THE weekend ride to Malham in the Yorkshire Dales proved to be a great success and one of the best hostel weekends to date.

Fine weather allowed the ride up the Ribble Valley, the gateway to the Dales, as enjoyable as cycling is ever likely to get.

The lush greens of the lower valley eventually giving way to open moorland and the sight of the Three Peaks ahead of us. Plenty of broken cloud and sunshine gave near perfect conditions for viewing the panoramic scenery.

A long lunch break at Settle was enjoyed before tackling the arduous climbing over to Malham Tarn. The descent down to Malham past the famous cove is not for the fainthearted, it's many hairpin bends and very steep sections are a real test of nerve.

The evening entertainment proved to be second to none, England v Germany on the box, with the evening meal falling very nicely at half time.

Five one, what an evening. The return journey the following day was somewhat easier but no less enjoyable taking in the delights of Pendle and the villages around it.

The surprise of the day was to find Downham taken over by a television company and renamed Ormiston with addition of fibreglass props and a village shop front of a bygone era, all very authentic looking, we should have some very interesting photo shots.

Afternoon tea at the abbey in Whalley set us up for last leg of a very enjoyable two days leaving only the question by many, where are we off to for the next weekend away?

pCHESHIRE was again the place for our time trial aspirants, a twenty five mile event on Saturday afternoon and a fifty mile event on Sunday morning. Our fast man of the year Andy Horner whittled his personal best down yet again to 59mins.19secs. while Paul Dickenson had another fine ride recording 1hr 2:46.

pAMY McLarty again leads the monthly Beginners ride and invites anyone, non members especially, who would like try a club cycle ride to come along and enjoy the experience.

The B Ride are off to Waddington, a stock favourite run, while the A Ride travel a little further up the road to Slaidburn.

All the above rides meet at the town hall square, 9am. for the Beginners, while both the A and B meet for 8.30.am.