Route 1

Running up the east coast of the country is the grandly titled Route 1 of the National Cycle Network (NCN) Of course, the number 1 doesn't mean it's the most important bit of the network merely that the numbering scheme follows that of the roads radiating out from London but we like to pretend it does. For those in the UK that haven't been paying attention, and for those from elsewhere who can't be expected to have noticed, the NCN was set up by the charity Sustrans with routes that run along quiet roads or separated tracks. Increasingly well used by both cyclists and pedestrians, the NCN makes it a lot easier for people to leave their cars behind and get around under their own steam. However, the route up to Scarborough from the south needs to be realigned to take it away from some frankly dangerous roads and closer to the coast with it's spectacular views. Yesterday I popped out to take a few photographs along the proposed new route.

Ridiculously narrow chicane at Osgodby

Grid ref. TA 061848

Heading out of Scarborough to the south the proposed route uses a section of the old main road up the coast that was closed to traffic when it began to look like it was in danger of slipping into the sea. The barrier at the north end has a ridiculously narrow chicane, one that couldn't possibly be got through by most bike trailers.

Spot the missing dropped kerb

TA 064845

At the southern end of the road closure whilst there's a drop kerb on the northern side of the chicane on the other there simply isn't. 

From this point on the proposed route follows paths and quiet stretches of road that run alongside the main road up the coast. Eventually, however, the quiet alternatives run out and there's no choice but to rejoin the main road.

Path through the hedge to join footway along main road.

TA 088824

View along main road where path emerges

TA 088823

The footway along this stretch is not as wide as we might like it to be but, see later, the underlying path is actually wider that it looks. The alternative to this 500m stretch involves a 1.8km trip up the hill to the Blue Dolphin caravan park and then back down again. 

Hill up towards Blue Dolphin

TA 088824

But, once you've come back down the hill again there really is no choice but to rejoin the route of the main road.

Rejoining the footway at the roundabout near Gristhorpe

TA 093821

Footway alongside main road

TA 094820

There is clearly room to make the footway alongside the main road wider and still leave a barrier to passing traffic but even though  hadn't brought my spade with me to scrape back the overgrowing vegetation to see how wide the path really is, a bit later on some edging slabs were revealed and it was possible to measure it as 1.5m

Path edges revealed, bike for scale

TA 096818

As the proposed route approaches Filey it's possible to stay on the footway as it passes behind bushes next to the roundabout. Without bringing a spade it isn't possible to tell how wide this path really is.

Looking back at the footway as it by bypasses the roundabout.

TA 098817

The road to Filey is not as busy as the main coast road but I think it would be best if the route stayed on the footway at least until the road has a 40mph limit.

Looking up the Filey road towards the 40mph limit

TA 098817

First obvious place to rejoin the road

TA 101816

Looking back from the same spot.

TA 101816

Finding myself close to Filey I couldn't help but drop in and have a ride along the sea front and gaze out at the vast beauty of Filey Bay as it sweeps towards the high limestone cliffs at Bempton. If you ever want to feel like you've gone back in time to the 1950's then Filey's the place. Too small to attract the major retailers, who either land in Scarborough or Bridlington, it still retains the mix of small shops that was once typical.

After that I went to visit friends in the nearby village of Hunmanby, before heading back along the existing Route 1 which runs out of Hunmanby and up the long drag of the road to the top of Folkton Brow where it then rapidly descends the escarpment. The long drag is relatively straight, narrow and fast and more than once I was passed very closely (< 1m) by cars travelling at speed in the face of oncoming traffic. If there were ever a reason Route 1 needs to take another route this is it.