Words by Pete , Photos by Lee, Butty & Pete
Crew : Pete, TJ, Lee, Butty, Troll, El Pres, Croxy, Dunc & Smiffy Steve
At the bar : Ruth
Route : Bolly Bridge – Lyme Park West to East – Bowstones – Bakestonedale Wood Car Park – Spuley Lane – The Poachers – Kerridge Bridleway – Tarmac to Macc – Five Clouds
Conditions: Clear and Sunny , cooling down while we dine Al fresco
Notes :
A big loop of familiar Northern Territory , with a non-standard finish . A Bolly start , an al fresco Macc finish
Butty shot
Butty turns up with another E-bike ! (Has he been robbing banks ?)
Croxy is out for the second week running – he seems to have abandoned Golf and returned to the TNR fold
Butty shot
El Pres finally returns to the TNR , and , despite the murmuring last week, no coup has materialised.
A good view of a hovering Kestrel as we gather at Bowstones.
Library shot
Here , Lee disappears off across the GT route to rendezvous with Smiffy Steve …the remaining crew then descend straight to the car park/lay by above the Brickworks …without a Dale Top visit . It feels like ages since we have done this little descent – it ain’t steep but it is quite fun picking out the right path . Butty finds the double gate much easier with his new, lighter E-steed !
As we wait for Lee & Steve at the Poachers corner ..the inevitable happens : a cheeky half . A fine red IPA at 6% ..and something a little lighter for others.
But Five Clouds is our destination ! A short but steep tarmac climb up Nancyside Lane to North End Farm (glad it was just a half !) …then the bridleway to Lidgetts .
Lee shot
Here it feels like its “everyman for himself” until we gather at Five Clouds . It is not too busy, the weather is good . Pizza has been ordered , somebody gets the beer in….and we enter the banter zone .
El Pres agrees to create one of his wondrous , magical spreadsheets to show us who owes who what ..what would we do without him ?
Good beer (Steady Rolling Man, Retro Racer and a naughty strong pudding beer) , good nosh, good company ….all for under £25
Ruth arrives to ferry home our TNR Troll less the pleasures of Five Clouds get the better of him (and the rest of us) .