Beverley to Pocklington

May 2, 2024

fewer km than expected

Premier Inn's £102 room rate doesn't get you any breakfast, so I make my way past the minster to Beverley's train station and sit in a small cafe there after buying a one-way ticket for the 10:14 departure that will zip me north to Hutton Cranswick. It's just a nine-minute journey, but it'll eliminate a section of what could be busy A-road, and my senior discount card gets me a decent 30% chunk off the fare.

The woman behind the counter in the cafe is chatting with a regular customer and then it's my turn once he's gone. Somehow the conversation drifts to Japan, where she hasn't been - she tells me she's a fan of the country. Her admiration comes from its general aethetic, as she does flower arranging and admires the country's minimalist style. I tell her that I've found Japan to be relatively sterile in comparison to Taiwan, and the rest of that part of the world. She doesn't know anything about Taiwan.

Last night my sleep was fitful and I didn't wake up till gone nine and still feel dopey. The coffee eases that a bit, but not enough. Getting on my bike will hopefully do the trick.

On the way to the train station in Beverley

Knobblies on the 10:14 north to Hutton Cranswick

There's a shop in Hutton Cranswick, close to to The White Horse Inn, which has rooms, making me wonder about last night. If I'd had my wits about me, I could have come here. It'd certainly have been more authentic, and likely cheaper than the Premier Inn.

I pop into the village shop and buy some grapes and a bottle of water, then head east on what's marked as Yorkshire Wolds / Cycle Route 1, but is called Burnbutts Lane. After a few kilometers the markers turn me north and I ride towards a village named Kirkburn, enjoying a decent backwind and warm sunshine. It's all very quiet.

Freshly painted bench in the middle of nowhere

Hay bales have been stacked up in tall, narrow piles in one harvested field. This is a new one. They look photogenic, so I park my bike and walk across the spikey stubble and take a snap and as I do so about 20 cyclists cruise down the lane, giving me a wave.

I found an old photo of Kirkburn online and it's stored on my tablet. It's actually a postcard and looks Victorian, showing a woman in a straw hat stood beside what was then the unpaved road. She probably lived in one of the adjacent cottages, but it's hard to know who would have wanted a postcard of one-street Kirkburn. Maybe its selling point was the rural quaintness that the photographer captured.

I have a go of replicating it, but the grass verge and footpath have changed slightly and viewing the old image on my tablet in bright sunshine isn't easy. After three attempts, my tripod gets put back in its bag and I make my way to the nearby church.

Riding north to Kirkburn along Burnbutts Lane - on National Cycle Route 1

Decoration on the Norman tub font in Kirkburn's church

This shows Christ’s ascension, with an angel on either side

It's said that it took two years to paint this screen to the chancel - the design is by G E Street

The clock on the tower of St Mary's Church tells me it's just gone noon and the original Norman door isn't locked, which is a relief. From doing research, I know there's a spendid carved font inside and I soon take a snap of that, with its basic carvings done by someone who wanted local churchgoers to understand the story of the Easter Vigil. It's survived the best part of a 1,000 years and has no doubt witnessed countless christenings.

The church's reredos (alter decoration) was the work of renowned George Edmund Street, the man behind the Victorian Gothic Revival - William Morris was one of his apprentices. However, it's the decoration to the wooden chancel screen that grabs my attention. The design is also the work of Street and dates to 1872, when the church underwent serious renovation. I've read that it took two men a couple of years to complete the intricate decoration and you can believe it, being an exemplar of the Gothic Revival.

The village of Tibthorpe is just a few minutes' cycling away. I've also an old photo showing a few homes along its Main Street. After replcating that image as best I can, it's out into open countryside with just lots of sky to keep me company.

The village of Huggate boasts Rachel's Walnut Cottage Tea Room, but when I ride past the pub to reach it, Rachel has hung a sign outside saying she's closed, so I double back, park my bike outside the white-painted Wolds Inn and find a table and peruse the pub grub menu.

It's 1:30 and I'm more than ready for a bite to eat. My legs are still not working very well and so far today I've only covered 17km. It feels more. I have some soup and a pot of tea and chill out for a while. It's hot out there.

The OS map shows the contours closing in not far from here and it's clear there'll be some climbing to do. Riding to York today is going to be a test.

The flat part has worn me out and I think about inflating my tyres more and also wonder about the seat height... maybe it's a bit too low. Something's not right. I feel knackered.

Pub grub and a pot of tea in Huggate's Wolds Inn

The route to Pocklington via Huggate - the tight contours say it's getting hilly

The climbs are doable, but it's sweaty work. I reach a high point and get to a fork then start dropping to Millington and soon come to a halt at the B1246. From here it's just a short ride into Pocklington and there's a path to cycle along, which makes it much safer.

A Cycle Route 1 sign points me left and it's a junction that I've an old postcard of, so I quickly replicate that before heading into the centre of town.

It's four o'clock already. Cycling to York is a big ask. This is basically the half way point. I bite the bullet after reaching the road taking me north out of Pocklington, opting to head back and find a room for the night.

The Feathers has onefor £60. The receptionist says it's in a chalet out back. It's not what you'd call Swiss, but it'll do. I text my son to tell him I'll be in York tomorrow, and also let my daughter know the score. They both know Pocklington after living in the area.

I rest on the bed after taking a shower. It's hard to believe the day's ride has only been 30km long. Later I stroll across to the Coop store and buy a few kinds of fruit and get that down my neck for dinner, along with a bottle of fruit juice.

Around 8 o'clock my daughter lets me know her mother - my first wife - would like to meet up. She works nearby. This comes out the blue, but I agree and she arrives at 9:40. It's good to chat and I have a pint. Hopefully that'll help me sleep better. It's been a bit surreal today.

Today's ride: 32 km (20 miles)
Total: 150 km (93 miles)

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