Meadowhall (Sheffield) to Fountains Abbey (Ripon)
I cycled from Meadowhall Interchange (train station) to Fountains Abbey parkrun in North Yorkshire with my Dad in February 2023.
The main bulk of the ride was done over two days. On Day 1 we cycled from Meadowhall to Aberford, near Leeds, where we stayed in a lovely B&B cottage. On Day 2 we cycled from Aberford to a pub called The Chequers Inn just outside the village of Bishop Thornton. On the morning of the parkrun, it was a final 5-mile push from The Chequers Inn to Fountains Abbey visitor centre. The route was a mix of road and traffic-free sections. It mainly followed NCN route 67, and many parts were classified as the Trans Pennine Trail. It felt like only around 30% was on roads.
Find out more about our adventure in my blog post.
DAY 1
Start point: Meadowhall Interchange car park, S9 1EP
End point: Aberford (Pumpkin Cottage)
Distance: 41 miles
The route leaves the Interchange car park along a traffic free trail (NCN route 67). Soon it leaves the trail and joins the road where it heads uphill to Thorpe Hesley. After Thorpe Helsey it goes off-road again, following a trail past the back of the Wentworth estate before dropping down into Elsecar.
It follows the Elsecar Greenway section of the Trans Pennine Trail and then bypasses Barnsley on the Trans Pennine Trail. There’s a slightly tricky bit just to the west of Cudworth, where the route goes right off the road just after crossing a railway bridge. It’s hard to spot and we ended up turning right at the small roundabout and dropping back onto the route there.
It goes through the edge of the village of Royston and past Cold Hiendley Reservoir. It passes through the pretty Walton Colliery Nature Park and then goes round the very edge of Wakefield. The route took us on a cycleway on a new road here, but I think you can drop down along the River Calder instead which would probably be prettier. It meets the Aire and Calder navigation eventually and there’s a short section on the tow path.
The route goes through Stanley and Bottom Boat (what a great name!) and then joins another lovely flat straight traffic-free trail.
It passes through RSPB St. Aiden’s and then joins the road to go through Garforth and up to Aberford.
DAY 2
Start point: Aberford
End point: The Chequers Inn, HG3 3JN
Distance: 24.3 miles
The first part of the route goes alongside the A1 (more pleasant than it sounds) on a dedicated cycleway.
It goes through the centre of Wetherby and then picks up the traffic-free Harland Way to Spofforth.
It goes through Follifoot and round the edge of Harrogate, and then joins the Nidderdale Greenway which it follows to Ripley. From Ripley it’s a short ride on roads up to the pub which is just outside the village of Bishop Thornton.
DAY 3
Start point:The Chequers Inn, HG3 3JN
End point: Fountains Abbey Visitor Centre, HG4 3DY
Distance: 4.3 miles
The route is all on roads. It leaves the pub and turns left up Hebden Bank. Soon after, it turns right, following a Way of the Roses sign. From there it’s a hilly few miles to the Abbey.