Words by Pete . Pics by Pete, Smiffy & Butty
Route : Maze – Middlewood – West gate – Butty’s diversion – Green & Red – Bowstones – Dale Top – Moorside Lane – Pott Shrigley – The Poachers
Conditions : Excellent , dry and clear . Bit cool up by Bowstones
Crew : El Pres , Lee , Pete , Smiffy , Butty , 3sheds, Bern , Troll
Pub : Dunc
Notes :
I took my route inspiration from an August 2023 ride, which Alex entitled Lymelight .
It was a bit spooky when Butty arrived at the Maze on the single speed – I had Whatsapped him earlier that day to suggest that his nurturing of Butty 3.0 would end up with him arriving for the Thursday constitutional on his Surly 1×1. He had replied “The oracle of Bolly strikes” …apparently he had 10 minutes earlier just decided that one gear was the right answer .
From Beefy E-Bike to E-Bike Lite (The Spesh) to his old flame the Liteville to his true love The rigid single speed Surly. The transformation is complete ? Or will it be a unicycle next ?
We stuck to the route from last year….until after the cobbles. Here Butty suggested Green Lane & Red Lane . Which is just as good and a more gentle climb to Bowstones (if such a thing as a gentle ride to Bowstones ever existed)
Sunset was well timed into our ride. We were just summiting at Bowstones as the big yellow circle was dipping close to the horizon. Hard to resist a bit of video footage. The eagle eyed amongst you might just make out the hovering kestrel in this footage.
After a bit of a stop to admire the handsome highland cattle just over the wall on Park Moor , we push on to Dale Top.
It becomes a plantation descent and turn left to Moorside Lane as the clock is ticking ..
It is just about dark when we arrive at the Poachers . The beer garden is becoming an MTB parking lot as the Nancies and “the other group” are out in force tonight.
But wait …..10 minutes have elapsed and there is no sign of Lee or Smiffy who are the crew tail gunners. Bern phones them ….there has been a puncture incident as they exited to The Brickworks.
So here is the scene : in the half light of the covered bit at the back of the pub, a beer is delivered to Lee who has his rear wheel off and is valiantly pumping away with a small mini pump (ooh err missus) . I help out by lifting the wheel so that both puncture holes can get some fluid (ooh err missus , again) . Yes its gone through the tyre tread and the sidewall . A small jet of white stuff spurts out (ooh err missus, thrice) of the “Specialized” lettering on the sidewall.
One of the guys from the other groups (not the WNB) offers a tubeless plug, aka “an anchovy” . At just about the same moment Smiffy brings out a thing like a small stick of liquorice from his rucksack. In it goes and the problem is solved .
Back in the pub the food is getting sorted . The beer of choice is either the pump of doom (a 6.4% IPA with a slight sour taste) or Wincle Brewery’s “Old Hag” . A fine stout porter at 5.2% . A pudding beer but I had seconds .
The banter is good, the good depart early ..the malingerers linger . Ever it will be thus. Amen