This ride takes us from one amazing ecclesiastical edifice in the shape of York Minster, to another, Selby Abbey, and on the way, for the benefit of those of us who are not astro-physicists we travel along a scale model of the solar system, giving a feel for the vastness of space, from the Sun to Pluto depicted in proportionate size, as is the distance between them.
You can do all this on a bike, and your cycling speed is proportionally 10 times the speed of light!
This is Route 65 of the National Cycle Network, another disused railway route, so almost entirely traffic free with no hills and as a bonus has a good tarmac surface throughout.
For the purpose of the ride the parts of York that matter are the Railway Station, York Minster, and the River Ouse. All fairly close to the City Centre and easy to find. Even tourists and other strangers to the City will know where these places are.
York Minster took 250 years to build from 1220 to 1472 after the original building on the site was sacked by the troops of William the Conqueror.
View down river from Ouse Bridge. Neither riverside paths seen here are really suitable for cycling, so take the road behind these buildings on the right. It is called Skeldergate.
Here is Skeldergate Bridge - a stylish combination of stone and metal. Little traffic on our route beneath the rightmost arch as beyond is only a caravan site and a skate park
The road is gated so virtually no motor traffic here.
Another stylish but more modern bridge, this being the Millenium Bridge for cycles and pedestrians only. We do not cross it but keep to the right bank of the river.
We leave the river side at this sign, climb a short gradient on a narrow path, and emerge on the road opposite the old Terry's Chocolate factory, a fine building now likely to be developed for some other purpose.
York remains a chocolate producing city however, producing in the King's Square factory no less than six million bars of KitKat every day.
The Terry's Chocolate Factory. As factories go, not a bad looking building.
Cross the road here towards the Racecourse which is on the Knavesmere
The back of the grandstand comes into view, and we follow the path to the left at the white rail.
Crossing the Racecourse on this path which has a very spongy surface.
A sharp left turn here and we head towards the A64 trunk road.
Getting rather too close to the70mph traffic, but fortunately only for a short distance.
.
And here we arrive at the start of the Solar System with the model Sun high above the path. The planet Pluto is the size of a ball bearing and some 6.4 miles away.
Turn left here to pass beneath the bridge.
Eventually we come to the first of the planets, this tiny ball on it's pedestal being a scale representation of Mercury.
Here is Venus.
The Earth and the Moon.
And Mars
The route then goes through this housing estate.
And here at The Brunswick Garden Centre is an excellent cafe, unfortunately open only at weekends and on Bank Holidays.
Jupiter is about the size of a beach ball.
At each of the planets these signposts give the distances to the next planets, both the true distance (large numbers) and the scale distance in metres (small numbers) along the path.
Note the QR Code on each post, which, if you have a SmartPhone will link you to the Solar System Cycling web site.
Saturn complete with it's rings.
As we cross the River Ouse on this old railway bridge we see "The Fisher of Dreams" a skeletal sculpture. He appears to have hooked a railway locomotive, and behind him is his bike, upon which his dog is cocking it's leg.
The Fisherman's View of the River Ouse below the bridge.
Now here is a surprise with a unique venture at the old Naburn Station, where there is a "Trust Hut" which is un-manned, but you can get hot/cold drinks and all sorts of refreshments.
There is a price list and a collection box and you are trusted to pay the appropriate amounts and put the money in the box.
What a lovely idea.
The Trust Hut is a very popular place for cyclists to stop.
Now comes Uranus.
Another check on earthly and actual planetary distances.
Typical view along the path.
Pluto at last. There now seems to be some doubt as to whether it is actually a planet or not.
Bearing in mind it's minuscule size and it's great distance from anything else, it's a wonder that they ever found it in the first place.
We have now come 10 miles from York, and Selby is 5 miles further.
The rest of the ride into Selby is all on road, running parallel to the A619 York/Selby road. Not very inspiring but relatively traffic free and flat. Stick with it as Selby Abbey is not to be missed.
Eventually we arrive at our destination, Selby Abbey, a beautiful building dating from 1069.
Entry is free, unlike York Minster, (which costs £10), and the inside is just as jaw-dropping as the exterior.
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