Just two riders, Luke and Martin P , set off on what began as a cold and rainy evening ride.  A brisk pace  kept the cold at bay as we headed down to Knaresborough and along Waterside and the swollen river Nidd.  After crossing the Ring Road we reversed last Tuesday’s ride through Little Ribston, North Deighton and Kirk Deighton to Wetherby.

The route back included a ‘long cut’, as Luke described it, through the village of Linton before rejoining the road to Sicklinghall and Kirkby Overblow. Just before we reached the village a strange thing happened – a badger ran out into the road and ran alongside our front wheels right next to us for about 50m before disappearing into the dark hedgerow. We arrived back in Harrogate through Burn Bridge and the rise by Ashville School where, believe it or not, Luke spotted a white mouse run across the road in front of us!

This Cappuccino-meets-naturewatch ride covered 26.5 miles.  Rain stopped early and the weather was fine for the majority of an enjoyable ride out.