Words by Alex , Photos by various !
Crew: Slim, 3 Sheds, Troll, Bern, Butty, Lee, Dr S, Dunc, Stunt
Pub: El Pud
Route: Bolly Maze, Grimshaw lane, Redway, Nancy Lane, back of Kerridge from the farm to Waulkmill wood, Ingersley vale, Poachers Snicket, reverse Oakenbank, Jumper Lane, up to the Kettleshulme road, Bakestonedale road, Gritstone trail, Sponds, Dale Top, quarries descent, Birchencliffe, Long Lane, Beestone Mount, Poachers
Conditions: Cool & damp, cloud on the tops.
Trending hashtags: #ButtysAlcoPops
Notes:
The Bolly Bandit invokes a northern friendly route, and despite ski season tempting away some of our bretheren, we have a good turnout for late January!
Fairly mild low down, but recent rain has left the back of Kerridge pretty muddy, and its an especially sticky variety, so tyres were flinging velcro like lumps once back on the tarmac!
By the time we crested Oakenbank we were literally steaming in the damp air. Not much respite either as it’s pretty much all up all the way to the Gritstone gate.
Spooky light and decreasing visibility as we head offroad again and into the cloud that is draping the tops.
Butty has promised us some tipples, but the chill and wind in the murk makes the 1975 stone stop a non starter. Sub 10m vis now, and we manage to find the trig point, the track to which the farmer is making particularly unpleasant by spreading a thick layer of paper waste many metres long!
Navigation challenge is to get to the Dale Top track (and not lose anyone on the way), Butty uses on board GPS, others their instinct, and despite the soul sucking pull of the wet grass up’s on the way, we find we have cut the corner perfectly!
Vis is still poor, and wind chill high, but we stop by a small bit of wall near the start of the quarries descent for Butty’s Alcopops, a G&T one, then a Whisky and orange one, and then his special blend of ” a really expensive one, with a cheap one” – explaination is required – only a little of the good stuff left in the hip flask so I added what I had.
Top notes of nail varnish remover did not bode well, but it was warming on the way down 😉
Time to find our own way down, and apart from wet grass and wet rocks, the still thick hillfog kept giving reflections back in your face just when you didn’t want them going over bumps! Properly technical!
Finally out of the murk on moorside lane, a quick thrash and splash through Birchencliffe down to the road, and a regroup to the smell of hot brakes.
More tarmac to Long lane, and then the final bit of urban offroad into Beeston Mount and the call of the Poachers.
More odd names for ales with many pints of “Jar” (a porter), Troll was bewitched by the cans of craft ale, the food hearty and filling, and the banter varied and eclectic. Some early leavers missed the welcome arrival of El Pud, who took us down to another level!
AoE finish with a Leffe and a Whisky!