England's highest inn at 1,732ft. Photo: Stuart Mumby. Bingley Five Rise Locks visited on the Monday Tour. MGAs crossing Birkdale Beck, near Keld.
Photo: Stuart Mumby. Photo: Stuart Mumby.
limp home. The car’s engine bay is a picture, Wensleydale being typical. The area is noted we had no lunch with us and the motoring
a sight for sore eyes you might say (it causes for its crags, waterfalls and is a potholing was lovely. After various villages we got to
them if you don’t wear ‘shades’) as it is all centre. To compensate for the limited views ‘the Lakes’ – well a string of reservoirs on
gleaming chrome and stainless steel – even the potholes and waterfalls were shifted onto the River Washburn – Thruscross, Fewston,
the heater air duct. The shattering brightness the roads – oh, what a bone-shaking and Swinsty and Lindley Wood. All very pretty in
wasn’t the main cause of my confusion as I’d splashing we enjoyed! The motoring was wooded valleys and the roads crossed/re-
gone to see why a 10-minute job changing great and so is the country when one can see crossed the water, but nowhere to stop to
an MGA dynamo was taking umpteen it. Streaming windows on an MGA are not admire it unfortunately. We got to Otley
experts hours. That was due to the layout vista friendly. We returned (without much (missed Ilkley “bah tat”) and quite a number
caused by the cross-flow head, putting the delay) to Ripon via Keld, Thwaite, Buttertubs stopped to view Bingley Five Rise Locks
carbs on the ‘wrong’ side so obscuring the Pass, Hawes, Oughtershaw (crossed the which are an impressive piece of eighteenth-
dynamo. It caused me to wonder if Pennine Way at 1,877ft), Hubberholme, century engineering. East Riddlesden Hall
this obstructs air-flow over the dynamo Kilnsey Crag (a great towering greasy beast – was a meeting place but many seemed to
and cooks it? of horrid memory), Conistone, Grassington, have had a ‘drive through penalty’ (crossed
The event ‘proper’ started on Saturday Pateley Bridge, Brimham Rocks (horrid legs!). We managed to find a place to park
evening when virtually all the attendees had memories of de-skinned hands), to a nice and so did Pat & Geoff Jebb but it wasn’t
dinner. The Hotel’s dining room sounded (it warm, dry hotel. It’s lovely when you stop! I easy. The Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam
was) pretty full – the MGA Register on ‘full eventually realised what had been missing – Railway was another feature of the route but
chat’ – a nice old motoring expression – the we’d had the single track roads a-plenty, but again parking was difficult. It was understood
noise is useful as a navigational aid in an no grass growing in the centre. There was a that all managed to find Rylstone (Calendar
unfamiliar hotel. With ears and a watch you muddy strip where the grass had been Girls) so no navigational boobs there!
can locate either the bar or dining room! washed away! Linton-in-Craven was recommended but it
After breakfast on Sunday there were a Dinner on Sunday was a group meal looked full and the acres of cars parked at
few new arrivals. Most were trying to decide (tables of 8), again on ‘full chat’. It quietened Bolton Abbey at £5.50 each looked like a
‘hood up or down’ (Irene & Stuart don’t for a short speech from George Dutton fortune for someone. So back to Ripon via
bother – I’m not sure if his car has one!) as (thanks to Stuart & Irene and some Ripley Castle with its associations with
it was cloudy and threatening rain. Shortly announcements) and a turn by John & Pam gunpowder plots and Oliver Cromwell:
after we started so did the rain, gently at first Boult who sang their composition, a first another hundred very enjoyable miles –
and much heavier by early afternoon. performance. This was where I became with 50 more still to do before home.
The route was north and a fair bit west of rather over-refreshed and agreed to do this Many came back to the hotel for
base, reaching Tan Hill and the famous inn – report. afternoon tea and more chat. We sat in the
Britain’s highest at 1,732 feet above sea level Monday’s start was cloudy and looked late afternoon sunshine at the rear of the
so Stuart’s notes said – it could have been ‘iffy’ but the cloud soon broke up (not Hotel overlooking its extensive gardens and
below, it was very wet! Should one be lucky ‘burst’, that was yesterday) and we had a croquet laws – ‘al fresco’. The groups at
and visit the area when the scenery is visible pleasant warm sunny day. No doubts where tables forming and re-forming as folks
it is magnificent. To get there we drove about the hoods were to go – and stay! returned from the tour. Many were staying
50 miles through some of Yorkshire’s The route took us south and a bit west for another night, but then we were 50
wonderful villages – Kirkby Malzeard, of base into the northern rim of Yorkshire’s miles away so couldn’t quite hear them!
Grewelthorpe, past Jervaulx Abbey, Castle industrial area (as was) and the posh places If you and your MGA have yet to sample
Bolton (tea room, etc) where shortly, after where ‘t’ mill owners had their houses and the wonderful camaraderie of this event, then
the rain intensified and some wimps (us on a day to appreciate why they did. So on make a note for May Bank Holiday 2009 when
included) put up our car hoods (others a Bank Holiday Monday we went to Leeds, the Ripon Spa Hotel will once again be the base
maybe tightened the ‘cags’). Reeth and or rather where its population go on sunny for a weekend of touring in the Yorkshire Dales.
Langthwaite preceded Tan Hill and from Bank Holidays. They’d got to all the parking Contact Stuart Mumby at
mga@live.co.uk to
there it was downhill all the way – only not places first (local knowledge) in Nidderdale, get on the mailing list for Newsletters.
quite. Many valleys were crossed by steep Wharfedale, Airedale plus every pub, flat bit
drops in and climbs out, Swaledale and and gateway between! Aah! What the hell, Brooke Midgeley
www.mgcc.co.uk NOVEMBER 2008 Safety Fast! 39
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