Crew: El Pres, Butty, Bern, Dunc, Troll, 3 Sheds, Lee
Pub: Slim
Route: MC, Zig Zags, Walker Barn, Charity Lane, Extension, Tea Rooms, Cat, Danebower, RHS turn off direct to Cumberland Brook, Standing Stone, Nessit, Ressies, 5 Clouds.
Conditions: Warm, overcast, buggy
Notes:
Bern takes ops leader duty, and suggests a classic route with an alfresco finish in town.
Despite the cloudiness it’s still short sleeves weather on dry trails. Uphill to start, and by the start of charity we are wondering where Dunc is? He’s bringing up the rear having discovered that 24hour running events at the weekend followed by fell race (up shutlingsloe twice!) do affect performance!
Both sides of Chazza running well, but the extension is skittish!
More climb out from Bottom O’the oven, The Macclesfield Distilliery farm up for sale if you fancy a project? and the farm on the left half way up to the main road is installing a recyled barn or two (or will they be indoor riding sheds?)
Still no need for an extra layer at the Cat (a very rare thing indeed)
Turning off halfway along Danebower, with a bright orange wildcamping tent just visible beyond, we meet a couple of motocrossers coming up, and our very own closet crosser takes it upon himself to proffer helpful advice about which trails are legal and what is not (aka this one). Echo’s of walker v MTB’ers conversations??
The grassy bit to the stream is great, the contour then descent into the rocky stream bed still doesn’t flow even for Butty & 3 Sheds.
A wee dram of glenfiddich from Stunt at the gate for no particular reason apart from discovering that the hip flask was full when pulling out gear for the ride.
Bern gets us going again promptly as the wee midgies are about.
Another week, another Chumby descent, another tyre malfunction! this time its Mr Troll!
Most of the crew continue on to the road in an attempt to out run the bugs (no luck) and it’s a long arm slapping time until we see bikes finally emerge (it took 2 attempts to solve).
Red deer spotted high up on the RHS en route to the standing stone climb, where at the top we succesfully meet up with the last starting Lee.
Sauron’s eye glowers at us as a very red setting sun finds a rare gap in the clouds at Dan’s bench, then down the usual tracks past scratchy late summer vegetation down and round the ressies and the road descent into town.
Some enthusiastic encouragement from some good old girls on the final steep cobbles up to the town square and the seating outside 5 clouds.
Lee sorts the pizza order, while Bern gets the beers in, we must have sampled 6or 5 of the 10 between us, starting with the cloudy IPA through cherry sour and finishing with the delightfully chewy 11% stout (in ‘thirds).
Very nice to sit outside and enjoy company, chat and the ambience around us.
Short ride home for the Tythy boys.