Time travelling in Selby

We begin our ride in the small picturesque village of Riccall with its village green and ancient church.  Immediately upon departing we will see the village windmill that has existed on this site since 1290 with its 18 inch thick walls.  It would have had 4 sails and 3 corn grinding millstones.  It became a private residence in 1911 and a restaurant from 1989.   We continue our journey passing the ancient Norman church of St Mary's with its tower built in 1180.  At the edge of the village by the river Ouse 9000 Vikings landed in 300 long boats to prepare for the assault of York, which they subsequently captured.  Between 1983 and 2004 the village was home to Riccall coal mine which has now been developed into a business park.  We will follow the original route of the East Coast Railway Line, opened in 1869 but closed to passengers in 1958 eventually completely closing in 1964.  As we enter the route of the old line, now a cycle path, we will begin our journey through the solar system.  Starting at Pluto (now no longer regarded as a planet) we will pass into beautiful open countryside away from traffic and roads.  As we travel we will see evidence of the areas mining past.  We will pass the planets Neptune and Uranus before leaving the old line to join quiet country lanes heading towards the picturesque riverside village of Naburn and the river Ouse.  We are now approximately half way and will make a short detour to our stop off in Naburn. Continuing our journey we follow the river Ouse, its name comes from the Celtic word usa meaning water.  Along the river look out for cormorants, herons, kingfishers, teal and swans.  As we move away from the river we will pass Moreby Hall, set back from the road on the right, in large grounds.  The hall took 6 years to build between 1827 and 1832. We then enter the attractive village of Stillingfleet with 160 houses and 350 inhabitants.  We pass closely by St Helen’s church built in the 12th century.  You can easily see the unique carved Norman doorway from the road.  Then it’s over the bridge by the green where the Stillingfleet beck flows into the Ouse.  From here we wind our way through small country lanes, with good views all around, returning to our starting point, the Regen Centre. If you’re fairly confident on your bike and ready to broaden your cycling horizons, our Steady rides are ideal. At a comfortable pace, and possibly with some modest hills along the way, rides take place on mainly quiet roads with plenty of sights along the way. Rides are between 6 and 20 miles long, at a moderate pace of between 7 and 10 miles an hour.