Anyone been in the Dales yet?

If so, what is the state of the roads? We've got terrible pot holes around here, and our main drag through the town is more like a gravel track as the top surface has been completely removed.

Anyone been over Buttertubs towards Masham? Alternatively anyone done the Helmsley route recently to comment on the state of it?

I can't give any first hand advice but my mate had a run up to Hawes and he said the roads were cr@p with lots of gravel in the middle of the road, round bends etc.

Think my Dad had a run down from Richmond a couple of weeks ago and he the roads were rubbish.

Snowed again here (Harrogate) today so probably worse if you're thinking about getting out today? Not sure how far north the snow went!

Sorry I can't give you anymore info!

lots of gravel up around ambleside a few weeks ago. some of the pot holes were rediculous!!!! i would loose the front wheel in some of them. bit of a shame really as its going to take a good few years to get it fixed i would magine

Went out this afternoon, from mine to Northallerton & onto Thirsk, towards York then down to Squires before a quick stop at in-laws in Castleford, then back home via A1. In parts, some of the roads were particularly bad. Those that suffer the most seem to be those which they throw the chippings down and wait for cars to pass over it. Just completely ruined. Some other roads were particularly good (York Ring Road still smooth).

Despite the poor roads and cold temps its the first proper ride of 2010 for me and a thoroughly enjoyable one. If it hadn't been for the snow covered tops of the NYM and Dales, I might have been a bit more adventurous. Hoping the temperatures start to lift a little towards the end of next week as I'm sick of them hovering around 0 all of the time. I think it did nudge 7c at one point today but most time was around 4-5c

[Richie]

me too. as I've got Friday off.

On Weds I went York-Thirsk-Helmsley-Malton-Squires-York.
Scratchy in parts - but no big holes.
Cold though. Fingers were suffering on the A64 past York. Getting the blood up and chasing down a Subaru didn't help.

Did you see the snow at the top of Sutton Bank? Have a photo on Facebook which won't link to here for whatever reason...

[punyXpress]

Not the Dales, but Bilsdale:
Tarmac surprisingly OK with just the usual suspect bumps & sunken drains. Surface is 3-ply each lane though - salt, sand, grit & **it in the middle!
'ware the ford at Hob Hole N of Westerdale on the N.Y.Moors - sheet ice where traffic heading S has carried water which has frozen. Probably lots like that.

[Paul the 6th]

Young man's pic:


Mine taken around 50 yards down the road last month..


alot of the country roads seem to be patchy in places but not as bad as some of the craters on arterial routes tbh.. we were doing in the elan valley in south wales at the weekend and the roads were basically mint considering the snow they had over winter.

Last Friday I went York-Ripon-Leyburn-Hawes-Leyburn-York.
It was cold with a low sun in yours eyes heading West. This reflected off the salt and grit strips tracked onto on the road, perhaps making it look worse than it was. Maybe it was my imagination, but there were a few squirmy moments - as there were with farmers muck on the roads.

Not too many potholes, conditions were better than some of the roads in York.

[yorkie_chris]

Just did Leeds>Ripon>Leyburn>Hawes>Ribblehead>Settle

Roads ok, not too many potholes but quite a lot of gravel in places. Loads of dust though and it felt slippy as hell. Had a bit of a moment playing silly buggers coming out of Leyburn.

Fine so long as you remember it's not quite summer yet though. If it p*sses it down to wash all the muck off it will be fine and time to play