and then set off for Isla de Canela, an island at the mouth of the Rio Guadiana. As we had experienced in Portugal cycle facilities were pretty good with separation from general traffic in most places.

On the way an argument developed between me and my wife. She said it was 4pm and I told her my watch said 3pm. As always, she was right! Portugal is on UK time but Spain has been + one hour since 1940. (Franco wanted to harmonize Spanish time with Nazi Germany and it has never been changed back).

Accordingly, we turned back and caught the last but one ferry back to Portugal.

On the following two days we explored the coast, Vila Real de Santo Antonio, the Pine Forests, an extensive nature reserve and the salt pans within it. We particularly liked Castro Marim and its Castle giving views over the surrounding countryside.

We were very impressed by the facilities for cyclists with separate cycle tracks almost everywhere. Many were up to three metres wide but in urban areas they were sometimes squeezed to as little as one metre. Motorists were generally quite considerate, with Spain marginally better than Portugal.

The weather was generally pleasant except for one bout of wind and rain (when we weren’t on our bikes!)

We really enjoyed our time there and our cycling. Portugal is a great country.

 Mark and Ruth Beswick

In This Edition

Last year held the dubious honour of having the most rides cancelled in the history of the Forum. 

2024 didn’t start well either with Gerrit and Henk leading to floods in parts of the country, high winds and locally, soggy, muddy, slithery rides through pools of water weren’t a lot of fun.

Nevertheless, we’ve had some sparkling Santa Rides and the New Year started with a WoW. 

There are articles from Malcolm Morris, David Keighley and Meg, leading to slightly more words than pictures in this edition, but it’s a close-run thing!

For many years the Forum has organised a couple of Santa rides each year, where members decorate their bikes and themselves in festive fashion, with tinsel, baubles and lights, to celebrate the upcoming festivities. 

Traditionally, rides have set off from Nostell NT and Queen’s Mill Castleford, with a hot drink and mince pie fortifying riders en route.  This year, rides from Eastmoor and, more informally, Ryhill were added to the list.

The Castleford ride included a sleigh’s worth of reindeer and plenty of twinkling lights.  We even managed to squeeze in a spot of culture at the Henry Moore and Allison Drake artworks celebrating a couple of local heroes.

The Santa ride from Nostell NT was also well attended and riders were well fed and entertained in an exclusive room at Anglers, complete with sleigh.

The inaugural Eastmoor Santa ride was more restrained, both in number and decoration but there were some splendid Christmas jumpers on display.

 Ryhill’s last ride before Xmas represented a final opportunity to finish the mince pies and flaunt the baubles before packing them away until next year.

Christmas is a traditional time for family get-togethers, office parties and the like. For many years, the Forum too has had a Christmas dinner together, with crackers, paper hats and, more recently, a quiz.

In 2023 we decided on a change, as so many people’s December is crammed with family visits, Christmas shopping, clashing invitations, carol singing and calls on available cash and time. The 25^th January was chosen as the date for our festive meal at a hostelry where turkey and the trimming, as well as Christmas pud, were still available, together with other less seasonally limited choices, namely Dimple Well Lodge Hotel, Osset.

You can’t hold back people determined to party, however, and Facebook was soon peppered with details of an informal Christmas gathering at the Bluebell, Valley Road, Pontefract on the 8^th December.

Here are a couple of photos of  some cyclists without helmets letting their hair down!

Come the 25th January, Dimple Well Lodge did us proud.  We were able to meet up in a separate area, exchange news and admire each other’s  outfits before moving to a private dining room. This was graced with a long table, decorated with lights and crackers, which seated all 29 of us.

Thanks to our organisation team, consisting of Mark, Lisa and Janet, we each had a coloured slip of paper with our respective menu choices on it, avoiding the common confusion of: ‘Who ordered the salmon?’, ‘What starter did I choose?’ and ‘Who’s eaten my sticky toffee pudding?’ 

The staff were friendly and attentive, the conversation was good and the food was delicious.  What’s more, we managed to finish our meals more or less simultaneously. 

The crackers provided paper hats, some dismal jokes and spare pencils for the now traditional quiz, ably presented by Neville.  This was a mixture of general knowledge, the highway code affecting cyclists and the odd, sometimes very odd, quirky or trick question thrown in. The team consisting of Sharon and family plus David Leigh, called the Two Timers, scooped the pool, winning a box of chocolates and a very long dated Christmas pudding.  The chocolates were shared round the table, leaving everyone to speculate whose table the pudding will grace next Christmas.

Thanks are due to Dimple Well Lodge, our organisation team and quiz master for a very enjoyable evening.  More photos appear on our Facebook page.

2024 is Our Year for Wakefield District and you’ll see the Our Year logo and pink lettering all over the area. As part of the Moving Festival, WDCF has agreed to put on 12 WoW rides over 2024, with a Big WoW event on Sunday 4^th August at Pugneys with 7 led rides of varying distances along the WoW route.

The first WoW of the series took place on Sunday 7^th January, starting at the gardens of the Hepworth Wakefield. Nearly 40 people turned up, of whom almost half were new to WDCF.

With a total of four ride leaders, Malcolm, David K, Neville and Andy, it was decided to split the group in two, with half riding the WoW clockwise and the rest anticlockwise. Fortunately, the name of the route is palindromic, so it works either way. The clockwise or C team had the easier group and the best way round but no camera crew.    The A team, which included a tricycle, a tandem, some teenagers and three generations of the same family, set off into the glare of low winter sunlight, which only took the chill off a little.  

The illicit barriers on the bridleway at Portobello caused major problems, particularly for the less orthodox vehicles. 

Fortunately, the cyclists involved are independently mobile and help was at hand.

Few of the others were able to emulate the pair shown and convert their bikes to unicycles to get them through the narrow, off-set A-frame. 

After some impromptu lessons on how to change gear to get up steep hills, all made it to the top of Slack Lane. 

These delays did, however, scupper Malcolm’s plans to have the A and C teams arriving separately at Anglers, the chosen refreshment stop.  The staff there coped admirably with the unexpected influx, although the till broke down yet again.

A subsequent puncture on the road to Crofton sewage works was dealt with by the A team as swiftly as the rigid tyre wall would permit.

The C team managed the whole of the WoW, whilst the A team prudently avoided some very muddy, puddly uphill stretches and impending darkness by curtailing the route slightly. Nevertheless, a good time was had by all and lessons learnt for future WoWs.

As part of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council’s “Our Year” celebration of Wakefield’s Culture, WDCF were asked to organise a WoW Event in August, based from Pugneys Country Park. With the emphasis on showing off The WoW route, 7 rides of different lengths have been organised, up to and including a complete circuit of The WoW, to start at different times during the day to allow completion in the early afternoon.

To keep numbers safe and sensible, it was suggested that we use Eventbrite for organising a maximum of 15 participants on each ride plus a leader and back marker for each one.

In order to get the year off to a good start and make the best use of the advanced publicity from the Council, we also agreed to use Eventbrite to promote the monthly WoW rides starting with January 2024.

The response was almost overwhelming. There were 25 places made available and they had sold out between Christmas and the New Year. With 25 bookings plus leaders and back markers, even splitting the ride in 2 and going around the WoW in different directions, we numbered 36 in total! One of the largest rides we’ve guided in some years apparently.

Despite the cold, wet and muddy conditions, both rides covered as much of The WoW as they dared. We learned a lot from the day and everyone seemed to bear with us and enjoyed themselves.

We’ve seen some of the new people again during January and a few names keep popping up on the Eventbrite Bookings for future months.

From March, we’ve organised 2 simultaneous WoW rides per month with 15 places on each of them with ride leaders to cover. Even though we try not to turn away people who turn up for our rides, there comes a point at which safety comes into question and we might have to. With that in mind, we have concluded that The WoW rides from March onwards will need to be strictly ticket-only. We do hope that if you want to join in, you can book and enjoy the ride, hopefully in better weather. Tickets for each ride go on “sale”  6 weeks before the event, so don’t leave it until you’re expecting to see the Facebook post the week before, as it could be too late.

The official opening of the cycle route along the Chevet branch line was 8 March 2014, so its 10 year anniversary will occur this year.

The Chevet Branch Line project was a large one for the Forum to manage with a total value of just under £100,000 and over 5 kilometres of new bridleway over the land of four different landowners. Wakefield District Cycle Forum provided a small amount of the funding for the scheme but the project was only possible through grants from the Paths for Communities programme, administered by Natural England on behalf of the European Union and the UK government, and assistance from our major partners Wakefield Metropolitan District Council. 

The Chevet Branch Line is a disused railway line and constitutes one of the longest stretches of ‘missing links’ identified by Forum members. These ‘links’ join up other existing cycle paths with a view to building a continuous network of traffic-free routes for cyclists throughout the district.  The Line forms an important stretch of the WoW route.

Those of you who regularly cycle through the Nostell Estate between Foulby/Nostell and Anglers Country Park will have noticed a bright blue bench overlooking one of the small lakes, which you pass by on your way. Maybe if you are on your way round the ‘Wheel’ you might choose this spot for a rest and a drink from your flask. The bench had its third anniversary on 31 December 2023.

But how did it get there?  As you might know, one of the main aims of Wakefield District Cycle Forum (the Forum) is to develop a joined-up, traffic-free network of cycle paths in the Wakefield District. The path which passes by this bench sits next to one of the paths constructed by the Forum with a grant from the National Lottery and funds from its own Path Fund.

The bench has a small plaque with the Wakefield District Cycle Forum engraved on it. Much larger are two names incorporated into the back of the seat. The names, Sandy and David, are not, as some people may think, there to commemorate the lives of a devoted couple who are no longer with us. Less romantically they represent Sandy Clark and David Keighley, the Forum’s ex Chair and vice-Chair, who were largely responsible for the construction of the path.

Sandy and David made the decision to install the seat in a place that not only commanded a lovely view but also had happy associations for them. It acts as a memorial seat but, unusually, one which has been, and hopefully will be for some time, enjoyed by the two cyclists to whom it is dedicated. Usually while enjoying a pork pie and a flask of coffee.

To mark the third anniversary of the seat David acquired two trees, a dogwood and a flowering cherry, which, with the help of our Workgroup leader, Andy Beecroft, are now planted on each side of the seat. These will add some colour to the location in spring and winter.

Thanks have to go to Nostell Estates for permission to install the path and the seat on their land.

Do enjoy a little sit-down on the Sandy and David seat when you are next passing.

Although many committee members have been away over the past few months, I’ve not had any reports of recent cycling holidays to pass on.  Cherry Oldham, however,  couldn’t resist hitching a ride when she saw this bike on her recent trip to America.

Thanks to a recent post on our Facebook page by Lisa, I now know you don’t need to travel abroad to see this cycle. It, or an identical copy of it, is at London Bridge.  The animals, apart from the occasional human rider, include an African elephant, a chimpanzee, a hippo, a rhino, a lion, a zebra and a mountain gorilla- all animals at risk.

Although suitable for a large and disparate family, I can’t see it catching on in Wakefield District – it would never get through chicane, let alone an A-frame or kissing gate!

In This Edition

It’s heartening to see the increase in traffic on our Facebook page over the past 12 months or so. Apart from our ride co-ordinator’s regular timely bulletins about upcoming rides or rare cancellations, you’ll find people posting about non-Forum rides they’ve been on recently, often with maps, warnings about hazards encountered on routes and requests for advice or assistance.

People post details of cycling holidays outside Yorkshire or even abroad and photos of Fun Days or their new tyres. Rather bizarrely, some-one complained about the number of photos featuring bikes. For them, here’s a photo of a collection of Austin Healeys whose drivers had assembled for a Rally at the first hotel we stayed at on our Rebellion Way trip.

Many of you will be familiar with our renowned Holiday Wednesdays, which take place every year at Nostell NT on each Wednesday of the school summer holidays. We publicise these on our Rides and Events leaflet and Facebook page, while the National Trust features them on its Nostell website.  We also get emails from parents asking if we’re doing the skills course again as their child enjoyed it so much last year.

The event requires a sturdy cohort of volunteers to build and man the circuit with its well-loved features- the low barrier to duck under, the poles to weave between, the roundabout which some set off round the wrong way or miss out altogether in an attempt to improve their  timing, the magic curtains and the rattly bridge, not to mention the two stop signs where bikes are abandoned, in the first case to rush over and move a cone from one rod to the other and in the second to run over and squeeze the horn to stop the time clock.  Riders can claim a certificate showing how long it took them to get round or postpone asking for this until they are confident they can’t do it again that little bit faster. Youngsters compete against siblings, their own earlier time or some against their time recalled from the previous year, although we do point out that we can’t guarantee that the trail is identical to that put up the previous week let alone last year.

Apart from course construction, volunteers are needed to obtain riders’ details and parental consents, adjust and hand out bikes and helmets (and claim them back afterwards!), manage the queues, time the circuits, prepare and issue certificates, deal with chains that have fallen off and other minor mechanical problems and finally take it all down afterwards.  We also hand out Rides Programmes, maps and advice, as well as colouring sheets for those resting between rides.  Like swans swimming, it all looks serene but there’s a lot going on under the surface.

This year we also assisted the council with their Kidz Club at Thornes Park, setting up and manning a skills course for two sets of children and then leading groups on circuits round the park. 

Malcolm was able to assist one young chap Noah (who’d just acquired his own bike but didn’t yet have enough confidence or experience to try the skills course) find his feet-or should that be wheels.  By the end of the session, he had cheerfully covered two miles.

Apart from encouraging youngsters to cycle, we’ve also had stalls at various public events to publicise what we do and persuade people to join or support us.  In July, a small group, consisting of Sandy, Meg and Neville, attended the Pontefract Liquorice Festival in the vain hope there might be some free samples. 

Sandy did win a pina colada on the adjacent tombola stand of the housing charity MHA, which did clarify why ‘Methodist’ is no longer spelled out in their title.   We had a number of visitors to our stand and gave away ride leaflets, maps and information.  Many grandparents were interested in Holiday Wednesdays for their grandchildren and others took ride details for visiting adult children who are keen cyclists. 

Finally, we did speak to people who were interested in coming on Forum rides themselves including some lapsed or rusty cyclists.

We also attended the Havercroft and Ryhill Fun Day in the grounds of the Community Learning Centre there. This is right next to the Havercroft Sports Centre from which our monthly rides start.  We were able to publicise these, the final holiday Wednesday of the year the following week and, for more practised riders, our monthly WoW rides.  Lou Galloway (Health Improvement Officer – Cycling at WMDC) came along to help and was able to point people in the direction of other assistance for would be cyclists that WDCF is not involved in.  It was an overcast but hopefully productive day.

I did find out from the Wakefield District Housing stand that all new housing built by them now includes a bike shed capable of holding up to 3 bikes – a step in the right direction.

Having joined the Forum several years ago, my life seems to have been taken over with cycling.  I have successfully completed my ride leader training and lead an Easy Ride from Agbrigg Community Centre as well as back marking a ride from Thornes Park.  I have met many new friends and now even go on cycling holidays several times a year.  It’s been an amazing adventure so far.  The picture is of Cherry and me in the Cotswolds on a guided ride to Uffington White Horse and Dragon Hill. 

We were lucky that on the day we were there they were doing maintenance to the White Horse and visitors were allowed to help tidy up the limestone lines and do a spot of weeding.  As it was such a hot day, I left this to Cherry and our guide, Andy!  I had a little rest in the sun!!

We had lots of great rides and the weather was sublime for the entire week.

We have also been on 2 holidays to Holland, one to North Norfolk and our next holiday is to Derbyshire and the Tissington Trail.  

I can highly recommend cycling to anyone looking to enrich their lives physically, mentally and socially.  Start small with easy rides and before you know it you will be off on many adventures.

We recently completed the Rebellion Way in Norfolk.  This is a 232 miles circuit of the county along forest trails, bridleways and mainly quiet country roads with some sandy off-road sections.  The weather was kind, the previous weeks scorching temperatures had subsided, and the torrential rains had not yet arrived.  We were very lucky.

As this trip coincided with our 50^th wedding anniversary, we did the route in style, staying at proper hotels and having the luggage moved between them by taxi. The longest day was 36 miles and some were considerably less.  This left plenty of time for taking in the wonderful scenery and even some off track excursions to visit interesting churches, castles etc..  The route is not signposted and I would recommend downloading the gpx plot from the Cycling UK website.  This only let us down on a couple of occasions and with a bit of common sense – no, we definitely don’t want to cycle up the driveway of that bungalow, we soon got back on track.

The normal start is from the railway station in Norwich but we chose Kings Lynn instead as it’s nearer and left the car at the spacious Knight’s Hill Hotel.  With an afternoon to spare, we decided to cycle the RW route into Kings Lynn and back.  I’m very glad we did, as by the time we got back from cycling the full RW route, we were happy to miss that bit out and go straight to the hotel for a well-deserved rest before heading home.

The first call on the trip was at Castle Rising, with one of the best preserved Norman keeps in the country, then on to Old Hunstanton via the Sandringham estate for an overnight stay at Le Strange Arms hotel, which wasn’t strange at all.

On the way to Wells-Next-The-Sea, we took a diversion to the pretty Ringstead Downs nature reserve.  Unfortunately, we overshot the entrance by a mile.  Fortunately, the way back was down the  steep hill we had just cycled up. 

Then followed a very long straight road through the extensive grounds of Holkham Hall – very reminiscent of Castle Howard, before reaching Wells and our next hotel, The Globe.

One of our concerns when stopping overnight was securing our bike.  The travel company had been assured by all the hotels that secure storage was available.  Generally, the hotels were able to provide some space for the bike but sometimes this just meant a room that wasn’t been used.  In all events, we had no problems, even if sometimes the immovable secure object we fastened the lock to was a dining chair!

The next day we called in at Walsingham Abbey for a pleasant stroll through the grounds whilst the custodian, herself a keen cyclist, kept a close eye on our bike.  People can be very kind.  Lunch was at The Shrine of Our Lady where I had a bacon sandwich and Meg had proper vegan fare.

For our anniversary, we stayed at The Feathers in Holt.  On going to the room, we found a very large box, a cake and a bouquet of flowers.  So that’s why our kids wanted a detailed itinerary!  Wondering how we were supposed to transport any large presents, the box was opened and three large helium balloons popped out.  Although we strapped these to the bike next morning for a photo, it was so windy that morning they represented a hazard and had to be left at the Feathers.

Next stop was Sheringham, a very busy seaside town.  It was especially busy that Saturday as there was a Morris dancing festival in full swing when we arrived.  We had to push the tandem through the various groups scattered across the town, with some onlookers showing more interest in our bike than in the dancing.

After Sheringham, the trail goes uphill through the woods of Beeston Regis Heath.  This was the only place where we lost our way.  Almost immediately after turning right along Calves Well Lane, look for a narrow dirt track on the left going into the woods.  If you are lucky, you may see a cardboard sign on the grass pointing the way.  There are many criss-crossing tracks through these woods but keep going generally east and you will eventually reach Sandy Lane.

Lunch was at Felbrigg Hall after which I took the tandem for a walk around the garden while Meg explored the hall.  Then on to Blickling Hall. Unfortunately, we were unable to stop and make the acquaintance of Ann Boleyn’s ghost, who apparently appears all dressed in white carrying her dripping, severed head.

A night at The Black Boys in Aylsham, reportedly named after King Charles II, was followed by one of my highlights of the trip: cycling alongside the Bure Valley Railway and being rewarded with the sight of a steam engine going full pelt.

Now halfway round the RW, we spent a pleasant couple of nights in Norwich at the Maid’s Head. We enjoyed a full day in Norwich on foot and explored the cathedral and the fascinating castle museum.  There was slight panic in the morning when we were about to resume the trip, as the bike wasn’t where we had left it, in the ‘secure’ meeting room.  The hotel had needed the room and had managed to move the bike, with a locked back wheel, down two flights of stairs and around a 180 degree passage.  Secure indeed! 

From Norwich, we cycled the longest day of the trip at 36 miles, to reach The Bell Inn at Rickinghall.  Slightly off the main RW route but the accommodation was worth the detour. 

This section of the route crosses the infamous Wacton Common.  On our visit this was dry but covered in knee high grass, which necessitated a messy clean of chain and sprockets. 

We also chose not to wade through the ford at the River Waveney but instead took the narrow bridge a little way upstream.

On the way to Thetford, another slight diversion to see the Tympanum in the nave of St Margaret’s Church in Tivetshall St Margaret.  This was created in the reign of Elizabeth 1 in 1587 and is one of the earliest examples in England. The painted boards stretch across the church, wall to wall and from the top of the rood screen to the roof.

Crossing Middle Harling Heath caused a bit of a problem with two kissing gates.  The first was very deep and surprisingly easy to negotiate. The second, however, wasn’t deep enough to allow the gate to swing and we had to take off the panniers and front wheel to get through. None of the three kissing gates we encountered on the RW would open fully so the Radar keys we brought were no help.

Thetford is the home to Dad’s Army and the town boasts several lifelike murals on various buildings.  This area was also the powerbase of Boudicca of the Iceni and the spectacular Thetford Treasure, now in the British Museum, was found nearby.  The stopover was at The Bell Hotel, yet another old coaching inn.

From Thetford the RW passes an active military training area, Grimes Graves – closed at the time of our visit and the Desert Rats memorial with a Cromwell tank on a plinth.  Then to the village of Oxburgh with the moated manor house of Oxburgh House (NT) nearby.

At Castle Acre there is a choice of two attractions, that of Castle Acre Priory and the castle itself.  Both splendid sites but due to lack of time we opted for the priory and its audio tour.  This is a well preserved Cluniac monastic site dating from 1090 with a small but interesting museum.

Then on to Swaffham for an overnight stay at Stratton’s Boutique Manor Hotel which was slightly odd with two ceiling height wooden pillars in the bedroom, but very welcoming.

The next section to King’s Lynn proved the most challenging of the whole route, possibly not helped by the fact that this was our 10^th day of cycling – something we had not previously attempted.  Just after East Winch there are sections of deep sand, some of them uphill and, after nearly coming off a couple of times, we resorted to pushing the bike.  No photos – too tired.  By the time we reached the ruined church of St James at Bawsey, the track, although sandy, was firm underfoot and we made good progress.

Thankfully, that section was soon over and we carried on back to our original hotel for an overnight stop before heading home.

We both thoroughly enjoyed doing the Rebellion Way and will look to doing some more long distance routes in future.  It’s a fantastic route which most people seem to do in 4-5 days, but we did like the extra time to be able to branch off or linger whenever we felt like it.  We didn’t see a single A-frame  in all our time in Norfolk.

We can thoroughly recommend the company that organised this trip for us.  CycleBreaks sorted the hotels and luggage transfers and even provided a detailed daily itinerary which included points of interest.

Neville and I have recently taken our tandem on a couple of Open Country rides.  Both we and they want to improve access to the countryside for all and we support each other’s efforts to obtain the removal of barriers on Wakefield’s cycle routes.  Having published their posters seeking voluntary pilots for their tandem rides in previous newsletters, I thought it might be helpful to know a bit more about what is involved. 

Our first ride started well from their base near Thornes Park. Their tandems are Orbit, like ours, but blue not black and with no electric assist.  We set off to Pugneys and cycled from there to Newmillerdam, finishing up with a circuit of Rabbit Ings, before returning to the start along virtually the same route. Unfortunately, when we’d got about half way, the heavens opened and we were all thoroughly soaked, despite some of us having waterproof jackets and showerproof gloves.  The pilots tended to be better protected than their passengers but no-one complained. 

On this ride the passengers were largely blind or partially sighted, which meant that there was generally a constant stream of conversation with the pilot explaining the route, warning when to duck and urging the passenger to pedal hard when a steep bit necessitated this.  The route taken avoided the nasty hills at Newmillerdam and we only came across two A-frames.  The section covered by Barnsley MDC was easier in that the only obstructions were generously spaced chicanes which the tandems negotiated without difficulty.

 It was all very friendly and good humoured. Both parties on the tandem seemed to get a lot out of it and the sodden clothing at the end didn’t dampen anyone’s enthusiasm for the next ride, although it did take 3 days for my shoes to dry out! The ride was just short of 18 miles at an average speed of 9 mph with no refreshment stop.  

Our second ride was in Barnsley with Bob, after meeting up at The Ash Inn, Wombwell. It was Open Country’s inaugural ride from Barnsley and had 5 pilots, including Neville, and two stokers, including me, so one pilot stayed on his solo bike while the other two spares teamed up. It was the first ride out too for a brand new shiny red electric tandem. Our blind stoker Diana was always keenest to keep moving, urging, ‘Come on, what are we waiting for?’.

It turned into a pleasant run along the TransPennine trail to the RSPB reserve at Old Moor and then back along Manvers Way, a total of just under 11 miles. With all the tandems safely stowed, there was time for a drink and a chat in The Ash Inn’s beer garden. Open Country now have two electric assist tandems and would still like more pilots.  They run rides from Newmillerdam, Thornes and Wombwell starting at 6pm and finishing around 9pm during the summer and early autumn, finishing when the clocks change.  If you’re interested, you can find out more at www.opencountry.org.uk/wakefield-project/   or email wakefield@opencountry.org.uk  

WDCF offer rides of different distances from different venues over the Wakefield area, within the ride programme. Whilst the Easy Rides are the staple of the forum calendar, occasionally rides venture a bit further, such as the Thornes Park Steady + and The WoW Steady.

Whilst some of the rides touch on bits of the Wakefield Wheel route, there haven’t been any forum rides that have taken in the whole of the route for a few years now, despite it all being navigable. Prolonged wetter weather will probably make significant bits of this a bit dodgy but they are OK during the summer months.  

Having ridden on and around it fully recently with a small group, to review the conditions and signage etc, we now feel able to offer this as a Forum ride once again. As the wetter wintry conditions will soon be upon us, we are going to offer the ride this year from Nostell NT just the once on Friday 8^th September, starting at the early hour of 09:00, if you’d like to join us.

Depending on feedback and enthusiasm, it is currently proposed that this might be offered in 2024 as a ride for the 5^th Saturdays, when they occur, for which there have normally been no rides planned.

It’s 38 miles, starting from Nostell, and heads out anti-clockwise, off-road, across the fields to Normanton. There is a short, on-road, section to head towards Altofts and out towards the Aire & Calder Navigation. It’s flat-ish along the tow-path to Stanley Ferry and on towards Stanley. Then the steady incline starts, up the path of the old railway line. It’s not too steep but it does go on a bit, so find a gear that you can push and wind away or be prepared to walk up the last bit of it at least. After Lofthouse Gate there is a nice winding country path through the woods ending up alongside the M1 and then down a quiet lane. After Carr Gate the route drops down into the valley and inevitably has to come up the other side, into Kirkhamgate. This is roughly ½ way around and feels like the top of the world. Don’t be put off by it, but it’s only fair to warn you that the loose and rocky surface on the descent, after going under the motorway, needs to be respected. It is passable safely with the speed and care that your bike type and line choice allow. If in any doubt, walk over the worst of it. The rest of the route is nothing like as uneven as this. It’s then another gradual incline until we get to Ossett and some very welcome downhill, but it is on the road until we go through the park. A few quiet roads and we’re through to Horbury and descending to Green Lane and the path along the Calder and Hebble Navigation towards Thornes Park. We turn back along the side of the A636 towards Pugneys and thread through the little park towards Slack Lane. I won’t fib, this is going to be an effort, as it’s steep, reasonably long and is probably nearly the 30mile mark, but, as Andy often says, “That’s all the climbs pretty much done!” 😊

A quick zip down the Chevet Line and back on ourselves to Cold Hiendly and up to Pugneys, and into Nostell NT via the new tree-lined path and that’s it. There’s even a special T-shirt available, for a very reasonable £5, to mark the occasion (I’m not on any commission, but I’ll be having one 😉).

Being such a large ride and depending on the needs of the riders, there are many café options and we might need several. See you at the start.

In This Edition

Wakefield Council has commissioned a new website to bring together a plethora of information about cycling in the Wakefield District.  The site, called Cycle Wakefield, can be found at cyclewakefield.co.uk and provides valuable information and resources about all things cycling, including advice, trails, routes, tips, education, and much more.

Cycle Wakefield is collaborative title for the diverse group of cycling enthusiasts, dedicated to promoting cycling in the Wakefield area, who’ve been involved in creating and supporting the new website and what it stands for.  It is made up of a range of organisations including Wakefield Council, Wakefield District Cycle Forum, SUSTRANS, Open Country and other cycling clubs and groups.

The site was launched during National Bike Week (6 – 12 June) on the 6^th June from the garden of the Hepworth Wakefield.  An intrepid group of 14, including 3 tandems two of them from Open Country, Councillor Mohammad Ayub, who started work as the Council’s new Cycling Champion that day and whose role will be to raise awareness of and support for cycling initiatives and organisations across the Wakefield District, John Gallagher WMDC Health Improvement Specialist and Lou Galloway WMDC Health Improvement Officer.

In pre-launch publicity, Councillor Ayub said:

 “We are excited to be part of the launch of the new website and celebrate National Bike Week. The new website will be a valuable resource for cyclists in Wakefield and beyond, helping them to explore the beauty of our region and enjoy the many benefits of cycling.

We hope that the new website will encourage more people to take up cycling and explore the many wonderful routes and trails in our area.

Cycling is a fantastic way to stay active, connect with nature, and enjoy the great outdoors, and we are proud to support and promote this healthy, fun, and eco-friendly activity.”

The new website features a section on cycling safety, with tips and guidelines for riders of all ages and abilities and also includes maps highlighting popular cycling routes and trails, as well as information about local events, clubs, and organisations.

In addition, the website offers resources for those interested in cycling education and training, including information about bike maintenance, gear, and accessories.

Links on the Cycle Wakefield website could help those who are not yet ready for our Easy rides get started or those who can happily complete all our Steady rides find something cycling related to do for the rest of the week.

For more information about Cycle Wakefield and the new website, please visit cyclewakefield.co.uk.

Open Country, a charity that helps people with disabilities to access the countryside, is looking for tandem pilots. Ella Dixon, speaking for them, explained: ‘We are based in Wakefield, about a mile south of the city centre.

We tend to cycle between 12 – 20 miles, sometimes with a pub stop, around the green spaces in Wakefield. We don’t require a big commitment and just need to know a week or so before so we can find a suitable stoker (back rider). You can come as much or as little as suits you. 

We cycle every Wednesday and Thursday 6-9pm, and the season started on the 5^th April.’ 

If you would like more information or think you might like to become a tandem pilot for Open Country, please call Ella on 07426 716677 or email: wakefield@opencountry.org.uk 

WMDC has recently signed up to the ‘green libraries’ scheme.  The initiative aims to encourage more people to use a bike or walk to libraries instead of driving, thereby helping to tackle environmental concerns and reduce vehicle emissions. Reading a book uses less electricity than the tv, tablet or kindle and taking it back when you’ve read it is even simpler and more eco-friendly recycling than washing out a milk bottle.

You can find your local library at www.wakefield.gov.uk/libraries-and-local-history/ .  There’s even a list of community libraries in the Related Pages section.  

Bike repair stations have been supplied at Airedale and Stanley Libraries.  WDCF attended a publicity event at Stanley Library on the 29^th April with a bike doctor contingent from The Brig from Altofts and the police bike marking team. 

Although no-one wanted to come on an impromptu short ride with us, we were able to assist a nervous rider get round the car park successfully and hand out ride leaflets and advice.  We will be visiting Airedale library for a similar event on 24^th June so, if you’re in the area, do come along.

This spring has produced swathes of yellow cowslips, followed by drifts of azure bluebells.  A wealth of May blossoms highlights field edges as we loop round the lupins, bedazzled by bright broom.

Unfortunately, despite the very wet weather we’ve experienced recently, some are predicting that this summer will be as hot as last year when on 19 July 2022 a new record UK high of 40.3C was recorded at Coningsby in Lincolnshire. An official drought was declared in large parts of England in August, as low-water levels and tinder-dry conditions gripped the UK.  Locally, cornfields caught fire and hosepipes were banned until earlier this year.  

Burgeoning blossoms or a sudden shower can make sappy spring growth droop, so you may need to duck on paths that were easily passable a few weeks ago.  A helmet will help avoid twigs in your hair and shades can protect your eyes in more ways than one.  Young nettles sting ferociously so leggings can be useful and gloved hands are better for pulling up the ones near an ‘A’-frame or kissing gate.

When planning summer rides, bear in mind that woodlands and treelined canals or old railway lines are much cooler than open fields or town tarmac.  Make sure you’ve got plenty of water with you and, when applying sunscreen, don’t forget the tops of your ears. The ventilation slots in cycle helmets can produce some interesting tan lines if there’s nothing underneath to ward off the sun!

When collecting a group together, whether at the start of a ride, at the top of a steep hill or before crossing a busy road, consider assembling in a shady spot, rather than in full sun.  Stop periodically for water breaks and be aware that an ice-cream, a nice cup of tea or a cool pint can be very welcoming at the end of a hot ride.

This year’s decision to replace the monthly Nostell Steady rides with a circuit round the Wonders of Wakefield on our iconic ride of that name has proved popular and the use of a variety of starting venues has made it easier to introduce the ride to new participants.

The June WoW ride set off from Agbrigg Community Centre at a slightly slower pace than is usual for a steady ride. Sharon, Mags and Lisa, stalwarts of our easy rides, courageously rose to the challenge of our iconic 21 mile route, joined by one new potential member, others who’d not ridden with us for some time and the usual suspects.

After problems with gear changing, Sharon swapped her bike as we passed Nostell.  This was followed by a tyre virtually exploding as we crossed Metcalfe’s field of rape, which was ably fettled by the team. The third and final occurrence was a puncture as we were leaving the Walton to Agbrigg path to return to the community centre, so that bike went straight in the car to go home.  

Despite these mishaps, our easy riders stayed the course and a good time was had by all.

One rider who moved into the area recently from the south of England commented that she hadn’t realised there were so many lovely things to see round here.  We knew and we’re happy to share.

(A short item on a short route with a long series of photos)

 The new path was the idea of David Keighley, who negotiated the appropriate permissions with Lord St Oswald and arranged the contractors. WDCF did the preliminary site clearance and financed the work.

A small working party, Andy Beacroft, David Keighley, Neville and Meg Andrews, cleared the way for contractors, Bedford House Estates, to construct a picturesque, short, treelined cycle path to move move one of the access points from the A638 Doncaster Road at Foulby to the permissive trails across Nostell Estates, to a more convenient point with better sight lines. 

Andy’s merry band hacked back vegetation and moved the line of a fence to allow access to the path whilst preserving the boundary with the adjacent school.

The contractors, who had already proved their worth on our Agbrigg path, swiftly produced a shady direct route. 

All it needed then was signage and Sharon swiftly seized a hammer to knock in the necessary nails. That done, the path was immediately put to good use.