Crew: El Pres, Troll, Lee, Stunt
Route: MC, Zig Zags, Charity, Narnia, Hardingland, Leathers, Witches Cottage, Hacked way lane, Charity, Extension, Standing Stone, RHS explore back to road, Smithy.
Notes:
This week there were more (legit) excuses than riders, but a core of four arrived on time at Muller corner in bright sunshine. WIth a stiff cold breeze and temperatures due to drop we looked rather out of place in waterproofs and long trousers – contrasting with the young chap in t shirt and shorts walking a dog!
Plenty of puddles and running water on the trails as we warm up uphill, clothing choices justified as no “boil in the bag” reported ;-).
Lots to enjoy with spring in full swing, lambs (full report later), a hare lolloping across a field, lots of bird activity and fresh green across the hills.
The old silver 4×4 was dropping two lads off at the start of charity – we saw them regularly last year I recall. Two fell runners also are heading up our way, one of whom is a mate of Trolls!
Regrouping and looking westwards we see a cloud of doom blocking out the light, dropping grey precipitation, and looking like it is coming our way. We think it will go slightly south of us…Lee jests that he will only give a 2 star review if the advertised “dry” ride turns out to be wet 😉
Chazza is wet with plenty of big loose stuff in random places. Turning into Narnia we have nice low sun coming through the trees, but as we crest for the first good view, there is darkness to our left, and under the trees by the bench hail starts to penetrate the canopy. Futher outer layers donned we continue, Hardingland slick wet with rain, but then after the stream we are out of it and back into sunnier skies!
Lower Teggs ford requires full committment, and the ressies are full, both slipways going full tilt.
We drop into the Leathers to order food, and a couple of bearded lads emerge pint in hand and ask us where we’ve been. They turn out to be on a ride from Stockport…to Turkey! (the main protagonist is then going to ride to Portugal, and then Peru) Lee swaps stories of Patagonia, we murmur approval when he reveals he’s on a Dawes Galaxy, and have to be dragged away to get the food order in.
Inspired by their endeavour El Pres decrees we ride back up to Chazza, which to blue skies and puffy clouds we do (outer layers shed at Witches cottage).
Deja Vu at the top of Hacked Way lane, another (albeit smaller) cloud of doom is on it’s way on identical track to the last one!
No hanging about and straight down Chazza and the extension. Lower extension deep in loose rockiness – akin to scree skiing! At Standing stone we are tight on time, but can’t resist seeing if the old under the trees RHS track is still there (with the trees gone). El Pre leads off, and it’s pretty much all there until the last 30m where there are too many felled tree remnants blocking the way (cordless chainsaw for an hour or so might do the trick here?). We divert to the road a touch early, then route one to the pub just as the mini shower hits.
Fresh cheese pies hit the spot for Lee & El Pres, with the other half on Scampi. A nice Adnams pale ale or Landlord the main ales of choice.
Conversation bounces around from Lime plaster to cloud photo frames with a dash of Patagonia and other musings.
No whisky shocker!! Dave is dead on his feet and closes the bar early, saving heads and wallets on our side.
Lamb report:
Field up to start of Charity – yet to lamb
Bottom of Hardingland – Clough House farm – recent lambs
Fields on LHS to standing stone, yet to lamb (or possibly yearlings).
Cold ride home!