Words by Alex, Photos by Butty & Pete
Crew: El Pres, PTD, Slim, Bern, Butty, TJ, Mr Inc, Stunt
Pub: Dunc, Adrian
Route: BL, Higher Fence, Hurdsfield Road, Snicket by AZ, Double Track to Clarke Lane, Endon House Climb, Redways, under White Nancy, back of Kerridge, Rainow, Bull Hill Lane, Walker Barn, Charity, Narnia, Hardingland, Sutton Hall.
Conditions: Cold & Clear, wet & muddy (some snow higher up)
Notes:
After some recent rides with small crew, tonight sees a whole eight riders!
Mr Inc having been on his travels for some weeks realises his new riding boots are still at Lee’s (who is now in NZ) so some old ones will have to do!
PTD arrives full of enthusiasm with a route plan that is touted to be different whilst being familiar…we indulge 🙂
We head back to the Rainbow bridge meet point (to the bemusement of the tythy crowd) and Butty tells of an epic puddle on the silk road which he came through on the way here! The snicket is pretty muddy and wet too!
Snow earlier in the day melted fast, but has left a lot of surface water..we fear for the state of Kerridge..
Skies are now pretty clear, and lovely view across the Cheshire plains.
The concrete climb to “under White Nancy” is as steep as we remember, with a killer last 10 meters! Kerridge starts grassy and greasy, but anything steep is a slithery walk…Mr Inc’s five tens leave him little grip even when walking! You know it’s tricky when you are aiming for the mud on the slippy slabs as being the least worst line!
The steep field is a challenge with lots of gasping by the end.
The slope of doom down to Rainow is just that..with a lot of laughs as control is “marginal!” we all make it fine 🙂
Bull Hill awaits, and chat stops other than the odd call of CAR!
New Road provides some respite before Charity.
Snow remnants at the start give a great bike parking opportunity, and Stunt provides hot laced coffee to warm us up as we regroup.
Topping out, PTD takes us up onto the Right Hand Side, where there is still some snow, it’s a good move, lots of fun, and a lot drier than the main track which is running with a lot of meltwater.
Narnia is muddy, and at the bench Butty offers a choice of Ouzo* or Whisky for more inner warmth 🙂
*Footnote : it is also known as “Boozo” or “b’tard in a glass”
Bern & Pete, tagging along at the back as we traversed Narnia, were treated to a Barn Owl fly past , beautifully illuminated by Pete’s helmet light. Magic moments.
All downhill from here on…first to Witches cottage which now has a timber shed on one end and a lot of cut christmas trees…!!??
Hardingland fast and dry as usual (no badgers tonight), lower teggs wet and muddy.
We get shouted at by a cyclist coming up from Sutton on the road..we think he may have had light envy??
Blazing fire at Sutton Hall very welcome..although already occupied. Its still warm though, and we soon settle into our usual table with the pale Cheshire Gap, or the heavy “Bear Ass” (phnaar phnaar). Plenty of catching up, cameraderie, serious discussion and irreverent banter.
Adrian arrives fresh from Mountain Rescue training in Macc Forest, as the Smithy is not as dog friendly as Sutton Hall. Funky also drops in (minus bike) with tales of the Running/Bike Five hour event in the lakes that he and Nick are doing at the weekend!
Last orders and swift whiskies for the bad come all too soon, and the bill is settled after some confusion over the discount (but all is good).
No weather to hang about on the way home, although we almost need to assist Adrian with an errant spaniel in the car park 😉
A Proper TNR!