Crew: El Pres, Slim, Butty, TJ, Lee, Troll, Stunt
Pub: Dunc & Big Nic
Route: The classic trio of Alderley edge decents – Bradford lane, Windmill wood and “the edge” itself, with a Swiss hill climb and contour along past Wizards well lane back to the main road for a Prestbury finish at Base pizza then the Rodney.
Conditions: Warm and breezy, trails still mainly firm & dry
Notes:
Some variety in the route mix this week with an unusually early visit to Alderley Edge, a prompt start from Bridge green gets us underway in the light – although it is a bit gloomy under the trees. Only Butty on E, feels like old times!
Bradford lane is dry and grippy – and especially to exit the bottom at speed onto cobbles which are not wet and greasy! There are puddles in the potholes in Hocker lane (which a couple of hounds are happily slurping) but the cheeky Alderley Park loop is also dry and firm.
The big question is “how muddy will the woods be?” – and the first snicket is encouraging – some soft patches but not actually muddy. So it turns out to be all the way through Windmill wood – there are pale rivers of sandy soil where the recent rains have washed the leaf litter away, but now all dried up.
There is a hazard in the corner of the sandy field though – a new deep drainage ditch is in place of the path – and there is wire at head height in lieu of the fence!
The RHS of Artists lane is also really nice for an off road climb.
Nearly dark as we enter the edge, a few stragglers walking out, only one wrong turn near the beacon but quickly resolved, and enough light to take in the view from the rocks.
Grippy despite the roots on the way down – but the vegetation takes out one helmet light on the way down, and a few brambles to deal with. Overall though we have made very good time, so much so that there aren’t really any excuses not to do Swiss hill…
This is actually damp across most of it’s width, but at least not slimy as it often can be. Much huffing and puffing and the odd crunch of gears, but all able to speak at the regroup by the old lamp post just inside the boundary of the edge.
The path has been properly restored to level and freshly graded – nice to have apart from the new steps in a couple of places. There is water in the wizards well, still a few walkers with head torches aiming for the beacon, and we somehow manage to exit via the car park instead of by the cottage where we came in!?
The outside table feel snug with the awning over us and the walls around us – 2/3 of a pint continental style tall glasses for the posh lager or IPA, fine pizzas and some good conversation before we decamp to the Rodders for proper pints and to watch the local wildlife!
Dunc brings Nic and we get into proper catch up and banter mode. Dizzy blonde is the economical choice, we are visited by a refreshed lady who seems to think bikers are an exciting novelty!? and there is an AoE…although with the mini beers at the Pizza place we are almost a pint down on what we might have been.
Talk of TJ’s upcoming Lands End to Macc, Lee’s Milan to Rome, and next weeks Coniston rides!
Not cold riding home in this last taste of summer (very nice after last weeks chill)