drunkcyclist2

Words by Pete. Photos by Bern, Butty , Lee, TJ  & Pete

Crew : Lee, Butty, Pete , El Pres, Troll , Bern , 3sheds, TJ

Route : Derbyshire Bridge – Buxton Old Coach Rd – Berry Clough – Contour to Grouse Butts – Wild Moor – above Wildmoorstone Brook – Beet Wood descent  – Plex Lodge – Bishops Lane – Burbage – the Buxton Old Rd – DB . 

Eventual watering hole : The Wharf . 

Conditions : Dry , overcast and quite mild  . It tried to rain mid-ride , but gave up fairly quickly.  

Notes : 

Butty’s van and car assist  Buxton Circle plan soon morphed into a southern Goyt valley based mini Buxton Circle, which was big on fun and big on descents and climbs. 

In a matter of hours after picking up his new van it was being used to collect TJ and then me and whisk us to Barracks Lane . Here we sorted out who was ferrying who, and who was taking whose bike. 

Apart from Lee & Bern who did a separate rendezvous and ended up late for the meet up at Derbyshire Bridge …as Lee had it in his head we were doing Three Shires instead . Most entertaining  .

Tbh it was a welcome return to the delights of this side the Goyt Valley . The descent into Berry Clough was “spicey”  to use one of Lee’s favourite phrases. 3sheds and Butty were in their element . 

From the valley bottom the climb was more of a contouring thing but still technical enough to keep you from switching off your brain. 

After this section it was very much a “make it up as we go along” with Butty knowing the territory fairly well .

We make it back to Derbyshire Bridge intact , and a brief picnic ensues before there is an excellent suggestion : to reconvene at The Wharf in Macc . 

( Thanks to Butty for bringing a selection of fine snacks. And hats off to The Troll for bringing home cured Salt Beef and Horseradish sauce)  

Just a brief stay at the Wharf for TJ , me and Butty but enough to graduate from a fruity 4.2% cooking IPA to a dangerous pint of “Disruptor” at 7.4% and only £4.70 …

I don’t know how late anyone else stayed ……

Appendix A : Historically accurate route description (Thanks , Butty !) : 

Buxton Old Coach Road (reverse of the “Bathchair men” route), track north and west through Berry Clough returning to the Goyt’s Clough eastern track and contouring the Northshore to Grouse Butts.   Tracking back south east following Wildmoorstone Brook up and over the dismantled Cromford & High Peak Railway close to the tunnel a short hike a bike over the top to Beet wood. 

Then a steep descent into Bishops Lane . 

(George John Trevor Spencer, Bishop of Madras died at Edgemoor in Buxton, on 23 July 1866 and it is this bishop that Bishop’s lane in Burbage may be named after).  

From the outskirts of Buxton back west into the Bathchair Mens route again, this end named Macclesfield Old road  for a very rough climb and fast return to the car park near Derbyshire bridge.

Appendix B : Bathchair Men ?  – an explanation (from https://www.wondersofthepeak.org.uk/facts/the-goyt-valley-macclesfield-old-road/) ……

Words by Pete. Photos by Bern, Butty  & Pete

Crew : Butty, Pete , El Pres, Troll , Dr Simon , PTD , Bern 

Route : Chez Ruth & Phil to Bosley Cloud and back via Lanes and great tracks 

Conditions : Dry , sunny and quite mild  . Cooler later . 

Notes : 

Let us let the photos do the talking ..well most of the conversation at least ..

Finally another Biddulph Moor BBQ bash comes together . 

A great route out to the Cloud from high up on Hot Lane . The planned circuit was cut a wee bit short after our host Mr Troll had a terminal mechanical – a loose cassette. 

We split into two groups at this point – a few us heading more or less straight back to the homestead but with a slight detour to see the Bridestones . The bad ass e-boys & Bern did some more rad circuits of the back of the Cloud.  

Back at the homestead we enjoyed wacky beer , fine vittels and a classic sunset over Fiddler’s Ferry 

Thanks to Ruth and Phil for their hospitality and fine nosh . 

Words by Pete, Pics by Pete & Butty 

Crew :  Butty, 3Sheds, El Pres , Pete , Troll, Dunc 

In da pub: Croxy 

Conditions : Dry, about 14c to start , sunny and a stiff easterly. Dusty trails 

Route : MC – Teggs Rear entry – Classic descent – Bottoms Res – Leathers (Food Order) – Left Hand side ascent to Chazza – Fence Hop to cheeky trails – Narnia – Finish Chazza – Extension – Stranding Stone – Nessit – Off Piste Stream path (to left of the downhill ) – Leathers 

Notes : 

Another evening of excellent weather and great trails – twas just a wee bit cold in the easterly. 

I wore my sunglasses ? for most of the ride 

 Teggs Nose was awash with Orienteers . A momentary outbreak of indecision amongst the crew , then the planned 3sheds technical route off the top was deferred. Taking the classic route down to Holehouse lane was a great choice , grippy not slippery and hardly any citizens to dodge on the descent. 

A quick pub stop to order nosh. John (the Barman) was in fnarr fnarr mode after multiple orders for Pulled Pork . 

A slow winch up the left hand side towards Chazza . Butty disappeared off in E-bike mode and did not reappear for a while . 

As we climbed and the sun dropped more that stiff Easterly breeze made its presence known.

It has been a while since we did the “fence hop” to the cheeky trails to Narnia .  They were a bit muddy still at the start but great fun . Marvellous strong low sunlight as the temperature drops. 

Extra layers donned , we rejoined charity.  There was a weird, ethereal light on shining Tor and the cat and fiddle. 

Very loose on the end of Chazza and the extension (think I had to dab, but no full-on gravel dance) 

After Nessit some one ahead chose an orthodox route down – “left of the down hill course via the stream” is my best description of it. I had my doubts to begin with …but it got better and better . The rooty bits were fun and very rideable. And the light from the setting sun through the forest canopy was the icing on the cake .

We eventually emerged at the  foot of Nessit ascent , and 5 mins later we are the prodigal sons returned to The Leathers. We were treated by John , our figurative father, as long lost sons . The “fatted calf” (this week at least) was pulled pork in a bun with chips 

Croxy arrives and waxes lyrical about grandfather-dom and tales from a wedding in Ireland. 

Neck oil , Landlord, Cooking lager, and ….Guinness, coke and water …for those about to donate blood tomorrow.

Whisky was taken to fortify ourselves for the chilly descent home .  

Words by Pete, Pics by Butty and Pete

Crew : Dunc , Troll, Butty, El Pres , Pete 

In the pub: Lee, El Pud 

Route : MC , Zig, Teggs Rear Entry, Bottoms Reservoir , Hardingland ascent , Forest Corner, Charity , Extension , Standing Stone, Board Walks descent, Back of the Rezzies, The King’s Head

Conditions : The rain stopped right on cue, the low sunlight made our views magical , the air and the wind were cold . About 5c at 6pm and it dropped to about 3c by midnight 

Notes: This week Dunc was our Ops leader . And he did a storming job . He cooked up a novel route and sorted out a table at a revamped King’s Head. 

The novelty was also in adding in lots of climb , so that he (the fittest of us all) and the Butty (on e-vehicle) had the advantage . But the views and excellent low evening sunlight made even the pushing up hill bits a pleasure. 

On the plateau bit of Teggs we encountered a strange dog walker who appeared to have abandoned all efforts to control the dogs in favour of filming us riding in footpath land. Such is life. 

After the forest and tarmac climb from witches cottage Phil was feeling the effects of three days of dodgy guts . A “nakd” bar (that sounds a bit wrong ) seemed to restore him enough to get to the pub. Now I know why I carry 4 of them ! 

At the apex of charity we get a good sighting of a buzzard disappearing into the canopy of the forest , and the light was now dim enough to bring on the Owl hoots . after the tarmac climb from witches 

On the climb to Charity we had also mistaken a bunch of E-chaps climbing the fire road beneath us for a bunch of girls. But were we truly incorrect ? 

We made the King’s head dead on 8:30pm, and moments later we had fine ale and nosh on the table in front of us. Another triumph from Dunc  . 

But five had become six …as Lee had phoned in his order , had a little forest spin and joined us.

The King’s Head delivered warmth , a great beer selection (Timmy Taylor’s Landlord  & Beavertown Neck Oil !), excellent food and service . Good scampi & chips! 

But wait on …yet more surprises…as the prodigal son himself , El Pud, strolls in . 

It was as  though Dunc had secretly arranged this guest star to turn up the volume on the Ribaldry Zone . 

This unholy concoction made for classic Thursday night 4-star banter . 

Whiskey was taken. 

A fine TNR indeed.