Cycling Lincoln to Scalby, UK: Rolling Wolds and Real, Live Puffins
21 -24 May 2019
We’ve definitely left the flatlands behind. The cycling route from Lincoln to Scalby winds its way north through hilly country, known in England as The Wolds. In contrast to the rugged, steep, granite moorlands that we rode through in the southwest, these hills are lower with generally more gentle slopes. That’s because the core of the hills is softer chalk and limestone, that was weathered into wide valleys by glaciers during the last ice age. We followed the line of the wolds from south to north along England’s eastern edge.
In Bridlington we finally got our first glimpse of the North Sea, which has been not far off to our east for roughly the last 300 km. There’s something stirring about the North Sea, with its legends of Vikings and seafaring adventure. It felt like another milestone to reach the rocky northeastern coast, where huge colonies of seabirds have come ashore to breed. They’re taking a break from wandering the northern oceans just long enough to lay eggs and raise their young, before heading back out to a life at sea.
Lincoln to Barnetby le Wold (21 May 2019, 71.9 km, 44.7 mi)
As a reminder that we had left the marshes behind, we had to ride up a very steep hill on our way out of Lincoln. Our hotel was just a block from the River Witham, pretty close to sea level. From there we basically had to bike up and over the cathedral ridge. In the space of three city blocks, we slowly pedaled up more than 50 m (165 ft). There was a surprising amount of traffic on the streets of Lincoln, so we stuck to the sidewalks until we were clear of the city.
It wasn’t too long before we were back in the countryside. Although the terrain has changed from the low-lying marshes, this is still an area dominated by agriculture. For most of the day, we biked through fields of wheat, barley and hay. But little by little we’re seeing more trees, again, and the trail passed through several woodlands. We cruised along, enjoying the perfect weather.
A great day to be on a bike. Stainton by Langworth, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
Up here in the hills, we’re seeing more woodlands. Wickenby, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
In the town of Walesby, we came across an old phone booth that has found a new life as a book-sharing library.
This was among several creative uses we’ve seen for an old telephone booth. Walesby, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
Over the next 30 km, the trail undulated up and down through the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. As with other land designations in England, the property here is mostly private, and it’s either farmed or used as pasture for sheep. Tall, thick hedges are the preferred method for enclosing the fields. As a result, we cycled for many kilometers on roads that were lined with hedges so high that that they blocked any view of the surrounding landscape - keeping us from appreciating the area’s outstanding natural beauty.
On the bright side, the hedges in this region are mostly made from a shrub called abbotswood, that is covered in delicate, white blossoms. So the hedges themselves were actually quite pretty, and created a pleasant corridor to bike through.
Unfortunately, we had some mechanical trouble out on the road. PedalingGuy had been having problems with his chain slipping, and today it came off the inside front chain ring while he was going up a hill. He was able to get it back onto the chain ring, but then the chain broke after biking just a short distance. We stopped and replaced a broken link with a new master link, and that seemed to fix it. The repair also seemed to improve the problem he had been having with his chain slipping.
Just after we finished the repairs, we crossed paths with another cyclist going the other way. He was not loaded up with panniers, but he was riding a Thorn touring bike with Jones Loop handlebars - key indicators that he’s probably done some bike touring. Talking with him, he obviously loved long-distance bicycle journeys. He said he periodically takes a week to bike up to Scotland, but he hasn’t done a longer tour because his wife isn’t into it. He and PedalingGuy talked for a while about equipment, and he was very impressed with out steer-stoppers. When we told him we had biked up from Portugal, he got misty-eyed and said he was jealous. He wished us safe travels before we headed our separate ways.
We checked out a campground near Barnetby but, much like the one we passed up in Chapel Hill, it wasn’t very appealing. It was just a lawn for people to set up campers (a.k.a. caravans, in England). It wasn’t clear if there were even bathrooms. So we headed into town and got a cozy room at the Harcombe Guest House. The two, cheerful proprietors made sure we felt at home. They even cook dinner for their guests, which is appreciated because there aren’t many dinner options in Barnetby le Wold (pop. 1,741). We both had lasagne, then settled in for a relaxing evening in our room.
Barnetby le Wold to Beverley (22 May 2019, 42.5 km, 26.5 mi)
The highlight of today’s ride was the crossing of the River Humber on a very long, high bridge. The River Humber is very wide, and technically speaking, it’s not even a river. It’s actually a tidal estuary formed at the confluence of two rivers, the River Ouse and the River Trent. But since it’s been called a river for centuries, and it played a critical role as the boundary between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia to the south, and Northumbria to the north (i.e., “North of the River Humber”), the name is pretty well set in stone.
Biking across the Humber Bridge felt like a really long ride. It was only later that we learned that, at 2.25 km (1.4 mi), it was the longest single-span suspension bridge in the world from 1981-1997. It’s still the longest single-span suspension bridge in England. We’ve been pretty impressed with the biking infrastructure in some areas, and the bridge crossings in England stand out. There’s almost always a dedicated, off road lane that’s used by both pedestrians and cyclists. We could use more trails like this in the U.S.A.
By crossing the River Humber, we left Lincolnshire and entered Yorkshire. We’re now officially in northern England.
Crossing the 2.25 km Humber Bridge. Looks like we still have a long way to go. River Humber, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
On a dirt section of the trail about five kilometers outside of Beverley, we met Digger. He was headed the other way, and we stopped to chat. He’s from a town just outside of Edinburgh, and was taking a week off to bike around Yorkshire. We enjoyed talking with him about his ride and where he was headed. He also gave us some ideas about sights to see when we’re in Edinburgh.
Arriving in Beverley, we cycled past the Beverly Minster. And wow, it’s impressive. Even though it’s “just” a parish church, it is built on the scale of a grand cathedral. It’s actually bigger than 30% of England’s proper cathedrals. The magnificence of the church can be attributed to the fact that St. John of Beverley’s remains are buried there, and for several centuries the church was a major pilgrimage site. The steady flow of pilgrims, and Beverley’s subsequent designation as a market town, provided the wealth that is on display through the opulence of the church.
The Beverly Minster, a parish church that rivals many of England’s cathedrals in architectural splendor. Beverley, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
After settling in, we went for a walk around the Beverley Beck, a canal flowing out of town and into the River Hull. Before today we’d never heard the term beck. But in Yorkshire, lots of towns have becks. The Oxford Dictionary says that “beck” is a Northern English term for a “stream.” In practice, it seems a little bit more specific than that. The becks we saw all seemed to be fed by springs that started in a town, then flowed out to a larger river. In several cases, like Beverley, the becks were historically important connections for efficiently moving goods in and out of town.
The Beverly Beck has undergone a major restoration in recent years to clean up the water and provide a pleasant area for walking. We followed a footpath along the beck that leads all the way from Beverley to the banks of the River Hull and back. As we walked, we read the signs along the banks that tell a little bit about the history of the Beck. From medieval times through the 1970s, it was a bustling transportation artery, and helped the town become a leading exporter of wool, coal and tanned leather.
Barges were the queens of the Beverley Beck. The Syntan worked for a tanning company, hauling raw materials into town, and finished leather back to the River Hull. She retired from full time work in the 1970s, and now moonlights as a venue for parties and meetings. Beverley, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
(Side Note: You can click on any of the images in our blogs to see a full-page view of the photo.)
Beverley to Flamborough (23 May 2019, 72.2 km, 50 mi)
We rode out of Beverley through the North Gate, England’s only remaining, brick town gate. They say that the gate was built primarily as a means to facilitate taxation on goods entering the city, rather than as a military defense. It apparently proved useless for repelling enemies during the two times that the city was attacked, first by invading Scots, and later by a rebellion against King Henry VIII. The gate faced its biggest threat in the early 20th century, when the city wanted to improve access for double-decker buses. Demolition of the historic arch was averted when the bus company agreed to modify the shape of the buses to fit through the existing gate. Whew!
Thanks to a design change in the city’s double-decker buses, we can still ride through the 700 year old North Gate to Beverley, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
Shortly after leaving Beverley we entered the Yorkshire Wolds. Geologically, these are a continuation of the Lincolnshire Wolds further south, that we rode through a couple of days ago. Although the area doesn’t seem to have a formal designation, like an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, there were plenty of signs along the way indicating that we were in the wolds. Plus, on a bike it was pretty clear that this area is really hilly. We also noticed an increasing amount of forests and woodlands. The presence of trees made this area of the wolds particularly scenic.
A couple of the local horses, just hanging out in the Yorkshire Wolds. They weren’t too interested in two cyclists passing by. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
Along the way we saw several churches that had very tall, pointy spires. They look really different from the square towers and muted steeples we’ve seen on churches elsewhere in England. It seems to be a Yorkshire thing.
Cruising downhill, towards the spectacularly pointy church spire, wind in my hair... Not a bad way to spend the day. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
It’s surprising how often we come upon a historic gem, way off the beaten path. We rode past this Elizabethan manor house way out in the countryside. Burton Agnes, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
As we approached the coast, we biked through forests where the canopy of trees fully shaded the road. That was a really nice change of pace from the wide, open fields further south.
The Yorkshire Wolds have a lot more trees than the wolds and moorlands further south. There were even places where the tree canopy covered the road, giving the feeling that you were riding through a lush, green tunnel. West of Bridlington, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
When we reached the town of Bridlington, we finally saw the North Sea. The cycling route follows a high ridge on the upper edge of town, providing a panoramic view of the coast. Reaching the North Sea coast feels like another milestone in our journey.
On our way to the campground, we stopped in town of Flamborough to buy some supplies. In the supermarket parking lot we met Jackie, who has done several multi-day bike rides in Britain. When we told her about our trip, she thought it was “brilliant.” She strongly recommended biking in Scotland, particularly to some areas past Inverness. The other word we often hear when we mention to people that we have biked up from Portugal is “blimey.” These are rapidly becoming two of our favorite regional words.
Arriving in Wold Farm Campground, we chose to pitch our tent in the far corner of a big field, on top of a hill. We had a fantastic view back towards the lighthouse on the Flamborough Cliffs, and our very own picnic table (a luxury in British campgrounds). Our site also was far enough from the Wold Farm stock barn (they raise sheep) that we didn’t have the smell of manure wafting through our camp. A big plus. Best of all, the camping area was called Puffin Meadow. Very cool.
A campsite with a view. And who could resist camping in a field called Puffin Meadow? Flamborough, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
After a picnic dinner, we headed out for a walk along the spectacular Bempton Cliffs. The cliffs are just a short walk down a private path from the Wold Farm Campground. What an amazing treat, to be so close to one of England’s biggest seabird nesting areas. The 100 m (330 ft) high cliffs host England’s only mainland breeding colony of Northern Gannets, and about 10% of the country’s nesting Black-legged Kittiwakes. There are also many thousands of seabirds of other species, plus 450 pairs of Atlantic Puffins. It’s interesting that puffins even nest here at all. Usually they nest out on islands, in burrows that they dig in soft soil, using their bills and feet. But here they nest inside natural rock crevices. That makes them hard to find, but worth looking for.
The chalk cliffs near Flamborough rise up to 100 m (330 ft) out of the North Sea. Bempton Cliffs, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
Walking along the edge of the cliffs, we saw hoards of Pigeon Guillemots, Razorbills, Black-legged Kittiwakes, and Northern Gannets. There were also quite a few Fulmars, a bird usually only seen far off the coast. And, of course, we saw a few puffins. They were definitely in the minority, and we had to search for them. But in the end, we got some great looks at all of the seabirds that can be found on the cliffs. We even saw a Peregrine Falcon hunting along the cliffs, scaring up huge flocks of seabirds as it went swooping by.
The density of the birds nesting on the cliffs was mind-boggling. We walked along, taking photos for several hours.
The gannets would fly by, close to the cliff face, riding on the thermal air currents created by the cliffs. Bempton Cliffs, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
Of course, the stars of the show were the Atlantic Puffins. Although there were very few of them compared with the many thousands of other birds, they were actually fairly easy to spot if they weren’t in their burrows. Their bright orange legs give them away every time. Some of the puffins were just hanging out on the cliffs. But we were also lucky enough to spot several puffins in their nesting burrows. They are truly adorable birds.
As you might imagine, our mascot, Puffer, was beside himself with excitement. He was in his element here at Bempton Cliffs. When we asked him to pose for a photo, he could barely sit still (the stiff coastal wind probably had something to do with that).
Puffer, our mascot, tries to take wing and join the other seabirds here at Bempton Cliffs, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
On the walk back to Wold Farm, we took some time to appreciate the natural landscape on top of the cliffs. The open fields were blanketed with Red Campion, in full bloom.
With the evening sun casting a warm light on the clouds, the fields and the ocean, we found it hard to tear ourselves away from the beautiful cliffs. On top of that, evenings are lasting longer and longer, as summer approaches and we head north. It was pretty late when we finally got back to Wold Farm. The path back led over a fence and through a field occupied by a herd of sheep. We eventually made it back to the campground, just as the sun set.
Flamborough to Scalby (24 May 2019, 44.0 km, 27.3 mi)
It wasn’t a very restful night. Those sheep (pictured above, and in the background behind our tent) called all night, just across the fence from where we had pitched our tent. It seemed as though several of the lambs had gotten separated from their mother, and they cried pitifully all night long. We were both still sleepy in the morning.
On the bright side, our tent stayed pretty dry. Perhaps the stiff coastal breeze kept the dew from condensing. By the time we finished breakfast, everything was completely dry. That was fantastic.
As we were heading out of the campground, we met another camper who was from Vancouver, BC. She and her husband were spending a month touring around northern England in a rented minivan. The minivan came with a fold-out bed in the back and camp stove, so they could basically sleep anywhere they could park. It sounded like a pretty good setup.
Then, as we were riding out of town, we passed Jackie (from the supermarket parking lot, yesterday) as she drove by in her car. She gave us a honk and a wave. Very nice.
We’re still in the Yorkshire Wolds. For most of the day, we were either cycling uphill or downhill. Luckily, the hills were not so steep that we had to get off and walk. Every so often we’d reach the top of a hill, and the land would just fall away around us, resulting in gorgeous views of the rolling fields, forests and valleys. This is very pretty country.
We were also happy that the downhills were mostly on good roads, that weren’t too narrow or winding. That meant we could coast downhill pretty fast, which is always fun on a bike. But we did a lot of huffing and puffing on the uphills.
The long descent into the city of Scarborough was particularly stunning, with a picture perfect view of Scarborough Bay, and the Scarborough Castle on a rocky peninsula jutting out into the North Sea. The cloudless sky was reflected by the ocean, turning the water into an azure blue.
Taking in the view of Scarborough Bay, on our descent into Scarborough, England, UK. Usually we wouldn’t stop on a fast, fun downhill. But this view was too beautiful to pass by so quickly. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
When we arrived at the Scarborough Caravan and Camping park, they told us the campground was full, but that they could still accommodate people who just needed a place to pitch a tent. Fine by us. The tent area was on a big lawn away from the caravans, which was great. And when we arrived, there was only one other tent set up on the lawn. To spice things up, we even had a female pheasant stroll across the lawn between the two tents.
This female pheasant was clearly used to seeing tents out on the lawn. She strolled by, like everything was cool. Scalby, England, UK. Copyright © 2018-2019 Pedals and Puffins.
The folks who operated the campground reminded us that the coming Monday was another bank holiday - which we had forgotten about. That’s why the campground was full. Given the trouble we’ve had getting hotels on other bank holidays, we started to worry about accommodations for the next few days. After making some calls, we secured a hotel room in Middlesbrough for Sunday and Monday. But we were unable to find a hotel room or campground for tomorrow night. We’ll have to play it by ear, and possibly wild camp.
After our shower, we headed over to a restaurant that is next to the campground. We had nachos, (they weren’t very good, this restuarant didn’t seem to really understand nachos), ice cream and a hot chocolate. We also charged some of our devices, in case we need to camp again tomorrow night. We’re looking forward to possibly wild camping again. It’s always more peaceful than staying in a campground.
