Words by Eric
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Crew; El Pres, Stunt, Eric,
Pub: Dunc
Route: BL, Sutton, Meg Lane, Hanging Gate, over the top, Greenways Bridge, Clough Brook, Tagsclough, Eagle and Child, Cut-thorne, Cumberland Brook, Standing Stone, LHS, Bob’s, Sutton Hall
Conditions; Dry at first, very very wet later!
Stats; El Pres – puncture
Offs; Non
Where is everybody? 6.45 and there were just three brave souls. But; a small posse, able to move with the speed and stealth of Ninja, deserves a route variation or two.
It started out cool and clear but little did we know what was ahead – Stunt hadn’t told us the bad news from his mobile weather station. Old legs were fully warmed up by the start of the first stealth section and they needed to be as the climb was just about on with lungs bursting at the top. The swooping green lane must have some stories to tell of travelers in days gone by but tonight there were just three orange flashes and darkness descended once more.
Unwisely we decided to tackle Clough Brook, up! Sadly this ancient byway has been totally destroyed by a***holes on motorbikes and 4x4s. It may not be illegal to drive it but the outcome is nothing short of wanton vandalism. Rant over we pushed through the thigh deep ruts, climbed to the A54 and headed over Tagsclough. The descent to the Eagle and Child is the right way to traverse this bit.
The original plan was to enter Three Shires by the Hawks Nest back door but as the rain started we headed for Cut-thorne instead. Now your correspondent cannot tell a lie, the decision was taken after taking the wrong road after a coat stop, but it turned out to be a prudent mistake as the conditions started to deteriorate rapidly. I’m not sure if it is all the wet weather or further unwanted attention of “motorists” but Cumberland Brook was feeling distinctly bumpy tonight.
3 Ninja were counted out at the top but only 2 were counted in at the bottom. Hmm dilemma, food orders to be placed and a wounded chum halfway up the track. F…m was considered but rejected as Stunt sprunt for the pub whilst I returned up the track at a more measured pace. By now it was pissing down and El Pres was battling a puncture – not the snakebite you would have expected but a nail, a nail halfway down Cumberland Brook for heaven’s sake. To make matters worse the Presidential Mountain Morph chose tonight to issue it’s last puff of breath.
The rain settled into a steady downpour as we headed back through Langley on one of those – “had enough now” nights. Fortunately Stunt had done a fine job as vanguard and we found him in Sutton Hall with smoking jacket on and warmth and sustenance awaiting.