Words by Alex, photos by Pete
Crew: PTD, El Pres, Smiffy, Lee, Slim, 3 Sheds, Dunc, Stunt
Pub: Doog, Butty, El Pud
Route: Bottom of the Zag, Windyways, Charity, Extension, Standing Stone, Shutlingsloe steps, track off the side of Shutligsloe down across sheepclough gutter and over the south east edge of Piggford moor down to Greenway bridge. Nabs road, Hanging Gate, across towards the forest, Heathcote lane, Cockhall lane, St Dunstans.
Conditions: Mild, breezy, showers around.
Notes:
A rare visit to the southern reaches of Piggford moors is on the table tonight, and food pre-ordered at the Dunny.
Impressive promptness at the rendevous (Smiffy on time!!), some westward gazing to determine likleyhood of getting a drenching from the heavy showers kicking about, and off onwards an upwards.
It’s election day, but also Wimbledon, so El Pud has initated ribaldry remotely pre ride by suggesting polls of tennis players!
The breeziness is wind assist up Charity, where we find quite a lot of puddles and dampness in the north facing shadows, luckily the main descent is dry, but the moisture has kept it from being too loose.
There is a line appearing on the lower part of the extension making the rock garden a bit less sketchy (although stunt managed to have a dab where it petered out a bit!)
Impressive scary signage at Standing Stone with the forestry operations having logged the trees closest to the track heading towards Ferriser, with clear views to the Reservoirs as a result.
Dry trails equals good climbing up the Shutlingsloe steps, before the bumpy slabs, and some discussion of exactly where the trail starts. There is an obvious gate option – although this has quite a lot of high marsh grass to push through initially, the alternative is to head in higher up requiring a bit of hike a bike first. The team split, and the gate option wins out in the progress vs time stakes.
We are soon riding along the doubletrack amongst highish grass, and pick up the finger posts for the path that is not marked on the maps, but is marked on the ground – with signage about dogs having to be on leads to help the nesting curlews. Despite the vegetation the trail gets better and better, almost no mud, and grippy underwheel.
Good views of the back of the roaches as well as Ridge hill, and Shutligsloe.
Worth giving the rider in front a bit of a gap on the last section down and around, as the black sheep that are grazing have left plenty of soft big poo’s that stick to tyres, then flick off and up!
Regrouping at Greenway bridge, a time check determines that the off road climb out is no longer an option, so the Nabs road climb it is. There is reward at the top as PTD and Dunc have brought birthday tipples. PTD has a large bottle of blueish fluid – which is a cocktail of cider, brandy, and blue curacou with a splash of soda water, rather good (and not too strong). We follow with some classic rusty nail, marvellous!
Time to head past the Hanging gate (now only open 4 days a week and closing at 9pm on Thursdays), and down the lanes into Langley to the St Dunstans.
Bikes through to the decking, where some charming little girls loudly tell us that we are bikers! How can you tell we ask? “because i live here!!” is the reply 🙂
We have the long table in the old restuarant area, and Phil is serving us Macc Lustre Pale ale, and our food arrives not long after.
Doog pops over to pay us a visit, as does Butty, and later El Pud himself to drag us to new depths.
Plenty of banter, interest in the exit poll – Labour landslide predicted – “Don’t mess it up Kier” might be the quote of the night? …or was it the proposed tax on ebikers?? 🙂
An AoE is inevitable, and it is a relaxed late finish – home past the witching hour.