Words by Alex, Photos by Pete
Crew: El Pres, Slim, Butty, TJ, Troll, 3 Sheds, Dunc, Lee, Smiffy, Stunt
Route: Tythy riverside car park, bollin valley to Prestbury, Chelford road, Finlow hill lane, Bradford lane, Hocker lane with Alderley Park mini loop, Slade Lane, Finlow hill lane, snicket to Artists lane, down the LHS off road, back up on road, Windmill wood to the owl, Artists lane, road to Legh Arms Prestbury.
Conditions: Very mild, breezy, very muddy
Notes:
After last weeks sub zero windchill warm mid atlantic air has arrived with some low pressure systems – 12 degrees! There appears to be a correlation with temperature to the number of riders – the warmth has roused some from winter hibernation to get us into double digits!
Very good to see 3 sheds gracing us with his presence all the way from the other side of the peak!
As ever with a big group we have various folk running late, so live location enabled and off we go, with Butty meeting us about 100m further on!
Venus is very bright high in the west, and the sky is still blue with clear skies post sunset, a couple of dog walkers still out, one imbibing some strong weed! Despite a bit of rain earlier the ground is fairly firm, and gets our hopes up that the edge will not be too muddy.
Negotiating the village there are road closed signs on chelford lane, we soon find the cause – a big sink hole with a lot of running water in it, there is a stream under the road here, so maybe the culvert has collapsed? room to get past on a bike (just) though.
We collect Smiffy just before Hare Hill, we just need Lee.
Having gone up the no entry to cut across to the slade lane junction, we get our first taste of ground conditions with the horse churned little grassy bit to Finlow hill lane, it is pretty muddy!
Bradford lane is deep mud, slippy mud or wet rocky ruts, and we are getting used to the big boulders part way down, greasy green cobbles on the lane are fortunately pretty dry.
It looks like Lee has missed the Bradford lane turn, so some quick comms to update on our intended route, before we head up Hocker, pop into Alderley park for some wiggles in the woods, debate the residents private road signage, and circle back to Findlow hill lane again via Slade lane.
We finally gather Lee at the wizard, and do Butty’s favourite artists lane bit – but downhill.
It’s leafy and rooty in places, and worth the mini detour and climb.
Just time for the loop in windmill woods, which true to form are filthy muddy with plenty of deep patches where it is touch and go if you can get through without a foot (or two) down. Plenty of muddy boots to show for our efforts! A quick bit of bermy fun on the sandy patch, onto the lower track – which must have had some big water flows recently as the bed of broken red bricks is really exposed in places.
Road back into Prestbury – careful down the hill as the gap by the sinkhole is pretty narrow (El Pres grazes the fencing but survives!) and locking up to the chunkiest beer garden furniture in the region!
What’s this, burgers £5 off, and 20% off Robbies beer on a Thursday – we are in heaven!!
Idaho, Unicorn, and the almost lager like one are all good, there is even a Camden stout on tap. Proper branded glasses and everything! Early chuntering about what constitutes cajun chips and why on earth they are advertising the burger as having American Cheese!? but it’s all good stuff and plates are cleared without the need for table chips or pudddings, but some claims of Butty being a “chip tease”.
Dunc was running on the roaches last night, triggering reminiscences of the “Back forest” ;-), in the interests of balance there was also chat about Nob end (in Bolton)! Lots of other diverse chat and very good to have the wider team back together again 🙂
The only fly in the ointment is the 10pm closing of the bar, and Pete declines to lead an AoE (turns out he had a heavy night last night!!) so we are three pints good for our way home, which for many is the bollin valley again.
Only a month until the spring solstice!