I consider myself a pretty active person and I have given pretty much everything a go – from climbing and surfing to running and roller skating.

But for some reason, I have always been intimidated by cycling.

I’m fine with a stationary bike at the gym. I used to love a bit of spinning and I don’t mind a BikeErg.

But when it comes to letting me loose on the road, the confidence just isn’t there. I have no idea what bike I would get, what size, what equipment I would need. I am utterly clueless when it comes to cycling.

So when I was invited to an event collaboration between The Personal Cyclist, Sweaty Betty, Hustle & Co and the Electric Bike Shop, I snapped up the opportunity. It is about time I conquered my cycling demons.

The Personal Cyclist

I met Kate Auld, owner of The Personal Cyclist, outside Sweaty Betty. Her passion for cycling is truly infectious.

She said:

“The weekend is all about empowering women in particular to feel more confident on bikes. By taking this experience out of a bike shop, it makes it less intimidating. The number of women who ride bikes is really low.

“Harrogate has got such an amazing cycling heritage and it’s a fantastic town to be in the great outdoors, so why wouldn’t you want to try it?”

Kate said the cycling event had revealed that women in particular are nervous of the roads or unsure what to do.

Cycling

She said:

“It is all about confidence and practice, and that can be learned.

“I’ve seen women of all different ages, experiences and bikes. The one thing they have all got in common is a spirit of adventure to try something new.

“With lockdown, a lot of our worlds have become quite small. So just doing this with your hand held a little bit is getting people off to the right start.”

Read More: 

• Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: What’s On in the district
• Sneak Peek: Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant reopens

I was given a shiny blue Raleigh e-bike to ride from the Electric Bike Shop, which opened a store on Harrogate’s Leeds Road earlier this year.

My first thought was it looked far too big for my small stature, but it turns out it’s the battery that makes it look intimidating.

Getting kitted out with an e-bike.

I put on my helmet, which Kate explained needed to fit snugly with space for two fingers between my eyebrows and the base.

We walked the bikes through town to Beech Grove, which was closed to through traffic in February to encourage walking and cycling.

Like riding a bike

I then had a go at actually riding the bike under Kate’s watchful gaze and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it came back to me. It was like riding a bike…

I actually thought an e-bike was like an electric scooter, in that you pressed a button and it moved. But it actually just gives you more pedal power – perfect for those hilly commutes to work.

I practised gear changes, turns and the all-important breaking, and actually felt pretty steady. I also learned how to stop, come out of the saddle and prepare myself to set off again at traffic lights.

It was actually quite a freeing feeling, empowering almost, and I can see how people get hooked on cycling.

Kate said:

“I don’t want people to feel intimidated. When I first started riding, which wasn’t until my 30s, I didn’t know where to go to get a bike.

“Going into a bike shop can be pretty scary. So actually if I can help people to have a positive experience, it’s great.”

Bike2Work scheme

As efforts continue to combat climate change and also tackle obesity, Kate said she had been approached by companies who wanted to encourage their employees to ride more.

She said:

“The government Bike2Work scheme is fantastic for getting hold of bikes.

“Some of my clients say, ‘I don’t want to use my car as much. It’s costing me an arm or a leg to run the car. I only live a mile from town. I don’t know how on earth I’m going to get in and out of town and navigate the traffic. What do I need? What if it’s pouring with rain?’, and there’s not really necessarily someone to ask.

“I want to help people make that a reality and say, ‘this is what you need, here are some routes’.

“Now one of my ladies, who hadn’t ever ridden a bike, is now doing all her errands on a bike and takes the kids.”

I told Kate that I wanted to get out on a bike with my kids and also to escape from my kids.

Hybrid

She said:

“If you’re sporty and active and you have a sense of adventure, that’s a great head start.

“I would recommend a hybrid. This can be ridden through town and you can ride it on the trails, so it’s great for family bike rides.”

When I rode the bike back to Sweaty Betty – using some of my new stopping-at-traffic-lights skills – Kate analysed my technique. Apparently my head position was great, but I needed to work on the positioning of my feet.

Memories of my cycling proficiency test at primary school started to come flooding back…

Kate’s top tips on buying a first bike:

• Find out if your company is part of the Bike to Work scheme. This way, you only pay a fraction of what bike is worth. If not, try one of Harrogate’s fantastic bike shops like Prologue, Chevin Cycles, Specialized, and the Electric Bike Shop. Alternatively look at second hand options, including Resurrection Bikes. Or you could borrow a friend’s bike and try it. I would advise against buying one online for a first time bike rider. You certainly need to go into the bike shops and have a chat and find out what size you are.
• Think about what you are going to use the bike for. Family errands into town? Big hills? For the Dales I’d take a road bike or gravel bike. For an all-rounder you can’t go wrong with a hybrid.
• You can get your bike tweaked so it’s right for you. Sometimes you overthink these things. You just want to get something that feels comfortable. What you don’t want is to get something you feel wobbly on as you won’t enjoy it.
• Look at things like gear shifters – what type do you need? Look at cycling clothing – the idea you need loads of gear is a myth. You will need a helmet, a puncture repair kit and I would recommend a little pouch with plastic gloves for if your chain comes off.  It’s as expensive as you like. I’d also recommend a Buff, a drinks holder, a rack and pannier if you’re out with the kids, and a waterproof rain jacket.

North Yorkshire Police has said that officers were unable to find anyone with a weapon following reports of gunfire in the Pinewoods last night.

In a statement published just after 11am today, police said that enquiries with residents revealed there had been “no sightings of anyone carrying a weapon”.

Armed officers sealed off the woodland and a police helicopter was deployed shortly after 5pm.

The statement said:

“At 5.01pm yesterday police were called to reports of several “loud bangs” in the Pinewoods area of Harrogate.

“Officers immediately attended and carried out an extensive search in the area. Specialist resources which included a firearms support unit and the police helicopter (NPAS) were brought in to assist.

“Further enquires with the members of the public who made the initial reports confirmed that there had been no sightings of anyone carrying a weapon. Officers concluded their search at just before 7.30pm and no individual

A police spokesman added that they believed the initial report “was made with good intent” and “We take all reports of this nature extremely seriously”.

Numerous residents told the Stray Ferret last night and today they had heard three gunshots.

Read more:

• Armed police close off Pinewoods after suspected gunfire
• Pinewoods gunfire: ‘Children were playing – people were terrified’

Responding to the police statement, one resident remain convinced they heard gunfire.

They also disputed the claim that police, whose Harrogate headquarters is less than a mile away, responded “immediately” and said one man was seen being detained in a police van before being later released.

The woman said:

“I’m surprised by the statement and it should have been communicated last night rather than have residents terrified. We aren’t making this up.”

A woman who heard three gunshots in the Pinewoods last night has said people were terrified when the reality of what was happening dawned on them.

The female, who lives in the Plantation area on Harlow Hill and asked not to be named, said children were playing in the woods as normal at about 5pm.

She said the three shots were fired over the space of about 15 minutes, adding:

“The first shot shook us up. The second time it happened I came out of the house and went into the woods.

“There were children playing in the woods, as usual. Parents had gathered to collect them. They were absolutely terrified.

“There was a longer gap between the second and third shots and when it came it sounded very close. My partner speculated that somebody might have been shooting at us.”

Police arrive at the scene last night.

Read more:

• Armed police close off Pinewoods after suspected gunfire
• Police silent over gunfire in Harrogate’s Pinewoods

North Yorkshire Police has not commented on the incident and the witness, who said she saw an officer carrying. a taser gun, said residents would have appreciated some news that the area was safe. She said:

“It’s not reassuring at all.”

The witness also said the gunshots were categorically not related to a training exercise at the nearby Army Foundation College, as many people have suggested on social media.

“We are a close community and we know what we heard. These three shots came from the Pinewoods.”

Armed police arrive.

North Yorkshire Police has so far remained silent over gunfire heard at the Pinewoods yesterday.

Armed officers closed off the area after residents reported hearing “very loud” bangs at about 5pm.

A police helicopter circled the 96-acre woodland, which is located a kilometre south of Harrogate town centre, for some time afterwards.

The Stray Ferret contacted the police for information last night, but 15 hours after the incident, no information has been released.

Officers at the Pinewoods entrance on Plantation Road said only that a ‘containment exercise’ was being carried out. Armed police were stood down in the area after at about 7.15pm.

Two armed police officers were stationed at the Pinewoods entrance on Plantation Road.

We spoke to several residents in the area who reported hearing gunfire. Many said they heard three shots and then noticed armed police and a helicopter brought in. There were also reports of a taser being brought to the scene.

One woman said she’d heard three gun shots but didn’t think such things happened in Harrogate so she assumed it was a car backfiring and went swimming.

The armed officers on Plantation Road.

Another person said a residents’ what’s app group had been going crazy with people wanting to know what was going on, as the Pinewoods is a popular local beauty spot.

But so far the police have remained silent and it is not known if anyone was hurt or if any arrests have been made.

Read more:

• Harrogate district people asked for views on police 101 and 999 calls
• Armed police close off Pinewoods after suspected gunfire

Yurtshire, in the Nidderdale countryside, is drawing on the power of nature, to create a revitalising experience for visitors from across the Harrogate district and further afield.

The 93-acre site, which features Eavestone Lake, is being developed by Tom Sterne, whose family are long-term investors in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors, in Ripon and surrounding areas.

Located between Ripon and Pateley Bridge, just off the B6265 road, the site with its nine luxurious tree yurts, opened last summer.

Following the high demand of a staycation year, three more units are being added, after planning permission was granted by Harrogate Borough Council.

Plans are also in hand to add spa-type facilities and services, including a sauna, facial and body massages.

The site features the 13-acre Eavestone Lake

Mr Sterne, who has more than ten years of experience of outdoor hospitality-based business, gained through his operation of hire company Yorkshire Yurts and    YurtBar, which caters for the corporate entertainment market, told the Stray Ferret:

“I’m using the expertise that I have gained to create a new facility to satisfy the needs of people who are increasingly focused on wellness, lifestyle issues and the environment.”

He pointed out:

“Our site has an abundance of natural assets, including forty acres of forest, a 13-acre lake and the biodiversity that goes with them, from birds, butterflies and insects to clear night-time skies that are perfect for people whose spirits are lifted by looking at the stars.

“The aim is to harness and harmonise with all aspects of the natural environment – woodland, water and wildlife – to provide guests with a restful and regenerative stay that is good for mind, body and the healing process.

“That is why people wanting to find a peaceful and idyllic place to go on retreat, represent a growing part of our business.”

The yurts have been designed to provide a five-star level of luxury

In the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Yurtshire is surrounded by stunning  scenery, that would not look out of place on a canvas by the landscape master painter J.M.W. Turner.

Views from the decking of each Yurt site, which has its own private hot tub, underline why nearby Grassington was chosen for filming of the smash-hit Channel 5 programme All Creatures Great and Small.

Each of the nine placements has its own private hot tub and decking area

With Grassington and other attractions, such as Fountains Abbey, Studley Royal, Brimham Rocks and Stump Cross Caverns, drawing more staycationers to Yorkshire, there is scope for Yurtshire to build on a successful first season.

Nicola Warters, pictured here with Tom Sterne, says the yurts provide five-star luxury in idyllic surroundings

Yurtshire manager Nicola Warters, said:

“We are providing the type of luxury accommodation that can be found in a five-star hotel, but instead of waking up surrounded by bricks and mortar, our visitors are in the heart of the woodland and arise to the sound of birds singing.

“Some also come for the pleasure of picking out the star constellations, as they relax in the soothing waters of their hot tub. It’s therapeutic on every level.”

Read more:

• The natural beauty of Fountains Abbey captured on camera
• Stars of All Creatures Great and Small stars seen in the Harrogate district

Police have closed off the Pinewoods after suspected gunfire was heard this evening.

Someone in the area told the Stray Ferret they heard three “very loud” bangs, which they presumed to be gunshots, at around 5pm.

They said a police helicopter has been circling the woodland since then.

The Stray Ferret spoke to one police officer who said armed police had “contained” the area but did not give any further information. It is not known if anyone has been hurt.

We will have more information on this developing story as we get it.

A pair of nurses from Starbeck who are cycling across Europe for charity have made the trip even more special — by getting engaged in Paris.

Andy Dennis proposed to Tracey Hill at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, and even had friends on hand to film the occasion and celebrate with them.

He said:

“Everything was perfect: the company was lovely, the place chose itself — there was a view of the tower framed by the trees.”

Tracey said:

“He got down on one knee and it felt like going into an exam you haven’t prepared for.

“I just kept saying, ‘What are you doing? What’s going on?'”

Fortunately, Tracey accepted the proposal, and the newly engaged couple have enjoyed some time in Paris to celebrate.

Staying in a hotel for a couple of nights is luxury compared to some of their other experiences so far. Tracey said:

“We’ve been wild camping on our way here. You’re getting up, you feel sticky, you’re in a field, there’s nowhere to wash yourself except with a handful of water from your bottle.

“You’re packing up and off you go onto the road – it’s so hot from about half past eight, you’re just so grateful when you go through a forest.

“We watch out for each other and push ourselves to drink even if we aren’t thirsty, so we don’t get dehydrated.”

Now, the couple are back on the road towards Geneva.

They have told close family about their engagement, and Andy posted the video on his blog about the trip, but it will be many weeks before they can celebrate with friends and family.

They don’t expect to complete the 2,000-mile trip to Gibraltar for three months.

The ride is the couple’s latest fundraiser for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), a medical charity providing support to people in conflict zones and other troubled areas of the world.

Andy has completed previous challenges as part of a bid to raise £200,000 for MSF, which he has worked for on four missions: Uganda, twice in South Sudan, and in an ebola centre in Sierra Leone.

Read more:

• Ripon soldiers in Cyprus to undergo mammoth charity challenge
• Harrogate business man praises ‘amazing’ charity following £2m aid convoy into Ukraine

In his day job, Andy is a staff nurse on the intensive care unit at Harrogate District Hospital, where he and Tracey met. She now works as a nurse in dermatology at York Hospital.

Both have been supported by their employers, who have given them time off to complete the ride from Amsterdam to Gibraltar. The couple are funding all the travel, accommodation and food themselves, so all money donated goes directly to MSF.

To follow the couple’s progress, visit Andy’s blog or Tracey’s blog. You can donate to the cause by clicking the links from either of their blogs.

Harrogate district residents are being urged to tell police chiefs about their experiences of the non-emergency 101 and emergency 999 services.

It follows long-running concerns in the district about the length of time it takes to answer the calls.

The police contact survey opened on Wednesday and runs until June 26.

The survey, run by the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, will inform police forces, the Home Office and local crime commissioners on any challenges around reporting to the police.

Participants answer questions testing their understanding of emergency and non-emergency reporting systems, as well as newly emerging ways of contacting the police, like web chat, online forms and messaging over social media.

Zoë Metcalfe

Zoë Metcalfe, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said:

“Reporting to 101 and 999 remains a challenging area of business for police forces across the country. The needs of those making contact must be understood, and we must prioritise those most in need.

“I have expressed my concerns to the Chief Constable regarding poor call handling times. The Chief Constable and I are committed to significantly improving the customer contact experience and call handling times, and will monitor performance closely with the aim to improve the service as a priority. This will also include the call-waiting times for the non-emergency 101 service.”

Read more:

• Police commissioner: 101 line deluged by ‘neighbours complaining about each other’
• Commissioner Candidates questioned: the 101 call system ‘not fit for purpose’

Ms Metcalfe’s predecessor, Philip Allott, was told by North Yorkshire county councillors last year that the non-emergency line was “not fit for purpose and it hasn’t been fit for purpose for the last eight years” and that “the phone just doesn’t get answered”.

Ms Metcalfe will discuss North Yorkshire’s force control room’s performance in her next public accountability meeting on Tuesday.

Members of the public can submit questions in advance of the meeting via email to info@northyorkshire-pfcc.gov.uk. They should include their name and address.

You can take part in the public contact survey here.

Harrogate business Glawning Ltd has been named microbusiness of the year at the Federation of Small Businesses awards.  

Glawning, which sells awnings and accessories for campervans, was set up in 2013 by husband and wife James and Sarah Martin.

Since then, the company has flourished, and last year turned over more than £500,000.

The annual awards, which celebrate the best of small business and entrepreneurship, attracted more than 3,000 entries from the UK.  

Glawning won the Yorkshire award before defeating 12 other regional finalists at yesterday’s event in Glasgow, which was hosted by TV presenters Clare Balding and JJ Chalmers.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was also there to address the nominees.  

Read more:

• Plan to demolish Harrogate Debenhams withdrawn
• ‘Somebody knows something’— Killinghall peacock mystery deepens

Ms Martin said:  

“We set up our business after identifying a gap in the market and this award is very much a testament to all the work we have put into creating and launching a product that we ourselves need and use.” 

The company now plans to launch in Europe and the USA this year.

Martin McTague, FSB national chair said:  

“This is an example of a small business that recognised an opening for a new product and worked hard to create something that has been a success amongst the campervan community.

“I wish them success as they continue to innovate and create new products and take on the international markets.” 

This article is sponsored by Ripon City Council.

Ripon City Council invites people of all ages from the Harrogate district and further afield  to join its citizens in a once in a lifetime celebration in this Right Royal city, where the biggest free Platinum Jubilee party in the north is being held over four days to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and her selfless 70 years of service to this country.

Three days of continuous FREE musical entertainment from June 2 to 4 on a stage in front of Ripon Town Hall will see 24 of the country’s leading tribute acts perform, alongside FREE fairground rides for all the family and face painting, Punch and Judy and magic shows for children.

Full details can be found by clicking or tapping here to see Ripon City Council’s Platinum Jubilee brochure.

There’s something for everybody – from parents with a three-year-old wanting to have their face painted, to a 103 year-old great grandmother who wants to come and enjoy the nostalgic wartime songs made famous by forces sweetheart Vera Lynn.

All the fairground rides are free and there will also be a Twister ride suitable for adults

Seating will be provided on Market Square for the comfort of those wanting to take the weight off their feet while watching the tribute acts.

Music in Ripon’s Market Square

The extensive concert programme will feature just about every musical genre, from rock and roll to soul and Britpop to disco dancefloor fillers and popular classics.

Ripon’s Market Square will be in the national and international spotlight at 9.45pm on Thursday June 2, after Ripon Community Poppy Project successfully applied for the city to be be one of the 1500 locations included in the UK-wide chain of Platinum Jubilee beacons that will be simultaneously lit across the land.

Beacons will also be lit in Commonwealth countries.

During the three days of activities on Market Square,  Jubilee celebrations, including the beacon lighting  in London and elsewhere in the UK, can be seen live on a large TV screen.

Adding to the very special nature of the beacon lighting event, a lone piper will play Diu Regnare, which has been written specifically for the Platinum Jubilee.

The Platinum Jubilee Horn sounds

Another huge highlight will come at 9pm on Saturday June 4, when Ripon’s world-famous setting of the watch ceremony will be in the spotlight as the city council presents the Platinum Jubilee Horn, commissioned and made by craftsmen to provide a lasting memento of this history-making celebration.

The setting of the watch, which is the world’s longest unbroken ceremonial activity, will also be performed at 9pm on each concert night, by one of the city’s very-own ‘fab four’ hornblowers, resplendent in their distinctive uniforms and tri-cornered hats.

The concerts, with a programme that has been carefully arranged to include something for people of all ages and musical tastes, will start at 10.30am on Thursday June 2 and Friday June 3 and at 11am on Saturday June 4. They will go on into the night, finishing at 11.30pm on each of the three days.

Local residents and visitors to the city can enjoy three full days of free musical entertainment provided by 24 acts and going on until 11.30pm

Concert goers can listen to tribute acts singing the songs of Elvis, the Everly Brothers, Madonna, Little Mix, Phil Collins, George Michael, Katherine Jenkins and many more.

Music from Ripon City Band will accompany an afternoon of family fun in Spa Park on Sunday June 5. They will start at 2pm with a Jubilee Big Band welcome and conclude at 4.30pm with a rousing Last Night of the Proms performance, ending with Land of Hope and Glory.

Ripon Community Poppy Project – whose Knit and Natter group made the miles of Royal bunting that adorn the city’s streets – will be running the activities in the park, that also includes face painting, Jubilee-themed crafts and a treasure  hunt for children,

Ripon, whose regal roots reach back to 886 and King Alfred the Great, is primed for the biggest royal bash in its long and distinguished history and 1,136 years after the first blast of his ceremonial horn, the city council, citizens and visitors, will celebrate and thank the most enduring member in a long line of monarchs – HRH Queen Elizabeth II – for her remarkable service.

For those who wish to celebrate by raising a loyal toast or two in Ripon’s many pubs and restaurants, the regular Transdev 36 bus service may be an advisable means of getting to and from this city that certainly knows how to throw a party.