Words by Alex, Photos by Pete
Crew: El Pres, Slim, 3 Sheds, Dunc, Troll, Stunt
Austin Towers: Billy & Charlie, Adrian, TJ, Butty
Route: Rainbow Bridge, Canal to bridge 28, track up to Oak Lane, Redway Lane, Nancyside Lane, North Farm, Waulkmill wood, Ingersley Vale, Poachers snicket, Oakenbank, Kiskhill Lane, Jumper Lane, Blaze Hill, Rainow, Robin Hood, Oakenbank, Poachers snicket, Lord Street, Austin Towers.
Conditions: Cold, lots of surface water.
Notes:
Spring is in the air, the sky is not quite dark when setting out for the ride, and it’s not raining. Yet the ground is sodden, it’s cold, and there is some lingering winter malaise.
To liven things up Pete invites us to Austin Towers (oh behave!) for post ride pizza and beer.
Still at the rendevous, the route plan is mostly about avoiding the main muddy bits. With the track to Clarke Lane farm underwater for quite a section, Pete leads us onto the Canal – where a near unbroken string of puddles is almost as wet as the Canal itself!
Then it’s huff and puff up the doubletrack, and climb on tarmac past the Bulls Head, and onto the concrete to crest Nancyside lane. We are now a bit warm on this sub five night.
A token bit of slop on the back of Kerridge from North Farm to Waulkmill wood – is slippy, slithery stuff – 3 Sheds wins the most effective route choice – by going high and sticking to the grass!
The descent to the gate (and the roaring waterfall) is also a test of keeping it straight through deepish mud!
All the recent rain has washed a mud free channel down the snicket – which is thus the line to take, and it’s more of the same up Oakenbank.
Extended route discussions at Kiskhill lane, a general lack of enthusiasm for heading to the Gritstone, so we opt for the short climb from Jumper lane up Blaze hill, before turning right and looping back into Rainow. Far more enthusiasm for a cheeky pint in the Robin Hood, and to check out food options for a possible future finish.
Installed in the stone flagged snug under the watchful eye of Robin the Raven, the food offerings look good (and value) with 8:30 serving on a Thursday. As we break open the tactical crisps (to keep up the energy pre pizza) and hear 3 Sheds waxing lyrical about bathers in 3 Shires, Ukelelies start up from across the room.
From bare topped ladies to bear necessities it could be a fine sing a long…if it wasn’t for the blandness of the folk groups vocals, I’ve heard more emotion from brownies singing Kum by yah! We may need to determine if this is a thursday ritual…
Pints and crisps finished, back out into the cold – the odd flake of snow falling here and there, and attack the climb up Oakenbank to get some warmth before the descent.
3 Sheds heads off to grab a Kebab (Pizza not his thing), whilst the rest of us dodge the Gritter on Lord Street and Decontaminate in the underground garage. Barky Billy and Charlie do eventually calm down, G&T’s are offered, and beers opened.
Adrian arrives, with tales of hard snow, banged shoulder, and carrying on (he’s tough!)
The Pizzas get delivered, and very fine they are too (local bolly fare wins over standard chain offerings)
TJ brings Butty, and the Dune comparisons kick off with tubing talk.
Later an AoE develops, whisky is drunk, Jane is welcomed home, and it’s well past the witching hour by the time we leave.
Butty here’s to dry trails by the time you are back on the bike!