Way of the Roses 2017 Day 2 – Austwick to Pateley Bridge

30 May 2017 Andy

The weather forecast for Our Way of the Roses 2017 Day 2 was predicted to be poor, and sadly this would prove to be the case. It was also going to be the toughest cycling day of the tour too. This too would prove to be the case.

At least, when the day started for us things were all calm. On a Bank Holiday Monday, the community of Austwick put on a Flea Market. We decided to go for a wander and have a look around.

There were all sorts of stalls selling everything from cake to antique cake tins. As well as side activities such as a sheep pen …

And vintage cars.

Eventually, we could not put off our journey for the day any longer. And on a drizzly morning, we left the fantastic Wood View B&B and set off towards Settle.

Which of course was over the other side of a hill.

The climb out of Settle is notoriously steep. And so it proved for us. It wasn’t helped by the fact that today there was also now a ferocious headwind to add to the rain. Only Andy Shaw successfully cycled up it without any walking.

Continuing, we headed for Airton.

At Airton we took a slight diversion for lunch at the Town End Farm Shop and Tea Room. It was a welcome rest.

Back on the road, the climbing continued up a continuous stream of energy sapping sharp climbs.

We cycled through Burnsall.

There was another particularly tough climb around a switchback just after Appletreewick.

The final big climb was up to Stump Cross Caverns just before Nidderdale AONB. By now we were all extremely tired, so even though we only had a few miles to go, we just had to have a coffee break … and a sugar rush of cake.

The drop into Pateley Bridge is normally fast (so you keep up with cars), sharp and hair-raising. Unfortunately, the mist meant it was dangerous and the use of the brakes all the way down were necessary.