In 1976, the year of the drought, we went on a cycle camping holiday in Yorkshire and Helmsley was one of our very favourite places.

Dunking our boiling bodies in the outdoor swimming poor was sheer bliss, after pedalling all day in scorching temperatures, watching the Tarmac melt beneath the wheels of our tandem.

We were young and hard-up and could only afford one special meal that holiday. We chose the Black Swan Hotel in Helmsley for this culinary treat and the wonderful meal we enjoyed is described in mouth watering detail in my new book: “Life In Tandem: tales of cycling travels” available from Amazon in Kindle and paperback.

Amongst other holidays recounted in the book is one taken 32 years later, in 2008, when Allan and I (plus tandem) returned to Yorkshire, on a mission to recreate our carefree youth.

Jackie Winter, Blandford Forum