Hambleton Hills Organiser’s Comments
Thanks to Andy Parsons for planning an excellent course, Jens for another excellent map and the helpers as ever for making the event run smoothly – especially the control collectors – Andy & Corinne Parsons, Sam & Paul Leight and Graham Townsend.
It was great to use a different event centre and Andy had included a couple of new bridleways which we have never used before!! Congratulations to the category winners – Andy Conn 434 (M40) just 13 points ahead of Andrew Windrum, John Rawden 363 (M50), Adrian & Nathan Parker (Gen) 355 and 5th overall, Rik Thompson 346 (M21), David Williamson 305 (M60), Andrea & Steve Foster (X50) 301, Charlotte Somers-Cocks 300 (W50)
I enjoyed my ride and decided to climb onto the Hambleton Hills through Boltby Forest with the wind at my back before riding the bridleway down into Arden Hall for the first time ever. The view down into Thorodale as I fell over my bike was spectacular. It was then back up the byway and into the wind across Dale Town Common before dropping down to the woods to follow the new bridleway below the Cleveland Way and the interesting descent down to Southwoods Lodge. I was able to stay out longer that usual because Ralph Defty made such a good job of updating the entries onto the computer and John Dixon ran the download so efficiently. Afternoon tea in the marquee at Thirlby finished off the afternoon perfectly.
I was disappointed that there were only 80 riders (after 120 at Cropton) so if you were one of the 40 who didn’t make it please let me know why? Was it too long since the last event, did 5 hours at Ingleton put you off, do you prefer all forest events?
There were a few incidents which I would like to pass on.
Unfortunately, a few riders fell crossing a cattle grid near #51. Mike McGeogh was the worst injured so thanks to Nicola Kipling for helping him. We can’t mark every hazard and wet cattle grids, railway and tram lines all need crossing at right-angles.
A few riders went off the map and used the road to get to #50. This is not allowed but, although it may not have been quicker, we should perhaps have marked the road as out of bounds.
The bridleway junction on the way to #56 was indistinct but exactly opposite a very distinct wall junction and public footpath, Not all junctions have fingerposts and it was only 500m north of the crossroads. Some riders then missed the gate as the grassy track went to the south of it. It was marked on the map and easily visible with a blue arrow so please go back in future rather than climbing the wall/fence when you realise you have made a mistake.
When I arrive at #47 I wasn’t sure where the control was until I read the description which explained the position of the control very clearly – 25m S. Tree W side
Full results have already been posted on the web pages along with the competition map if you couldn’t make it to the event and want to follow anyone’s route.
The next NYMBO is at Swaledale South on Saturday 27th July. Parking is in the field at Grinton and you are welcome to stay overnight free of charge on Friday and/or Saturday. Registration is at the Dales Biking Centre with café, shop and bike wash. Please let me know if you would like to give me a hand putting out the controls on Friday afternoon.
There isn’t a NEMBOS event in July (although NATO are organising a 2 hour event from Capheaton on Sunday 14th July) so hope to see as many again at Hamsterley on Sunday 11th August where parking is at the Grove – 2 miles west of the visitor centre.
Hope to see you at one of these events or at the social ride at the Smiths Arms, Beckwithshaw on Thursday 27th June. Please let me know if you want to book a map
Steve
PS Tim Evans is planning the Sprint event at Penistone Moor on July 17th. The flier is on the NYMBO page and you can enter online on the BMBO pages.
PPS Don’t forget that ABBA Gold will be performing at Thirlby Sports Field on August 31st. A good excuse to go back to a very friendly village.
Planner’s Comments
I enjoyed getting out on my bike to check the tracks. I needed an incentive to get out when our spring weather was so poor. Although there was some rain and even hail during the event, the warm weather was a real contrast to my first planning trip in April when there was snow on the ground and the mud started freezing to my bike. Despite the drifts against some the walls along the tops I enjoyed my ride around some of the bridleways on the north east of the map that I had not visited on previous events, including down Thorodale to Arden Hall, and the two west to east routes to the south down Sunny Bank and Gowerdale Bank. I thought the route along Gowerdale Bank and down Noddle End was the best of the three and so placed controls, 36, 55 & 38 to make a nice through route (if going down) – sorry to those of you that chose to tackle 55 in the uphill direction!
When we were hanging controls on the Friday evening there were a lot of cows and young calves around the stream at control 46 and they got quite excited when we went through. Cows can get quite aggressive when they get separated from new calves and as the steep bridleway to the south was very muddy and not rideable in either direction we decided to move 46 at the last minute for both rider safety and enjoyment.
At the finish lots of riders told me how they had enjoyed their rides, which makes the effort involved in planning and hanging the controls worthwhile.
Many thanks to Claude and the baking ladies of Thirlby for the excellent refreshments in the marquee at the finish.
Andy Parsons
nymbo : north yorkshire mountain bike orienteers 