Cafe Racer Run

Ella one of our biker friends has taken on the Cafe Racer Challenge. So she came north for a change and joined us on a run around the Dales to enable her to bag three cafes in that area.

We met Ella at Clitheroe Services after having her S1000RR in at BMW for a valve check, which was only completed that morning. Upon our arrival she informed us that the bike had leaked oil all over the place on the way there, even over her back tyre. After a quick check of the bike it looked obvious that it had come out of the camshaft cover gasket. BMW had replaced the gasket but obviously the gasket and sealant had sealed correctly. We had to wait at Clitheroe for about 1.5 hours for BMW to bring her a replacement bike for the day.

We left Clitheroe just after 11:15am and headed straight for Devil’s Bridge via our tried an tested route of Sawley, Wigglesworth, Settle and Ingleton. We stopped at Devil’s Bridge briefly so Ella could take a photo and bag her first cafe of the day.

We then headed north on the A683 towards Sedbergh and then joined B6256 which took us to the A684. We turned right and followed the A684 to the B6257 and then turned left and followed that road to the junction with the A685. Here we turned right and ran parallel with the M6 down into Tebay. We then joined the B6260 to Orton and then the B6261 which passes under the M6 and then joins the A6 just south of Shap. We headed through Shap on the A6 and followed that road all the way to Penrith. We then joined the A686 and headed towards Alston. This road meanders for a while until you get to Melmerby. Just as you leave Melmerby the real fun starts as you start the climb of Hartside Pass. This is a stunning bit of asphalt with some very tight turns and is reasonably steep in places, which means you can catch less powerful cars up very quickly indeed. We stopped at the top by Hartside Cafe briefly so Ella could bag her second cafe of the day.

We

left Hartside and started the descent down into Alston, this side is not as challenging. We stopped briefly in Alston for fuel and then joined the stunning B6277 to Middleton-in-Teesdale. This road is always quiet until you get near to High Force, the majority of the corners are open and provide superb vision. We had a great run to Middleton-in-Teesdale and then stopped at one of our usual haunts for lunch Cafe 1618.

After a wonderful very late lunch we joined the equally superb B6276. This road is usually even quieter but is slightly more technical in places. The major concern is that you will often find suicidal sheep on this road in between the cattle grids. But once you are familiar with this road you know where they will likely be. We soon arrived in Brough and then followed the A685 to Kirkby Stephen. We then turned left in Kirkby Stephen and followed the B6259 through Nateby and Outgill to the A684 at The Moorcock Inn. We then followed the A684 to Hawes so Ella could stop by the Penny Garth Cafe for her third cafe bagging of the day. From here we followed the usual suspects the B6255 and B6479 to Settle. We stopped in Settle for Coffee and Scones at the Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe. We then headed home by the usual route of Wigglesworth, Sawley and Sabden.