Crew: EL Pres, Lee, TJ, Butty, 3 Sheds, Troll, Slim, Croxy, Stunt
Pub: Adrian and Biscuit
Route: Bottom of the Zag, Charity, Extension, Tea Rooms, Cat, Danebower Hollow, Cumberland clough & brook, Wildboarclough, Standing stone, Nessit, Ressies, Sutton Hall.
Conditions: Sunny,dusty dry, windy
Notes:
This week Stunt set the route for a classic three hills ride as the fine dry weather continues.
A return to full strength plus a bonus Croxy back from hiking the Camino Nord no less.
TJ in matching orange orange, and orange top needs some support from the chasing ButtyE to reindex troublesome gears and they drop back and take the main road.
Despite the sunshine the wind is strong and cold, so no hanging about tonight, over a very rocky and loose chazza and extension, before a hard slog up from Bottom’o’oven to the tea rooms into wind.
Butty is lounging at the top taking pics of the struggling acoustic riders as they come up to meet the main road – at which point the wind starts to turn in our favour (phew!)
At the tea rooms a curlew calls, then circles and settles on a fence post near the track, and we see skylarks who must also have a nest nearby.
The fine weather has brought out the motorbikes and roadies with a selection of both briefly stopping opposite the Cat for the views before carrying on.
We head across Danebower, find the midpoint gate flat on it’s back (rotted base of the main post the culprit) then it’s fast and furious down to the A54.
At the start of Chumby Butty promises a special bottle of something to have lower down, he leads the descent and just short of the first gate (also on it’s back) he is properly taken out by a ninja sheep!
He’s fortunate to escape with gravel rash on one forearm, trashed trousers, and (worst of all) a scratch on a new phone!
With some re-adjustment of saddle and brake levers back to their normal positions, we carry on down to the waterfall (trickle), and the brook – now a line of damp stones, to the ford.
Lee carries out some wound washing whilst the Troll is delegated the dishing up of “Little Lin” a bottle of clear liquor of oriental origin that Butty bought at an asian supermaket whilst buying a Machete (he’s probably on a watch list somewhere now!!)
It’s got a hint of pear drops, a raw taste, and – there’s no other way to put it – a cow poo finish! 😉
Funnily enough there are no takers for seconds (might have been better used to sterilise the gravel rash)
Countryside points to Lee for riding back up to shut the gate before we meander along the Wildboarclough road. A couple of red deer up in one of the fields to the right, rhodedenrons in purple flower, and Alapaca’s and “hairy coos” at Dingers hollow farm (under new ownership?).
A very welcome wind assist up to Standing stone, with 30 minutes to table booking we get a Presidential decree to take the route via Nessit. Low sun shining orange in the haze is very atmospheric, care still needed on loose bits all the way down.
Despite the winds some clouds of flies/midgies lurked across the road into Langley.
Sutton Hall arrival 9:00 exactly!
Worrying times as the first two ales requested immediately ran out (also consolation free halves from the aussie barman). Pete is relieved to find that the Dawn Chorus 6% (but tasting like 4) is a bargain at only 40p more than the Lord Lucan (and therefore better value per unit alcohol!).
Lee is persuaded to stay for one pint (and then orders food) 🙂
Adrian and Biscuit make a welcome appearance late on.
Steak burger/baguette roulette as we get a 3/2 split the wrong way (but hey that’s the way it goes sometimes), and a late garlic bread finally finds it’s way to Phils fish stew. The big ride has meant bigger appetites, sadly there is no chance of seconds of chips with the friers switched off, but table cheesboards do the trick.
Much love for Northern spain, and a floating of a TNR trip there next year?
We miss last orders for Whisky Grr.
There is still the last of the light in the western sky as we head homewards, spot a hedgehog crossing the road at the end of the Sutton Hall drive, and a Badger reported by Pete.