N Yorkshire Abbeys and Castles Loop

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

This is a lovely run.

There are plenty of single track roads, roadside rivers, views, forestry and open moorland areas.

Kirkham Abbey has a great shop and it has a take away coffee machine and they are big cups and cheap too. Plenty of parking and also toilets.

Byland Abbey has a great tea shop opposite. Very clean and great food that is well priced plus a small amount of parking.

Helmsley is great if you like motorbikes and cars as there is usually an assortment in the village square.

You have to pay for parking but there are loads of little cafes and bakers.

Grosmont is where the steam trains are and its worth a stop. Again you have to pay for parking but its really worth the couple of pounds. You can go round the engine sheds and watch them repairing the trains. There is also a tunnel that the trains go through when they turn round and its interesting to watch this operation.

The full run can take half a day or easily a full day if you want to stop off as there are loads of great places on the route.