Had a ride-around on the B. of the Doncaster area on Sunday. Trains to London were taking three hours from Sheffield, while from Donnie it was the usual 1:45, so it made sense to run the brother-in-law, visiting from Jakarta, over rather than subject him to the usual Midland Painline.
Doncaster has more than its fair share of Crap Cycle Lanes - here's one:-
Finlandia Travel is a company I won't be booking my trip with.
However, I wanted to go over the viaduct at Conisbrough that is now open, so I headed for the Don Gorge, stopping at the Boat Inn, Sprotborough, open again after having been flooded out in the Great Floods a couple of years back and doing good business.
First view of the viaduct
Pretty stunning views from the viaduct.
The bike route continues and comes out at Warmsworth Halt
View Larger Map
The access barriers consist of these boulders placed across the path, but wide enough to allow trailers etc. through
Nearby off-road motorbikers in the quarries were annoying, but there none on the trail itself.
I continued back up the TPT, following the Doncaster Greenway, coming out in Bentley and then mostly taking to the Lanes until I reached the New Junction Canal at Braithwaite:-
Gliding along the canal - I was doing the same on the trail
Headed back to town via Barby Dun to a great sunset.
Getting back to Donnie, however, the crapness of the cycle provision on the main road was apparent. On one road there was a bus lane in the middle of a three-lane road that cyclists could use - what were you supposed to do when a bus came along though, veer off into the fast lane? Then when the lane ended you were stranded on the outside lane of the approach to a massive roundabout system. I also found myself going over Donnie's new high-level road bridge - spectacular but not the safest thing I have ever done! When off the TPT, signage and continuous provision for cyclists was sadly lacking. Still, it was a great ride, and pleasantly flat for a Sheffielder.
