tet to plop

TET toPLOP

A cracking lane with views of Loweswater

A Summer TET Adventure – Aerospace engineer Greg Shipton takes time out from the day job

During the long lockdowns, and the claustrophobia of working from home, I had begun dreaming of the picturesque trails of the Yorkshire Dales. The idea of riding my bike all the way to Newcastle via the Trans-Euro Trail (TET) was something I simply had to do. However, getting a bike there is a long, or expensive, ordeal. My friends and I compete in the hilarious Honda C90 ‘ plop ’ enduro (a national endurance series comprising eight-hour team events and, yes, the concept was arrived at in a pub.) The next race was to be hosted near Newcastle, so a cunning plan formed. Why not ride the TET up, race in the ‘ plop ’ , then get a lift home in my friends ’ van? What could possibly go wrong? There ’ s nothing like a deadline to keep your pace up. I had precious little holiday to spare, so I decided to start the journey, ▲

Stunning views from the Holly Bush wood trails

Riding the trails in the Black Mountains

from Bristol, with a short cut. The TET passes through Bristol before taking a leisurely route through Wales and then heading up towards the Peak District and the North. I had already ridden much of the Welsh TET, so I decided to make a route that went almost directly north to the trails I had yet to try. Over the course of an afternoon and several cups of tea, I investigated the TRF Green Road Map. The new tool was fantastic, highlighting the trails in map form. Making the route was easy, but knowing whether it was any good or not was harder. There was only one way to find out…

So, on a baking hot Monday morning in July, I set off with two friends to test the new route and discover what the northern parts of the TET had to offer. I was on my trusty Beta 390, Sam was on his Honda CRF 250L and Paul was on his matching 450L. The start of my route took us through some lanes near Abergavenny. Some were tricky, some clearly had not been ridden in years, and some spanned fantastic mountainside trails. Testing an unknown route was a real adventure. The highlights were a steep stepped lane near Golden Hill, the Black Mountain trails and the forest in Holly Bush Bank.

The route roughly followed the EnglishWelsh border. After a hard day ’ s riding we found ourselves in the Shropshire hills for a truly stunning spot of wild camping.

Turns out, trail-riding during a heatwave is a rather silly idea. We were all roasting hot. All stops for route checking had to take place in opportune shade. We kept a keen eye out for places to cool off or have a swim. The maps on my phone could be misleading. What promised to be a refreshing lake, often turned out to be a muddy duck pond. When passing a small stream on a quiet lane, we would look at each other to decide whether or not to stop. “Well, that looks just about deep enough to cool my bollocks off in ’’ .

My route ended near Wrexham, where we picked up the TET, heading north towards the Peak District. There were some fun lanes on

the way up. We all chickened out of the deep-looking water crossing near Wrenbury. After Crewe, things started to get exciting and hilly. We tackled the Clough Brook river crossing, and then stopped for a pub dinner and a cold shandy.

Wild camping has its pros and cons. The main benefits are that you can camp near the trail and wake up to some stunning scenery. The main trouble is that you never really know when you ’ re going to find the right spot and call it a day. Having finished our pub dinner, we decided to look for some likely camping stops in the nearby lanes. We optimistically set off with the summer sun just beginning to dip behind the hills. Those nearby lanes were steep and rocky, fantastic for riding but worryingly no good for camping, so we had no option but to press on into the ever-growing twilight. Anyone with a trail ▲

Wild camping on the Shropshire hills

The abandoned and remote Cobb’ s Car Mill, just next to the trail in Yorkshire

bike knows the lights are dimmer than a contestant on Love Island. Trying to ride gnarly, rocky trails in near darkness was quite a challenge. Perhaps it was just as well that I couldn ’t see what I was riding over, and the shandy probably stopped me tensing up on the bars. Eventually we found a spot and hastily erected tents using head torches before settling down for the night.

The next day proved to be filled with some of the most spectacular long and rocky trails we had ever ridden. The Peak District is full of challenging trails with steep steps and giant boulders. As the day went on, the trails got easier but no less hot! By the end of the third day, we had made it to the northern sections of the Peak District. Sam and Paul had to head home as they had only planned to come part of the way, so I started day four riding by myself.

Fantastic and long trails through the Yorkshire Dales

There ’ s an old African proverb that says “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together ” . Now that’ s certainly true. By myself I was able to do more miles in less time, but when you ’ re alone there ’ s nobody to help you with all the bloody farm gates! One loop near Colsterdale stuck in my head: great lanes and views, but so many gates that my average pace soon slowed to an absolute crawl.

The lanes around the Yorkshire Dales were fantastic. Despite the summer holiday traffic and tourists, once you ’ re up in the dales you can ride lanes uninterrupted for hours – and with barely a gate in sight.

I was a bit of a stickler for following the TET route. I didn ’t want to miss what could be my new favourite lane. My diligence was often rewarded. There was one lane that you could accidentally miss, south of Skipton, which felt like a bit of a puzzle. First, I had to negotiate a padlocked gate (as it turns out, the code is in the TET GPX file). Next, I had to ride an overgrown lane full of head-high elderflowers. I couldn ’t see where I was going, so I just had to follow the GPS and hope. I came out the other end looking as though I had crashed into a florist’ s. The last section of the lane crossed a busy railway track and had two spring-loaded gates. Since I didn ’t want to hang around getting on and off the bike while on a train line, I had to use a creative stack of rocks to get me and the bike across in one go.

After a long day of riding the dales and moors I started looking for a wild camping spot. Not having learned from my last blunder, I made life difficult for myself by running low

I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE I GOT TO RIDE THROUGH THIS BEAUTIFUL VALLEY. CUMPSTON HILL

A steep and tricky climb near Sadgill, Kendall on fuel and leaving it too late in the day to fuel up anywhere else. I had to find a location before it got dark and before I ran out of fuel. Finding a spot to camp in around Scar House reservoir was tricky. There was a stunning site on top of the moors, but – call me soft – I really didn ’t fancy camping alone on the summit of ‘Dead Man ’ s Hill’ . Especially as it was the site of a murder and burial of a traveller passing through one of the now-abandoned towns I had passed.

One of the best things for me about some of these trails is the history. Lots of these rights of access are ancient and date back to old trade routes. On multiple occasions I found myself passing through abandoned eighteenth-century villages or mills. Some of these places should be museums in their own right but jumping off the bike for a quick exploration, without a tourist in sight, certainly has its benefits.

The trails do get busy in places though. There ’ s a byway that runs along a popular walking route towards Ingleton Falls. One moment I was crossing remote sections of the moors, and the next I found myself having to slow down to a snail’ s pace to negotiate herds of walkers, families and even an ice-cream truck. Most people appeared to be confused as to why a motorbike was on what they ▲

Rock garden heaven and fantastic views in the Lake District

assumed was their walking trail.

Leaving the crowds behind, I started heading towards the Lake District. After a camping cuppa and a light breakfast I thought I was ready for the day. My God was I wrong, as the first lane was a killer. It was an incredibly steep and loose rocky climb with boulders like footballs. I had to stop for a break halfway up and decided I needed a second breakfast once I had tackled this part. Going down the opposite side was pretty hairy as it was just as rocky, but with drops to one side. I got to the bottom exhausted, but pleased I had conquered the lane. Later on a farmer passed me and asked if I had just done ‘Breast High Lane ’ by myself. I guess I had. He seemed mildly amused by this foolish biker, but wished me the best for the rest of the trip.

The Lake District continued to offer exciting lanes. After crossing Lake Windermere via ferry, the lanes turned into rock garden heaven. The fun continued throughout the afternoon and eventually I reached Grizedale Forest. I really can ’t believe how lucky we are to have some of these Forestry Commission byways. They are both technical and beautiful to ride through. I treated myself to a stay at Grizedale campsite, a fantastic spot as the owner was happy for me to ride my bike into the woods to find a pitch. Riding my bike up steep rooty paths, past confused looking campers, was a great way to end the day.

The scenic Lake District lanes transition into

A tough one to start the day with. Breast High Lane

the more remote Pennines via some lesser travelled rural lanes. The Pennines held plenty of surprises from Roman roads to sandy moorland trails. The Pennines also held the most technical section yet, near Alston. Riding up steep narrow rocks in the rain, with a big fall to my right and dodging sheep, was one of the few times I questioned the logic of riding alone.

The TET takes you close to Hadrian ’ s Wall, and with that comes some fantastic long straight Roman roads. Some are easy, which allows you to take your eyes off the gravel trails momentarily to take a look at the fantastic scenery all around you. Not all the lanes were so straightforward though. Either these lanes used to be better paved, or the Romans had some serious off-road chariots back in the day.

But for me, the best surprises of all were the last few lanes in the Pennines, as the TET takes you through Blanchland Moor. The trails

Wild Camping

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland wild camping is illegal without the landowner ’ s permission with the exception of certain areas of Dartmoor. Obviously getting permission is easier said than done as, in general, you won ’t know exactly where you ’ re going to end up at the end of a long day or who you might need permission from. The following is a sample of the advice available on various countryside websites.

Woodland Trust Generally speaking, permission must be gained from the landowner before camping anywhere in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Wild camping is however permitted on Dartmoor for up to two consecutive nights in the same spot provided it’ s more than 100 metres from any public roads and is not within an enclosed or otherwise restricted area.

There are also some great campsites around the country that offer a ‘ wild’ camping feel with remote and spacious sites, limited pitches and unique settings. Pitchup.com lists just a few to try.

Countryfile The golden rule of wild camping: arrive late and leave early – remembering to leave no trace! Plan arriving at your are sandy and open, and looked simple enough to ride on. However, the 4x4s have made short work of the soft ground, which in turn makes the area more challenging. I was reminded of Salisbury Plain and that good piece of advice: “Never trust a shallow looking ▲

chosen location late in the day to avoid disturbing others and leave early before other walkers are out and about.

Wonderlust Wild camp etiquette Arrive late and leave early: Plan to arrive at your chosen location as it’ s going dark and be packed up and away by the time other walkers are out and about. Never light an open fire: A lot of places suitable for wild camping present a high risk of fire so never do this; you don ’t want to be responsible for destroying acres of beautiful landscape and devastating ecosystems! Leave no trace of your camp: Make sure you carry out your rubbish; you should leave the site as you found it. Be considerate of others: Respect the privacy and livelihood of others; if asked to move on, do so, and keep away from main tracks and paths. Camp high: Stay on ground that’ s well away from people ’ s property and keep it discreet and you should have no problems. Choose your toilet carefully: Find a sheltered spot at least 50 metres away from water and downstream of popular camping areas. Dig a 6–8-inch deep hole, and replace the earth once you have finished. Remember to carry out your toilet roll with your other rubbish.

puddle ” . Along these trails I bumped into two friendly TRF members, who knew the area well. They warned me of an upcoming closed lane and recommended the local tea and bacon butty stop.

There is a lot of chatter on the TET forums about how busy the TET has become, the over-use of the trails and large groups that threaten its future. I didn ’t see any evidence of this. During my ten days on the trails I only saw about seven bikes and no groups bigger than three. Most people and businesses I spoke to welcomed the TET and didn ’t have anything bad to say about bikes using the area. Another misconception that was shattered was that big bikes can ’t ride the TET.

As a Geeky aerospace engineer I spent far too long reading about which bike was suitable for my local lanes and also longer distance riding. I believe the Beta is the perfect mix of a performance

BETA 390

Battling with the heat on a heatwave ’ s summer day in the Yorkshire Dales

enduro bike, combined with nods towards practicality and reliability. I have owned Italian sportsbikes before, and reliable is probably the last word that comes to mind. However, the Beta has been a trusty workhorse with no issues.

The bike has done 278 hours (over 6000 miles) and the only time I was let down was due to a rear wheel bearing failure during my trip along the Welsh TET last year. However, I put that down to

‘ operator error ’ due to the fact that I hadn ’t checked or re-greased the bearings since buying the bike. The separate engine and gearbox oil means that oil changes are needed every 30 hours (600 miles). It’ s no CRF250L, but makes longer distance riding more manageable.

The longer gearing means the bike handles road sections well. However, I have increased the front sprocket by one tooth for better road riding with no noticeable detriment on the lanes. ■

Fantastic forestry routes through the Lake District I met one rider of a Yamaha T7 in Yorkshire. I rode with him for a couple of hours. Maybe it was for the company, but more likely it was so that I wouldn ’t have to face all those gates alone. He claimed to be a relatively new rider, but his T7 seemed to make short work of most gravel trails and some rocky climbs. Perhaps it would struggle in more extreme lanes, but I reckon it could tackle the majority of the TET.

By early afternoon on my last day I found myself leaving the moors behind and riding the last few lanes of the TET towards Newcastle. It was bitter-sweet to turn off a road onto a lane, knowing there were only a handful left to enjoy before my final destination. Even the last few rural lanes held some excitement with big field-crossing lanes and one water crossing. The lanes finished in Heddon-on-the-Wall, so I stopped to refuel the bike before jumping back on the A-roads. One guy came over to ask about the bike and where I had been riding. Next thing he was shouting for his friend to come over saying, “This bloke just rode up from Bristol on this!”

I watched the remaining miles on the GPS tick down from double figures into single ▲

Nearly at the finish line, I made it to Newcastle!

digits as I followed signs towards Newcastle. I couldn ’t believe my eyes as when I left home I had what felt like an infinite number of roads and lanes to travel, yet here I was on my last few miles. The TET takes you through Newcastle, past the bike shops (handy), River Tyne and onwards to the ferry port from where it continues its journey towards the Netherlands. I opted for my final point on the TET to be the iconic bridges spanning the river in the centre of Newcastle. I was hoping to ask a passer-by to take my picture next to the bridges. Thankfully, turning up on a muddy enduro bike on Newcastle ’ s riverside walkways got a few people coming over for a chat.

Although the TET was over, sadly I didn ’t have long to hang around, so I had to extract myself from the world’ s chattiest Geordie and jump back on the bike, heading towards Teesside and C90 racing glory.

Once at the race circuit it was great to be united with friends, a shower and some cold beers. Tomorrow held the final challenge of riding a 7BHP Honda C90 flat out round a circuit for six hours. Our team affectionately describes the C90 as a wobbly shopping trolley, as that’ s exactly what it’ s like to ride one at any sort of speed.

Riding the TET acted as good training for an endurance race as I was used to long days in the saddle – and falling off. But the TET doesn ’t prepare you for aggressive overtakes or fitting six bikes into a corner. Despite heavy rain, much crashing and a mid-race puncture, we finished the race. We weren ’t threatening any of the top positions, but as you can imagine, just getting you and the bike across the finishing line is a challenge in itself. We headed home with our heads held high after a respectable 40th place, promising next time to put a bored-out engine in the bike (which is what everyone else seemed to be running) and to try and make the suspension feel less like a blancmange.

My trip consisted of 10 days, 1271 miles, one set of tyres, probably 100+ gates and one massive grin that doesn ’t look like it’ s going to fade away anytime soon. ■

Diving up the inside at the ‘ plop ’