Six outdoor workouts to try across the Harrogate district this spring and summer

We have been bathed in glorious sunshine this week and it feels amazing to get outside and feel the sun on our skin again.

While our sunny disposition may change with the weather, it’s always good to make the most of it while you can – and that includes exercising outdoors.

Because, let’s face it, the treadmill and weights areas just don’t have the same appeal when it’s warm outside.

If you’ve only ever really worked out at a gym, however, you might be wondering how to make your sweat session an al fresco experience.

From wild swimming and cycling to bootcamps and running, here are six outdoor workouts across the Harrogate district to get you out in the sunshine this spring and summer:

Outdoor fitness sessions with Set the Tone Fitness – Ripon and Knaresborough

A Set the Tone outdoor fitness session.

Head fitness coach Stu Clark and his team run outdoor sessions across Ripon and Knaresborough.

You can expect a mixture of cardio and non-cardio exercises and activities, along with fun warm-ups, team and pair work, accompanied by some “excellent tunes”.

The sessions are suitable for all levels of fitness.

Stu said:

“There’s nothing better than breathing in the fresh air and feeling the sun on your back while you’re doing squats or a one-minute plank.

“It makes you feel alive. There’s something about being in amongst nature and hearing those sounds that brings peace and calm.

“You can forget your other pressures and focus on enjoying the outdoors – even if that involves getting a bit of a sweat on and doing more star jumps than you thought possible.

“The sessions and are great fun. After all, laughter is great for your stress levels and may lower blood pressure.”

Parkrun – Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon

A parkrun in Harrogate from 2015.

Parkrun sees runners of all abilities take part in a 5km run every Saturday morning.

It holds three events in the Harrogate district: on The Stray in Harrogate, at Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough and at Fountains Abbey in Ripon.

It offers an opportunity for all the local community, regardless of age or gender, to come together on a regular basis to enjoy the beautiful green spaces and get physically active at the same time – and best of all, it’s free!

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Wild swimming – various locations

Ben Pitts tests the waters at Janet’s Foss in Malhamdale.

Wild – or outdoor – swimming has enjoyed increased popularity in recent years, with more and more people even braving the elements and swimming throughout the seasons.

If winter swimming sounds a little on the chilly side, then luckily late spring and early summer is a more favourable time to start.

Wild swimmer Ben Pitts, from Harrogate, said:

“I started back in 2019 with a friend from work. For some reason we decided November would be a great time to start, so there was actually frost in the shaded part around the lake. I’m pretty sure we were only in there for a minute, but that was long enough.

“I wanted to get into it after reading about the benefits of it in one of Ross Edgley’s books.

“The mental clarity you get from being in the cold and the rush of energy once you’re out are fantastic, so it’s not hard to see why more people are getting into it with everything that has been going on. It also increases your white blood cell count, which helps your immune system.”

Swimming outdoors is a great way to stay fit and connect with nature, but some basic safety precautions must be taken.

When it comes to locations, a good place to start is here.

Cycling with The Personal Cyclist, Harrogate area

Head outside on a bike with confidence – even if you don’t know where to start.

If you’re anything like me and you love the idea of heading out on a bike, but have no idea where to start, The Personal Cyclist offers cycling confidence coaching and personalised guided cycling tours in and around Harrogate.

Founder Kate Auld said:

“Cycling outdoors with the wind in your hair is one of the best ways to see the world, get close to nature and get a cracking workout in the process.

“You can’t check your phone and just ‘switch off’, you have to really engage with your surroundings and that’s what makes it magic.

“Often people who haven’t ridden for years just need a little extra support to cycle safely and socially. It’s a myth that you need to have all the gear (or go fast) to reap the benefits of cycling outside.”

Ready Steady Mums walking group – Harrogate

Ready Steady Mums brings new parents together once a week to walk together

Ready Steady Mums brings new parents together once a week to walk together.

In Harrogate, simply going for a weekly walk around The Stray has been a lifeline for dozens of new parents, who bring their babies along to get out of the house and make friends at what can be a very isolating time.

Formed in 2016, the volunteer-run group offers “friendship, support, cake, fresh air and fitness” and meets at St Mark’s Church, just off Leeds Road, at 10am every Friday.

It is free to attend and there is no need to book. I’ve heard amazing things about the homemade cakes!

Bootcamps with Lauren Randall Fitness – Harrogate

Bootcampers get stuck in at “The Ranch”, just outside Pannal.

Personal trainer Lauren coaches at the biggest outdoor gym space in the area, just outside Pannal, complete with a full gym rig and plenty of kit – perfect for adult PE.

Sessions at “The Ranch” are 45 minutes and focus on everything from weight lifting technique to cardio endurance to sport specific training, catering for all levels of fitness.

Lauren said:

“Research continues to prove that being outdoors and around nature improves mental health, lowers blood pressure, improves mood and relieves stress.

“Combine that with the endorphin release and plethora of benefits of exercising and you can’t go wrong.

“The winter weather can make it more challenging to get outside, but you’ll soon notice a surge in outdoor activities and better moods.”

Free school cycling lessons to be ended in North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire County Council is facing criticism over a proposal to charge thousands of parents for their children’s school cycling proficiency training

Leading councillors will on Friday consider accepting the Department for Transport’s grant to run Bikeability, the government’s national cycle training programme, which teaches practical skills as well as how to cycle on roads.

A proposal to formally accept the grant has been made despite the sum being less than the £46.20 per pupil received last year. The shortfall in total is almost £90,000 and could lead to a £10 charge for parents to partially offset this.

An officers’ report states alongside an increased subsidy from the council, from September will be the first full year in which fees will be charged to the families of more than 4,000 primary school pupils for the course.

The officers’ report warns: 

“For the programme to continue, funding will be required to meet the shortfall, through either a full charging scheme or another source.

“This may impact on the number of schools booking courses.”

The report reveals that for the current academic year, the council accepted a grant of £168,165 to provide up to 3,637 places on the scheme, which employs seven fixed-term, part-time staff and approximately 40 casual relief cycle trainers.

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For the coming academic year the Department for Transport has offered grant funding of £186,165, to provide 4,137 places, equating to £45 per pupil.

The report adds: 

“For the programme to continue, funding will be required to meet the shortfall, through either a full charging scheme or another source.”

The council’s executive member for access, Don Mackenzie, said while the charge to parents was coming on top of many other cost of living increases, the benefits of undertaking cycling training were very significant.

Describing the £10 fee as “a very small amount”, Cllr Mackenzie said Bikeability had become more important with the switch to more sustainable modes of travel and in the drive to tackle obesity.

He said: 

“It gives people better skills on the road, improves their confidence, and once trained encourages more people to take up cycling. To me it is up there with life skills such as learning to swim.”

‘Dreadful idea’

However, the authority’s Liberal Democrat and Labour group leaders, councillors Bryn Griffiths and Eric Broadbent, have called for the ruling Conservative administration to rethink the levying charge, saying it would prove divisive in some schools and an unacceptable extra charge for many families.

Cllr Griffiths said putting an extra £10 charge on people already struggling to make ends meet due to mounting fuel and food costs was “a dreadful idea”.

He said: 

“An exemption for children on free school meals would be an excellent idea.”

Cllr Broadbent added he was concerned the charge could lead to some children from financially struggling families not taking the course and while £10 would seem a minimal sum to many people, it would represent another item those on low incomes would not have budgeted for.

Next phase of Otley Road cycle path delayed and reviewed

North Yorkshire County Council has said it will review the design of the second phase of the Otley Road cycle path in Harrogate.

It follows criticism of the first phase from Harlow Moor Road to Arthurs Avenue/Cold Bath Road, which was completed in January.

Some businesses, pedestrians and cycle groups, including Harrogate District Cycle Action and Hedgehog Cycling, have expressed concerns over the design of the cycle path, particularly that some parts are unsegregated and shared with pedestrians.

Safety concerns for cyclists have also been raised about the Harlow Moor Road junction.

The council previously said it hoped to start work on phase two, which will extend the path to Beech Grove, in April.

But a news release yesterday was more vague, saying work was due to begin at some point in “the next financial year” whilst it takes another look at the designs.

A contractor to build phase two is yet to be appointed.

New guidance

New government guidance on cycle lanes in July 2020 said any new infrastructure should be “high quality, with a strong preference for segregated lanes”.

It warned against councils building routes that require a lot of stopping and starting from cyclists.

The guidance was introduced after the designs for phase one and phase two were published in November 2019.

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Council officers met with members of Harrogate District Cycle Action for a “walk-through” of the route last month to listen to their concerns and take on board feedback for phase two.

Creating a safe route

Melissa Burnham, area highways manager at the council, said it recognised there may be parts of the route where the 2020 government guidance “cannot be fully applied”.

Ms Burnham said officers would meet local groups again to review the designs of phase two “in light of this new guidance”.

Work on phase one finished in January.

A council spokesperson stressed that this review would not put the project in doubt, but they did not give further details of what changes might be made, or if they would involve more trees being felled on Otley Road to make room for segregated lanes.

Ms Burnham added:

“We recognise the new cycling guidance and the benefits this brings to users. Where there are such constraints along Otley Road we use the guidance as a starting point to create a safe route.”

The third and final phase, connecting Cardale Park, relies on developer funding and will require detailed planning, including a feasibility study.

Welcome to Yorkshire defends 2014 Tour De France following criticism

Tourism body Welcome to Yorkshire has defended the impact of the 2014 Tour De France Grand Depart, which ended in Harrogate, after MPs were told this week that the event had no lasting impact on Yorkshire tourism.

At an MPs select committee on Tuesday, Caroline Cooper Charles, chief executive of Screen Yorkshire, which champions the film and TV industry in Yorkshire, gave evidence about promoting the UK as a tourist destination.

Asked by Labour MP Clive Efford if the Grand Depart had a lasting impact on tourism in the county, she replied:

“In all honesty, I don’t think it did.

“It certainly put the spotlight on Yorkshire and people came to see the race. Probably for a short amount of time hotels were booked up and restaurants were full. In terms of long term impact no, I wouldn’t say so.”

‘Immense international hit’

Welcome to Yorkshire played a major role in bringing the event to Yorkshire.

An estimated 300,000 people lined the streets in places including Ripon, Masham and Harrogate to watch the race.

A WTY spokesperson told the Stray Ferret the Grand Depart was an “immense international hit” that helped to put Yorkshire on a global stage and “showcase its beauty to the world”.

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Legacy

The spokesperson claimed the Grand Depart attracted 4 million roadside spectators and the race was watched in 188 countries with £330m worth of media coverage.

They said tweets about the race reached 230 million people and the Tour de France Grand Départ in Yorkshire trended worldwide.

The spokesperson said key to the legacy of the Grand Depart was the annual Tour de Yorkshire races from 2015 to 2019.

They added:

“The Tour de Yorkshire has also been of huge economic benefit to the county and the tourism industry, further boosting the county’s economy and promoting spectacular Yorkshire across the globe.

“Benefits for the county during the Tour de Yorkshires have included record-breaking figures of 107.5m Twitter reach (2016), 2.6 million spectators along the route and a £98m economic impact (2018), plus a TV audience of 28 million in 190 countries (2019).

“This world-class cycling event is also so much more than a bike race – it’s about the crowds, the community engagement and that amazing Yorkshire welcome, plus it’s proved to be the perfect opportunity, year upon year, to let the world see Yorkshire’s spectacular countryside, stunning coastline, vibrant cities, pretty towns and villages, as well as its world-renowned history and heritage locations.”

Council ridiculed for cycle path sign that points to Harrogate in wrong direction

There has been mirth and exasperation in Harrogate after a sign for the Otley Road cycle path was built pointing to the town centre in the wrong direction.

The long-awaited cycle path has been called a step forward for cycling in the town by Harrogate District Cycle Action but even its supporters would admit it’s had a bumpy ride so far.

After years of delays, there have been complaints from local business owners about disruption from building works and confusion from cyclists over what some believe to be a convoluted course that weaves on and off a shared route with pedestrians.

Phase one from Harlow Moor Road to Arthurs Avenue is now ready to be used and North Yorkshire County Council contractors erected signs two weeks ago, including this one close to the Harlow Moor Road junction.

But instead of directing cyclists towards the town centre and Valley Gardens, it sends them up Harlow Hill and out towards West Yorkshire.

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The Stray Ferret asked members of a Harrogate Facebook group what they thought about the error.

Mary Reevey called the sign “shambolic” whilst Christine Hemming said it was “totally useless, just like the cycle lane”.

Others joked that cyclists would now be able to take “the scenic route” into town.

However, Richard Squire defended the erroneous sign and called for some perspective:

“I think things go wrong sometimes. It’s no big deal, is it?”

In response, Melisa Burnham, highways area manager at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“This is a genuine mistake by our contractor. The signage will be amended this week at no cost to the council.”

What’s next for Harrogate’s £10.9m Station Gateway?

The Harrogate Station Gateway project may have been approved, but the next stages of the £10.9m scheme will be far from straightforward.

It took almost two years of design work and heated debate to get to this stage – now questions are turning to when the vision of Harrogate town centre less dominated by cars could become a reality.

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive approved the project last month in the face of a deep divide amongst residents and businesses over what the major changes to several streets will mean for the local economy and traffic congestion.

The council originally said it anticipated construction would start this spring or summer, but it is now being much more ambiguous, saying works “could” begin “later this year”.

It also said construction could stretch into 2024 after initially aiming for completion by the end of 2023.

This uncertainty over when the project could start and finish has drawn further concern from some business leaders who had previously called for the gateway to be halted.

David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate Chamber of Commerce, said now the project is going ahead, it is key that disruption to businesses is kept to “an absolute minimum” when the construction phase eventually gets underway.

He said:

“We were initially told that if approved, work would commence in late spring/early summer, and what I wouldn’t want to see is it commencing in the run up to Christmas.

“When it does start, the message that needs to be communicated loud and clear is that the town remains open for business.

“The project team also needs to consult with the business community long before work starts, and it also needs to be prepared to listen to any concerns that might arise.”

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Works on the detailed designs of the project – which includes reducing a stretch of Station Parade to one-lane traffic and a part-time pedestrianisation of James Street – are now continuing ahead of a final business case being submitted around August.

Objections could lead to public inquiry

The business case will be submitted to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority which is overseeing the project funding from the government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

Subject to its approval, a contractor will then be appointed to carry out the works, as well as similar projects in Selby and Skipton.

Traffic Regulation Orders – which are legal documents needed to introduce road changes – will be necessary for all three schemes and could spark public inquiries if objections are received.

These orders are lengthy processes and can often take several months to complete due to the need for public consultations.

The idea of a judicial review – which would be a court hearing into whether the council’s decision to approve the Gateway was lawful or not – has also been previously discussed by some Harrogate businesses.

This would have the potential to either derail the project or delay it long enough to jeopardise funding.

Reduce congestion

Despite the objections and threats of legal action, the gateway has been well supported by many residents and campaign groups who have hailed it as a positive step to tackle climate change and cut car congestion.

The project also includes improvements for pedestrians and cyclists, with upgrades planned for Station Square and the One Arch underpass, as well the Odeon cinema roundabout and several other streets in the area.

North Yorkshire County Council, the lead partner on the scheme, has continually insisted that businesses, cyclists, pedestrians and public transport users alike will see the benefits once the project is completed.

It also said while the construction phase will be a challenge, the authority will try to minimise the impact on traffic and trade.

A county council spokesperson said:

“Although the Department for Transport set an initial completion date of March 2023, the department has advised that completion could extend into 2024.

“The programme is tight, so the flexibility is welcome.

“The county council takes the delivery risk, but will have robust programme management in place and there is a sum for contingency within each scheme’s budget.”

New moves to improve cycling in North Yorkshire

A local authority facing a huge demand to increase cycling infrastructure has revealed it is mapping all non-public right-of-way cycle routes for the first time to make it easier for people to swap their cars for bikes.

North Yorkshire County Council’s highways team is set to produce a cycling route map spanning England’s largest county while also examining moves such as segregating road users as sweeping Highway Code changes are introduced to make cycling easier and safer.

The announcements follow the authority being inundated with proposals for cycle route schemes from residents and community groups after the authority received £1m from Department for Transport Active Travel Fund last year to improve the infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.

Despite numerous calls for action to enable active travel in rural areas, the council said it would focus the funding on large towns, such as Harrogate, as greater populations meant better value for money.

Harrogate currently has cycling routes planned for Otley Road and Victoria Avenue in Harrogate and Harrogate Road in Knaresborough.

A meeting of the county’s Local Access Forum this week heard safety concerns continued to be a major factor in determining whether people chose to cycle and that the government was trying to discourage segregating cyclists by using white lines, “given that white lines don’t do anything to protect cyclists”.

Instead, highway officers said, the authority was now moving towards physically segregating cyclists and motorists, but it was a more expensive than simply using white lines and would “not happen overnight”.

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The forum’s chairman, Paul Sherwood, said action was needed to improve roads for cyclists. He said:

“Is the highways section of the county council aware of the incredibly dangerous situation of the appallingly maintained roads in which cycling is extremely hazardous in the way the roads are at the moment?”

Funding from developers

Officers replied that the roads were subject to a scheduled programme of inspections and the council was looking to gain extra funding through property developers’ contributions for safety improvements. The meeting heard the availability of funding could increase when the forthcoming unitary authority controls most of the county’s planning matters.

The meeting was told it was hoped a county-wide map of non-public right of way routes would make it easier for cyclists to plan.

An officer said:

“We recognise it is not that easy to find out where those routes are. We are moving towards making that more accessible.”

The meeting heard the authority would be taking into account the HIghway Code changes, in which cyclists are encouraged to cycle in the middle of the road, but the changes were unlikely to impact on the design for cycling infrastructure.

Councillors were told the council would examine schemes such as one introduced in parts of York where bollards have been placed at the side of the road to segregate cyclists and motorists, which had increased safety for cyclists while the narrowing of the road had slowed traffic.

Long-awaited Otley Road cycle lane opens to safety concerns

The first phase of the much-anticipated cycle lane on Otley Road in Harrogate was completed today amid safety fears by a cycling campaign group.

North Yorkshire County Council has now completed the initial stretch from Harlow Moor Road to Arthurs Avenue. It is the first of three phases on Otley Road.

However, the junction with Harlow Moor Road has given Harrogate District Cycle Action group cause for concern.

Kevin Douglas, chairman of HDCA, told the Stray Ferret the cycle route was a “step forward” overall but the junction failed to meet safety standards:

“We can see that they have widened the junction for cars. It is great news for drivers but that was not the point of the scheme.

“In its current form I do not think it meets the minimum safety standards.

“The council is planning to widen the path at the junction by using land owned by Yorkshire Water which would improve the situation but until then it is too narrow.

“Overall I see this as a step forward. The sooner we have cycle lanes that connect houses on the edges of town with the town centre the better.”

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North Yorkshire County Council has been working closely with Mr Douglas and other local cycling groups as part of the consultation process.

Much of the route is shared with pedestrians.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, told the Stray Ferret:

“There has been some criticism about the fact that it is shared access with pedestrians and cyclists, but that has always been part of the design.

“I have had many conversations with Mr Douglas. He is concerned about the pinch point at the Harlow Moor Road junction but we are going to resolve the issue. It’s a fair assessment.

“We have reached an agreement with Yorkshire Water so we can widen that path. I cannot give a date on when those works will start.”

Construction of the second phase, from Cold Bath Road to Beech Grove, is due to start in April. There is still no timescale for phase three, which will connect to Cardale Park.

Mr Mackenzie also raised the prospect of eventually extending the cycle lane to Beckwithshaw. He told the Stray Ferret it would likely receive funding due to the number of housing planned for the area. Developers, as part of planning consent, would be expected to fund the route.

Scrapping Pannal cycle lane ‘ludicrous’, says cycling group

A decision to scrap a legal agreement for a housing developer to build a cycle lane in Pannal has been described as “ludicrous”.

Bellway Homes had agreed to build the cycle lane on Leeds Road when its 128-home development at the former Dunlopillo factory site was approved by Harrogate Borough Council in 2017.

But the Section 106 agreement has now been scrapped by the council in favour of a £189,000 contribution from the developers after the cycle lane costs increased to almost £1m due to new government guidance on design standards.

Kevin Douglas, chairman of Harrogate District Cycle Action, described the decision as “ludicrous” and said the developers should be made to fulfil their agreement.

He said:

“Councils are not always going to have this kind of money themselves so they should be ensuring developers who are building houses and bringing more people into the town provide the appropriate infrastructure we need.

“The cycle lane wasn’t a brilliant scheme in the first place, but at least it would have been something.”

‘We need these links’

Mr Douglas also said cycle links in outskirt areas like Pannal should be seen as a priority to make the most of larger projects including the £10.9 million Harrogate Gateway.

He added: 

“Making improvements in the town centre will be great but we need these links in for people to get there.

“It’s very important that all these plans and projects connect together.”

The decision to scrap the agreement was made at a meeting of Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee on Tuesday after a recommendation from officers.

Kate Broadbank, housing officer at the council, told the committee it “would not be reasonable” to make the developers build the cycle lane given the increased costs.

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North Yorkshire County Council, which is responsible for highways, had also agreed to the decision prior to the meeting and is now drawing up proposals for wider improvements in Pannal using the £189,000 agreed alongside other contributions.

Paul Thornton, planning manager at Bellway Homes, said the company believed these wider plans would be of more benefit to the area.

He said: 

“The proposed commuted sum will be used to help fund wider improvements along the A61 which will ultimately benefit residents of Pannal and the wider district.

“We believe the funding provided through the amended Section 106 contribution will be far more beneficial than progressing a standalone scheme.”

Housing developer can ‘no longer afford’ to pay for Leeds Road cycle path

One of the UK’s biggest housing developers, which is building 128 homes in Pannal, has said it can no longer afford to pay for a cycle route on Leeds Road, despite being legally obliged to do so.

Bellway Homes was granted planning permission for its Jubilee Park development on the site of the former Dunlopillo factory in 2017. Homes are being sold there for upwards of £316,000.

Bellway Homes committed to paying for a cycle route on the A61 from the bridge over the River Crimple in Pannal to the Fulwith Mill Lane junction. This was done by a section 106 agreement, which housebuilders pay to mitigate for the cost of development.

However, more than four years after being granted permission to build the homes, the developer today asked Harrogate Borough Council‘s planning committee to remove the agreement, which it called “unreasonable” due to a change in government cycle scheme standards.

‘No longer viable’

Speaking at the planning committee this afternoon, Paul Thornton, planning manager at Bellway Homes, said the initial plans for the scheme were to widen the footpath to provide shared access with cyclists.

But a recent change in government standards meant the developer would now be obliged to create a cycle route segregated from motor vehicles to protect the safety of cyclists. Mr Thornton said this change had made the route “no longer viable” due to the increase in cost.

Bellway instead offered to pay £189,000 to the council to go towards the route or unspecified “wider improvements” along the A61.

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Mr Thornton said:

“It will help fund winder improvements along the A61 which will benefit Pannal and the wider district.

“We believe the funding will be far more beneficial than a standalone scheme.”

Harrogate Borough Council housing officer Kate Broadbank, who wrote a report to councillors recommending they approve the removal of the section 106 agreement, said the cycle route would now cost £980,000 due to the new government standards.

Ms Broadbank wrote in the report that “it would not be reasonable” to expect the developer to pay for it all.

Liberal Democrat councillor Hannah Gostlow, who represents Knaresborough Scriven Park, asked if this meant the taxpayer would now foot the rest of the bill if the cycle route ever gets built.

Harrogate Borough Council’s chief planner John Worthington said this was an “impossible question to answer”.

Councillors agreed to remove the section 106 agreement and accept the £189,000 offer by 7 votes to none, with three councillors abstaining.