Words & Photos by Pete
Crew: Pete, El Pres, Troll, Dunc, Bern (and Kersh)
Pub : TJ & Butty , Ruth
Route : Zag – Charity – Narnia – Hardingland – Bottoms Rezza – Coal Pit Lane – Back Eddisbury Lane – Calrofold – Rainow – Oakenbank – The Poachers
Conditions : No serious rain , quite mild , quite clear – when not up in the clouds !
Notes :
Confession time : Part 1 : I had a hankering to end up in The Poachers , and it was six weeks since the TNR last graced the threshold of this fine hostelry ! Part 2 : I also had a desire to do the “classic forest descent “ which I define as the apex of Charity (by the heritage transmitter station) all the way down to Bottoms Rezza .
I arrived at Zag , a little bit late , with mucky hands (from fixing an issue with my front mech). My crime was that I had broken the Thursday TNR “change freeze” . A heinous offence – don’t tinker with your bike just before you need it to be ultra reliable for your Thursday evening excursion.
Tbh the main thing I had “fixed” – the pivot bearings- were working fine . An innocent squirt (ooh err , missus) of GT85 into my front mech’s shifter had resulted in it not being able to shift to the smaller of the two front chain rings. But I only discovered this en route to zag. Fortunately just adding about 1cm of slack to the cable seemed to sort out the issue. Bodge it and scarper.
The weather was ok .. but by charity we were touching the cloud base and head torches were no use. The Narnia descent lived up to my expectations, it was very slippery on the descent of the steps – but this just adds to the fun.
Hardingland too was in classic, gnarly condition. As ever I was the tail end Charlie, and just after the stream dip I find everyone stopped and talk of a Troll puncture. He has no pump, but fortunately Chris does . A good chance for me to get a few “nativity scene “shots.
As we skirt the edge of bottoms reservoir Kersh arrives , fresh from the Alps.
Coalpit lane escape – ok it’s a big climb but at least it flattens out in intervals to give you a break. The lights of the Manchester Skyline are now quite visible and beckon us onward to the delights of Bollingtonia.
I think this is a TNR first – a forest-side muster point and forest centric ride but with a Bolly finish .
The Poachers welcomes us like Prodigal Sons . Dortmunder is my starter – a fine palate cleanser – then a “Creme Bearlee” (a Beartown stout). Haddock and chips for just £14 ! .
TJ arrives with Butty, who is looking much better .
The AOE sample a fine dram of Tamnavulin
Three leave the poachers at almost midnight .
I like this formula !
Postcript : My maths and os maps research says about only 11miles circuit from Gleave Ave but about 2300ft ascent. I got horrendous cramp in both thighs in the middle of the night.