The Hole of Horcum

June 14, 2003, North Yorkshire

At last, our prayers were answered. The seven virgins we sacrificed, the goats we burned, the numerous prayers to Pagan Gods, pentagons drawn and demons summoned: it all finally came together: Team FanyLion rode AND IT DID NOT RAIN. In fact the weather was the best it had been all year and it was a good job. As it turned out we would be needing all the daylight one single day could offer. Read on…

After meeting up near York the Team arrived at the Hole of Horcum, a huge natural bowl north of Pickering in the heart of the North York Moors. Our intended ride was the North Yorkshire Killer Loop featured in MBR, but as I knew the area I thought it would be a great idea to extend the 35mile ride by a couple of miles to give us the pleasure of being able to ride off the lip and into the Hole of Horcum, which is exactly what we did.

After posing for the obligatory pre-ride photo we set off. The first drop into the Hole was narrow, steep and a little sketchy in places. Mastiles managed to fall off and land on his head (maybe knocked some sense into him) and we all regrouped at the bottom feeling good, especially as the weather was amazing. With the sun on our backs and singletrack animal trails beneath our tyres we tracked across the meadows, heading to the Killer Loop proper.

The footpath we were following soon petered out and we were left floundering, unclear of which trail we should take. We took a very steep ravine up out of the valley, all riders pushing and sweating in the summer heat, until we eventually emerged at the main road, a good couple of miles off course. A short road section and we were soon back on track and heading for Levisham village.

The road suddenly dropped steeply, a 1:5 descent, and Shack and I tore off at the front of the peleton, feet spinning as fast as we could. As we granny-ringed it up the other side, Shack checked his computer for the max speed we had hit: amazing: 51mph! As I am currently computerless the FanyLion road speed record is therefore held by Shack.

Sam was unable to resist temptation as we passed a picturesque pub and slipped inside for a quick half as we waited for the sweating, grunting, moaning mess that was Sheldon to catch up. Now on the Killer Loop proper we followed the map towards open moorland and took the fast descent to Skelton Tower where we stopped for a breather and to admire the view across the valley to the railway below.

Another fast tarmac downhill to Levisham station followed by a fast fireroad section saw us clocking up some good mileage, with new rider Graham keeping pace nicely. All riders looked hot, sweaty and happy as we continued the ride in the summer sunshine and we rode doubletrack tree-lined bridlepaths and occasional tarmac sections, leading towards Cropton Forest and ultimately Rosedale Moor beyond.

More fire road and a muck & mire section in the forest and we entered a singletrack section between the forest and fields, which was pretty cool riding. After missing a turn, I decided that rather than admit we had gone wrong again and risk the wrath of the other riders we would continue ahead through the forest and to the moor top, then hang a left and return to the correct route, adding maybe 4 miles to the ride. No-one suspected a thing.

Sheldon was moaning and grumbling constantly by now and declared he had run out of water too. This was a big worry for me as the sun was intense and we had about 20miles on the clock, just over half way and we had a good couple of hours riding left. Help was at hand however as we descended en-masse onto an unsuspecting (and very kind) chap who let us all troop into his kitchen and refill our Camelbaks.

A tough road climb followed by another very fast road descent lead us into the village of Rosedale Abbey, where the village shop had never had it so good as Sam bought enough fondant fancies, iced fingers and butterfly cakes for a schoolgirls tea party.

Our bellies full we cracked on and took the hard granny ring climb to Rosedale Moor top then ripped it up on the fast rocky descent back towards Levisham. A puncture from Starkey and we were back doing tarmac work, then revisiting the tree lined bridleways before heading into the woods above Levisham.

We followed a fast bridleway down into the woods but as Shack took the lead the trail suddenly became an ankle deep swamp of mud and filth, churned up by the regular passage of herds of cows. Shack did a graceful, slow motion dive over the handlebars and into the muck, unfortunately bending his derailleur and hanger in the process. Somehow during all this fun we managed to loose Dan, Graham and Sheldon, and after waiting 45mions for them to emerge from the woods we headed on, hoping they would find their way back to the cars themselves.

Mastiles didn’t wait and headed off to take the road route back as he had an evening engagement for which he was now long overdue, due to the length of the ride. He was not a happy chappy, fearing the wrath of his better half when he returned home.

By now myself, Sambo, 10-ton Kona and Shack were left, and we had the choice of taking the easy road option back to the car, or carrying on off-road and completing the full ride (despite the sun starting to set, and being absolutely knackered). Never in any doubt, all remaining riders agreed to crack on and complete the full loop, which we did in a surreal sunset, turning the heather blood red and making the sheep look like they were floating.

As we neared the end of the ride and climbed up a slight hill around the edge of the Hole of Horcum I noticed Sambo was climbing in his big ring. When I quizzed him what the hell he was doing he said he was suffering chain suck and had only been able to use his big ring for about the last 15miles, and hadn’t even mentioned it or complained once. Hardcore or what? Truly awesome.

We returned to the car park to find Dan, Sheldon and Graham had just arrived also after getting lost in the woods and taking the road route back. Shack checked his computer and declared our total days mileage: 45miles! Obviously the additional miles to start in the Hole and the additional section onto the moor top added on more than I thought: another 10miles! Respect to us all!

It was now 8.30pm, we had been riding since noon, 8.5hrs, a full day in the office! We didn’t have time to have the night out we had hoped for in Scarborough and decided to return to ‘Sam’s half’ pub to try and get steak & chips. The grumpiest landlord in the World finally served us cod & chips, a good steak substitute, and after a couple of beers and saying Goodbye to Graham (heading off home, probably wishing he had never come with us) we headed off to Scarborough for another couple of beers in the Hotel bar, then to bed.

On Sunday morning we were greeted by good weather once again and after Dan left for home Teams Sambo, Starkey, Shack, 10-ton Kona and I headed for Dalby Forest.

At Dalby I wanted to show the others the route of the SIMBA race series I won last year, so we rode that first. It felt strange riding the route at normal speed and I had to keep checking my speed as the ‘Red Mist’ occasionally descended and I was back in full race mode, burning off at full speed.

The trails in Dalby Forest are superb, with numerous tight singletrack descents and evil little rocky climbs that will test even the best climbers out there.

After completing the 7 mile circuit Sheldon, Shack and Alister departed. Sambo and I then rode the way-marked Black Route (7 miles, virtually the same as the race route, except for one brand new super-technical descent we found) and then the 7 mile red route, then called it a day as we were both starting to show some good sunburn on our arms from the blazing hot sunshine.

It had been another great weekends’ biking, in amazing weather, through amazing scenery. We had covered a huge distance on the Saturday and had also gained a potential new Team member. Our mascot Fany the Lion had thoroughly enjoyed himself also and is looking forward to the next ride.

Despite several riders (who shall remain nameless) moaning and complaining at the length of Saturday’s ride, all riders were very pleased with themselves at the mileage covered, and rightly so. Respect.

Next ride confirmed as Lake District, High Street. 26miles, but rumoured to be the toughest loop in the Lake District. This will make the 45mile epic in the Moors seem like a stroll in the park! Team, be warned!

Team Hodgson, out.

Fanylion Mountain Bike Team

Official site of the Fanylion Mountain Bike Team. Includes mountain bike ride guides, gear reviews, bike maintenance, team reports and rider profiles of the Fanylion Racing Team.

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June 14, 2003, North Yorkshire

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