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Monday, September 13, 2010

Doncaster ridearound

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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:-

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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.

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First view of the viaduct

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Pretty stunning views from the viaduct.
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The bike route continues and comes out at Warmsworth Halt



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The access barriers consist of these boulders placed across the path, but wide enough to allow trailers etc. through
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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:-


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Gliding along the canal  - I was doing the same on the trail

Headed back to town via Barby Dun to a great sunset.

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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.

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