The best traffic-free bike rides around Hutton-Le-Hole

Each of the sacred monuments that you repeatedly encounter – despite all the differences in their external design – has a common concern: The cross that rises here not only wants to attract the viewer's gaze, but – and this is primarily – to make him think of God. Not only in theological books, but even in secular literature, God's voice is often represented, and this is even often the case in crime novels. For example, Ellis Peters set the series of novels about the Benedictine 'Brother Cadfael', which is set in 12th-century England, in the surroundings of a monastery. In "The Virgin in the Ice" it says: "And yet life, clinging to faith, the tenacious struggle with fate had to go on, the land had to be cultivated year in, year out. Plough and harrow must not rest, and one had to take care of sowing and harvesting the fruits of the earth as much as here, in the monastery and church, of sowing and harvesting souls." I wish the viewer here in front of the cross a good thought for his soul.

Nice spot to fuel up with a view. Cakes simple sandwiches and drinks. Friendly staff

Apparently regarded by the Victorians as "ill-planned and untidy", but now quite possibly one the most picturesque Moors villages, Hutton-le-Hole is a very popular starting point for hikes. Fairly sizeable car park just on the eastern side of the village off the road to Lastingham. Lots more info available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutton-le-Hole, https://www.yorkshire.com/hutton-le-hole/?srsltid=AfmBOoqlQxZoMrKrxFTMhz3S7ZTijB3NKHNKMKO3WYru-vDGGmjNYk2Q, https://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/places-to-go/hutton-le-hole-lastingham-appleton-le-moors

Brace yourselves for an 11% climb. In places it’s 18%, so prep the small gears and get churning. Great way to finish this loop if you’ve parked in Gillamoor.

A punchy climb out of Bransdale up Cowhouse Bank before the long roll down into Helmsley.

One of the most iconic loops in the North York Moors - the Bransdale loop to Cockayne is a cycling paradise.

Wayside crosses are one of several types of Christian cross erected during the medieval period, mostly from the 9th to 15th centuries AD. In addition to serving the function of reiterating and reinforcing the Christian faith amongst those who passed the cross and of reassuring the traveller, wayside crosses often fulfilled a role as waymarkers, especially in difficult and otherwise unmarked terrain. The crosses might be on regularly used routes linking ordinary settlements or on routes having a more specifically religious function, including those providing access to religious sites for parishioners and funeral processions, or marking long-distance routes frequented on pilgrimages. Over 350 wayside crosses are known nationally, concentrated in south west England throughout Cornwall and on Dartmoor where they form the commonest type of stone cross. A small group also occurs on the North York Moors. The wayside cross and boundary marker known as Young Ralph survive complete even though previously broken and repaired. The cross marks the highest point on the old road from Keldholme in the south of the moors to Castleton in the north. It also marks the boundary of the Wapentake of Pickering Lyth. It has been adopted as the symbol of the North York Moors National Park and has been a listed monument since 1938.

Beautiful spot. It's a sharp U over the bridge so don't try and carry any speed into the immediate next ascent.