Words by Alex, Pics by Butty & Pete
Crew: PTD, Slim, 3 Sheds, Butty, TJ, Croxy, Dunc, Stunt, Troll.
Route: Bolly maze, Canal, doubletrack to Oak Lane, Endon House climb, Steps up to the ridge, Trig, Descent to Lidgetts Lane, Calrofold Lane, Cliff Lane, Plantation tracks, Gritstone to Windyways, Saddlers Way, up Hardingland, cut into the Forest past witches cottage, Charity, original BBQ spot.
Conditions: Warm, Sunny, little wind.
Notes:
Finally some decent weather, and with the Solstice aligned with a TNR, a camp fire must do!
Pete organises a beer stash, and we are to provide our own provisions, then RV at Bolly Maze.
A very fine evening for a ride, and welcome returns from PTD and Croxy. The SantaCruz of the Buxton Road silver fox arrives with added squeaks from pedals…with TJ to the rescue with the flourish of a tiny oil bottle from his bag of bits!
A meandering route is outlined, and we head off at a steady pace – not a night for going too hard too early (especially with extra loads in our packs).
The ebikers attempt to clean the steps – but back wheels are spinning out, and the vegetation has made it tricky at the sides, acoustic pushers are right behind them at the top.
A nice bit of gentle banter with a couple walking the ridge as we yo-yo past them at a couple of gates, super dry trail conditions makes for fast downhilling.
We capture the Troll at Lidgetts, and potter up Calrofold (obligatory mentions of Brian Redhead).
Apparently the plantation is under new ownership, but access does not seem to have changed, the track has been recently levelled and tidied up ready for something..
Butty’s Photo
Butty’s Photo
Fabulous meadow flowers waist high either side of the Gritstone for a couple of fields, then one full of young nosey heifers – who come charging across us at some speed (although not as fast as Croxy!).
Our agricultural contingent shoo them away from blocking the gate out, and we complete our crossing unscathed!
Unusual angles to look southward, and Mow Cop and the Cloud look very different somehow (deep discussion on which was which!)
Even deeper route discussion at Windyways – push direct to the campfire, or do some descending first.
To everyone’s suprise Slim goes for the down and up option!
Saddlers way dry and grippy – meaning fast and a lot of vibration lower down!
Final route debate, and we opt for the short and steep option – E’s and Dunc do a decent job of getting up in one go, the loose stones lower down do for the rest of us.
Cresting Hacked Way lane in glorious low sun there is a small white square tent going up in the field next to Charity. Looking the wrong way for the coming Solstice sunrise, but perhaps a checkpoint of some description for a weekend event?
No evidence of anything happening in this part of the forest tonight (luckily), and the BBQ spot appears untouched since we were last here earlier in the year.
A fire is quickly started, the beers are cracked open, and multiple foil wrapped parcels go on to warm by the embers.
PTD offers up the skin so smooth bug repellent – although despite the still’ish conditions there are not many beasties about.
Sharing crisps, pork pies, scotch eggs , samosas and hot dog sausages ensure that no one goes hungry. Croxy wins the bring your own food with a full burger combo with lettuce tomato and cheese!
Most amusing were the bananas, especially with the mini marshmallow melted in.
Plenty of beery banter, moody moonlit skies (94.5% full apparently), the full debrief of Dunc’s charity 2 day ride from last week, and his next event is a quadrathalon (like a triathlon but with a canoe added).
How to keep 26″ bikes going when you can’t get new forks (but offers of things from garages may help).
Kudos to 3 Sheds for fixing stunts bike by crafting a replacement bolt from leftover things in his garage!
Dunc and TJ dispense whisky, Troll bellows at anyone thinking of breaking the seal where he’s going to bivvy, and we don’t quite finish the beer (we were rumoured to be over provisioned at the start).
It’s well past the witching hour as we cast off downhill, all quiet at the square tent, less wobby than last time – although Croxy manages to find some swamp partway down Charity!
Three rings confirm all home safe.