Words by Alex, Photos by Alex and Chris.
Crew: PTD, El Pres, Troll, TJ, 3 Sheds, Stunt
Route: BL, New Road, Tea Rooms, Descent to Goytclough quarry, contour to the right, singletrack through the woods on the the goyt road, up to Derbyshire bridge, Buxton old road, left at the top, singletrack back to the footbridge, Erwood Hall, up the track to the shrine, Pym Chair, Lamaload, Waterworks, Rainow, Hurdsfield, Home.
Conditions: Warm, Windy, Cloudy, Dry Trails
Notes:
Smallish crew, dry, light till late…time to go high, go big, and bring your own sarnies!
PTD takes charge of the route (and 3 sheds still turns up!)
Some last minute provisioning required at the co-op and we are off.
Dark clouds and forecast shower at 6 (threatened but stayed dry) seem to have kept the moto’s away.
A chatty ride up, wind assisted, Buzzards hanging in the breeze higher up.
Tea rooms lawn being inspected by a curlew, and as we head up the track another flies off, and we spot the large chick scuttling into the undergrowth.
Wind really rather strong on the top, and a few drops of rain as we head over the stile mean its tops on.
A long time since we have done this descent – by jove it’s rocky and Gnarr! Dry and grippy though 🙂
A bit of pushing on the countour section before we get to the nice singletrack, the difference down and out of the wind is incredible!
Dropping on the goyt road for the haul up to Derbyshire bridge car park we are struck by just how green and lush it looks (unlike most times we ride here!)
It’s only 8:15 but already the hungrier of our number as asking if it’s time for food yet, but the accompanying drink is likely to be a bad idea this early so we press on.
Skies brighten a little as we climb the old broken road, white fluffy tops on the marshgrass reminicent of Dr Seuss!
Briefly enjoying the views across Buxton, we seem to have turned into the face of the wind again..time to head off before the chill bites.
Have we ever been across here when it’s been this dry?? Narrow rocky and loose, but ace!!!
Regroup at the footbridge, and agree (some reluctantly) to picnic on the climb out to Pym Chair near the Shrine (just windy enough to keep the midges down, sheltered enough to be comfortable, not too much climb left)
Not many folk about by now, and we find our way (a little to precisely) to Erwood hall – picture stop (caption competition)
PTD avoids Kershaw gulch, and cleans the steps all the way to the stream, and we start the climb out.
Not sure whether it was the tiring legs, the need of food, or the rutty steepness, but it’s a struggle to get going, much pushing on the steeper sections.
Finally we stop, packs are opened, Cotswold G&T, some rather good pork pies from the Co-op, lashings of mustard, Rhubarb Vodka, Single Malts and even some nuts 🙂
Tis a good spot and the food is demolished rapidly, the drinks savoured, and the clouds (now darkening again) analysed for raininess.
Gloom is descending, lights on for our Ascending to Pym’s Chair (and all are grateful there is not much to go having eaten and drunk our fill)
More serious blowiness makes the descent to Saltersford an unusual mix of great grip on the dry road plus unexpected gusts blowing you off line!
Slogging up the “forgotten hill”  to the junction of Erwin lane (well we always seem to forget about it until we get to it!), PTD decides we should turn left and do Lamaload.
No one mutinies (strangely) although 3 Sheds does decide he’s had enough, and as the clock strikes 10pm we are into the car park and onto the track.
There is alcohol left in the packs, and it seems fitting to have a final stop to finish it, a swoopy descent (with big air halfway down), a final grind up the road, and sheltering in a hollow (and avoiding the sheep poop) we finish the spirits as we take in the view of the plain.
El Pres still fancies a beer (although Stunt fancies his bed) so a parting of the ways in Rainow as Four go in search of Last Orders at the Robin Hood.
Rumour has it that it was eventually found at the 3 Crowns in Hurdfield!
A fine route (even if the legs complained the next day!)
Solstice next week.