Words by Pete , Photos by Bern , Lee, Butty & Pete
Crew : the Doog, Bern, Lee, Butty, 3sheds , Chris , Troll and Pete
In da Pub : Ruth
Route : MC – Walker Barn – Cat – Danebower- A54 – Chumby by diverse routes – Standing Stone – LHS descent – Bob’s Bench – The Wharf
Conditions: Sunny, Clear with a cuttingly raw 20mph Easterly
Notes :
After a two week TNR absence due to my Mum’s funeral and then getting lurgy , I finally get out on my revamped Orange 5 after the best part of a £200 drivetrain revamp. That felt good , as did finding I had arrived at Walker Barn RV point earlier than the MC Peloton, who finally caught me up about half a mile later.
It was good to be out in the low spring evening light but it was quite a slog against that headwind. And Bern was in T-shirt and shorts !!
By the time we got to the Cat sense had prevailed and he donned an extra layer !
With that strong easterly now more at our backs it felt like we were pushed across to the A54 .
Bern’s plan to go down to three shires was vetoed by El Pres as we hit the A54 . Thereafter a bit of chaos ensued and Troll, 3 sheds and Butty ended up forging a route back towards Cumberland Clough earlier than the traditional exit point from the A54 . The traditional route to the waterfall was very dry and even more eroded than the last time I remember doing it.
As we got to the waterfall , the three musketeers appeared high above us and cooly navigated a steep entrance route. We are not worthy ….
Chumby was chunky as ever , And I believe Bern had a clandestine off …but it is all allegedly as we have no witnesses .
Off to the forest, a winch climb up to standing stone and then (thankfully because I detected a general fatigue setting in ) we took the LHS descent by the road and a quick arrival at Bob’s bench . Mr D being on the cusp of 59, he had kindly brought a fine bottle of Glen Marnoch to mark the occasion . We were blessed indeed.
On to the Wharf ….a proper pub indeed . What a good suggestion , Bern !
Good beer, plenty of space to ourselves , and we can eat carry out pizza ..delivered to our table . Good logistics , Lee ! I don’t think we really gave the poor guy singing and playing guitar our due attention….. were we really only here for the beer ? (And the pizza and good company )
The classic & a less visited pub = a good formula !