Words By Alex, Pics by Simon & Pete
Crew: El Pres, Butty, Dunc, Dr S, Smiffy, Stunt, Troll, Bern, G
Pub: Pete
Route: Bolly maze, viaduct, steps to the rec, main road to Blaze Hill, Pike road, Cheshire corkscrew, Jenkin chapel, Pyms chair, Wingather, Taxal Edge, Kettleshulme, Bakestonedale road, Church house.
Conditions: Mild & dry, nasty easterly wind higher up.
With near perfect trail conditions El Pres declares a big ride to Taxal edge and a Bolly finish.
Butty arrives with new Amflow Ebike with the stupidly powerful motor – this explains his extra rides all week!! Bern is delayed starting and will try to RV with us at Jenkin chapel. Before then there is quite a bit of climb – so we take route one through Bolly and up Blaze hill (with Team E-C doing oakenbank and Jumper lane).
You think Blaze hill is bad, then realize that the Pike road climb is what gets you! A breather needed before heading along bank lane – only one large puddle today – possibly the driest we have ever seen it!
The Corkscrew is still wet and slippy up top, and lumpy lower down, no dabs reported.
Heading up to Jenkin chapel we get the first taste of the headwind…not a good omen.
No sign of Bern, we head up, brutal is the only word for the climb this evening, even the E-c#ntz are needing to put 20% more assist on than normal!
Hunkered down by the gate to the moor windproofs are de rigeur – there is no shelter here from the Easterly bite.
Comms suggest that G will sweep up Bern as they continue to trail behind us.
Lots of climbers young and old at Wingather, Butty doesn’t keep his head down low enough under the trees on the dog leg track to the woods – and has to retrace his steps to pick up his helmet light!
Plenty of pushing up to the new gate at the start of Taxal – which seems to be designed to keep bikes out!
Enough light to enjoy a dry and fast trail. Getting to the end it’s already past 8pm, so route one back to the Church house. Troll has run out of legs through Kettleshulme and induces a pity bike swap with Butty to get him up to the top.
Descent of Bakestonedale road into the red setting sun, extra point for spotting the ground mounted cylindrical wind turbine things on the LHS at Brinks farm cottages.
Into the pub by 8:45 to meet Pete who’s been exploring little corners of Birmingham museum where some Ozzy Osbourne memorabilia are being displayed.
What’s app live location is being a bit weird tonight, Pete has screen shots showing El Pres in a Tesco in Whaley bridge! So when we see G towards Lyme park we think it’s a blip – but when he and Bern finally arrive they have done the circuit up to the old hotel (now school), Bowstones and Dale top!! respect.
Rhodri looks after us splendidly and late on we take the woodsmans whisky to keep in with the landlord.
