A fountain of Beauty with The Young Weavers

A fountain of beauty - I couldn't think of a more apt title for this ride. I know I often bang on about how pretty the rides I take you on promise to be but this really is straight out of my top drawer of rides. The drive over to the start for most of us is a long one I know but if there's one ride in the calendar that's worth a drive, this is it. So where does it go and why so special. Today we start at Pateley Bridge, home of England's oldest sweet shop, a market town that just oozes beauty from every corner, a perfect start to our ride. Pateley Bridge is nestled in Nidderdale, an AONB and one of my very favourite areas. As we leave Pateley, we're eventually heading to Fountains Abbey but not before passing through some stunning scenery and at the top of our ride passing by Brimham Rocks, a balancing rocks formation including Idol Rock is well worth a visit you're also rewarded with some spectacular views out over the North Yorkshire Moors. Heading over towards Ripon but not quite reaching this beautiful Cathedral city. Instead, once reaching Fountains Abbey we head down through Studley Park. I've ridden down this route twice and both times we've seen red deer roaming just off the track, stunningly beautiful is this whole area, bring your camera. Once we leave the park, we're heading back now to Pateley but first passing through idyllic little villages of Littlethorpe, Bishop Monkton & Bishop Thornton.... Can rides get any better?? Course they can but this will do nicely for today thanks. the first half of today's ride is ridden on the Way of the Roses, a route we've been lucky enough to ride twice. I'm going to leave the drooling over lanes, villages and scenery to you for the next few weeks. Come and join us, you'll not regret it. Led today by Vic & Kev, a pair of loony cyclists but a wealth of cycling knowledge to boot. Come and join us, We're sure you'll enjoy the ride. P.S. not sure of coffee stop yet but I'll update before the ride