Rosedale Abbey is ready for the Tour de Yorkshire. Are you?

You've all heard of Le Tour de France. Of course you have. Well those lovely people  in charge of that major spectacular have launched Le Tour de Yorkshire. No. I've not made a mistake in its Frenchness. It's officially called that and May 2015 marks its inaugural outing. Three days of spectacular cycling beckon. 
And guess what?

Although a triathlete, Alistair Brownlee would be great at this event - if you added in swimming and running plus and a proud Yorkshire lad, to boot!

Well-known cyclists, including Bradley Wiggins, and prestigious teams such as Sky pass through our village on the first of the Tour's gruelling stages. On Friday May 1st, it traverses the North York Moors National Park (A very round trip from Bridlington to Scarborough with its stunning coastline and stunning moorland in the centre.) Then on the 2nd May, it's the turn of the lovely Yorkshire Wolds, beginning in Selby and its abbey and finishing in York with its Minster. The last day is further south in the old wool manufacturing heartland of God's Own County, then onto the Dales which was such a hit in the Tour de France last year and then culminates in Leeds. So, naturally we have all dressed up in blue and yellow, the official colours of Le Tour. The only sad thing is that the live TV coverage on ITV 4 and Euro-Sport channels does not begin until half an hour after the peloton has just passed through our village and its environs and will have seen Young Ralph, Castleton and and be its way to Whitby - and another famous abbey.

The Tour has named this part of the road north with its fine view of the dale as "Le Cote de Rosedale" which leads across the moor to...

...Young Ralph...

...Castleton...

And then into Whitby, then Robin Hoods Bay and finally - Scarborough. Phew!

SO,  let's linger for a while to admire what Rosedale Abbey has done to welcome the riders!  Come and join in the fun on Friday. And please drive carefully.

Here we are.

Oops! But don't turn up there! Even professional cyclists fear the dreaded Rosedale Chimney Bank!

Come on in!

You can stay at one of our camp-sites.

But don't cycle here - it's a private garden!

But stop for a pot of tea and enjoy Anne's wonderful cakes!

...or relax on the green with home-made Yorkshire ice-cream

Rosedale School has very imaginative artists. 

And what's this guy doing?

Not a lot. He's been waiting patiently for a while for the cyclists

But where's he disappeared to now?

Here?

There?

Oh sorry. He's had to attend to a call of nature. Hurry up! These cyclists are fast.

We're having a celebration. Why not come and sample the delights we have to offer. Cakes, ice-cream, and fine glassware to buy. Have a drink at The Coach-house Inn, The White Horse Farm Inn plus the welcome re-re-opening of The Milburn Arms. And much, much more. Enjoy!