Vroom with a view – revving it up with Yorkshire Trike Tours

Jason and his wife Judith Richards cruising through Ilkley

It’s not the destination, it’s the glory of the ride, according to artist Edward Monkton’s Zen Dog.

And there can’t be anything more glorious than ripping through the Dales on a Yorkshire Boom Trike.

What a blast!

Wind tearing at your clothes, surrounded by the sites and smells of the beautiful countryside, this is an experience NOT to be missed.

The trike, affectionately named Lottie, is owned by Yorkshire Trike Tours – a brand new company setting up in Ilkley.

It’s owned by Ilkley born Jason Richards and his wife Judith who will be offering thrill-seekers a choice of up to 25 breath-taking journeys through the Dales aboard their trusty Trike.

We meet outside Ilkley Library, where Jason takes us through a list of safety procedures before we climb aboard.

The Trike doesn’t go unnoticed. All around us passers by point and stare -they can’t help it – ‘Lottie’ is a looker and she knows it. In fact she has even caught the eye of celebrities – Nick Baines (Peanut from the Kaiser Chiefs) was one of the first to take the tour.

Jason hands us our very own bandanna (Sons of Anarchy style) before giving us our über cool helmets – complete with Bluetooth so that we can chat to each other throughout the ride.

We are to be taken on Tour 3, Jason explains, through the town centre to Addingham Moorside, following the line of Rombalds Moor, dropping down into Airedale, passing Silsden, Riddlesden, before travelling over to East Morton, through Eldwick and back down past the Cow and Calf into Ilkley.

It has been said that driving a car is like watching a film, whereas riding a motorbike is like being in one.

Now I know exactly what that means. We are only minutes into the tour when we turn up at Addingham Moorside and I suddenly catch a whiff of what smells like home cooking.

“That’s the wild garlic,” explains Jason – “It’s powerful stuff isn’t it?”

Further up the hill I sense a less fragrant aroma coming off the fields – but it’s all part of the experience (and besides I can’t exactly roll up the window). [Read More...]