Cycling in Yorkshire
Cycling in Yorkshire
This ride takes the Solar System Greenway south to Selby, then returns to York via a clockwise loop on flat roads.
Distance: 78km/48miles
Difficulty: medium (reasonable distance but no hills)
Duration: 3 to 4.5h
Hills: no real hills
Stops: Birkin Fisheries Café
The map above shows the route of the York, Selby and Church Fenton road bike ride. I've called the ride Church Fenton Express.
GPS files for Church Fenton Express are available to download from Plotaroute. See Church Fenton Express on Plotaroute.
The first part of the ride from York to Selby uses the Solar System Greenway.
In Selby, cross the Ouse on the Toll Bridge, then turn left along Ousegate past the Swing Bridge (pictured above). Continue on a path by the Selby Canal. There's a sealed surface at first, then a mud section (fine on a road bike in dry weather).
Henwick Hall Lane and Common Lane take you to Burn Airfield. The airfield is part of the Trans Pennine Trail, but when I rode it in Spring 2021, the surface was awful. TPT say it is going to be resurfaced, but wouldn't tell me when. An alternative route would be to go round via the village of Burn.
Emerge from the airfield onto Burn Lane, and go over a level crossing. Continue to Temple Hirst, then follow the river Aire west towards Chapel Haddlesey and West Haddlesey. There are views of Eggborough Power Station.
Birkin Fisheries Café is where lots of people travelling on two wheels put the brakes on, and make a stop for coffee and cake.
Continue to Hillam and Monk Fryston, on the route of the Junior Women's and U23 Men's races at the 2019 UCI Road Cycling World Championships. Then ride via South Milford and Sherburn-in-Elmet to Church Fenton.
Pass Leeds East Airport to reach Ryther, and follow the Wharfe to Cawood. Cawood Castle was a residence of the Archbishops of York.
Cross the Ouse at Cawood, and travel via Kelfield and Stillingfleet back to the Solar System Greenway near Escrick. Follow the greenway back to York.
The York, Selby and Church Fenton road bike ride is one of the eighteen routes in the book Bike Rides In and Around York.
Cawood Castle was one of the main residences of the Archbishops of York from the 1200s until 1646.
One Archbishop of York, Cardinal Wolsey, was Henry VIII's chief advisor, until he fell out of favour with the king because he failed to negotiate a divorce from Catherine of Aragon. In 1530, Wolsey was arrested at Cawood for treason; he fell ill on his way to London to face charges, and died.
During the English Civil War, Cawood Castle was captured by the Parliamentarians (1644). After the war, the castle was 'slighted' - largely destroyed so it could no longer be used as a castle.
A limestone gatehouse, dating from around 1430, survives. It is owned
by the Landmark Trust and rented
out as a holiday home.
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