Home made vittles : Four Monster Pork Pies, Sausage Plait , Bakewell tart
Notes:
There are minor upsides to the pubs being shut due to Covid. We are getting more inventive with the post ride food and drink arrangements – its is a refreshing change (no pun intended )
The muster point was a lot easier for me this week !
Captain Kersh was the subversive influence this week there was definitely gratuitous climbs and pushing
But it was an inventive route with a couple of novel bits around Rainow …thanks to Butty .
By the time we got up onto Dale Top the weather had massively improved …glimpses of blue sky and great light on the clouds to the south ..
We stopped at the Whales Molar and the beer cans were shared around. A fine point to have a beer and celebrate just being out as a crew again.
On the descent off Dale Top we were blessed with the spectacle of a barn owl fly past – about 25 ft up in the air.
Back to Grahams for the unveiling of monster home made pies and a fantastic sausage plait . And for pudding TJ and Enid had made us Bakewell tart !
A little gathering around the braziers and sheltering under the canopy (a little rain once more) before we found was midnight and time to be off !
Thanks to Graham for his hospitality , our own Pie Minister,TJ and Enid .
Route : Ranger Centre Car Park (Muster point) , Standing Stone, Yoove’s Singletrack , Ferriser , Nessit , downhill course descent to the Ranger Centre
Conditions: Damp & Blowy
Notes:
The muster point gets even further away from the Presidential Palace each week…there was absolutely no chance of us being rumbled as we eventually gathered in a deserted forest car park.
I misjudged my route to the gathering – coming from Bolly via Oakenbank, Bull Hill and the tarmac approach to Charity is a sizeable climb. I was a good 30 minutes late and glad to dump my payload of cans of Hobgoblin IPA in Butty’s car , to make any further climbing a bit easier.
Despite the intermittent rain it still feels good to be riding in the forest , though it is wet and blowy. We wind our way up the tarmac to Standing Stone – as El pud used to say “Climb on tarmac, descend off road” .
Descent ? Butty had a new one to sample …..it seems that Bern’s taste for the off beat paths in the forest has now rubbed off onto Butty.
A week or so ago he had spied a band of intrepid youths disappearing into the woods on the right as you take the main track from Standing Stone towards Shutlingsloe .
Now, I have no doubt that these bold and talented youths had a ball riding this track in dusty dry conditions ….but add a few days of damp and it is as greasy as f££k…and we are a good 25 to 30 years their senior .
So much slipping , some grinning, some giggling , some cussing, a degree of walking and I believe a wee Troll tumble (allegedly , your honour..) ..
And I now have a strange respect for these bold young men …
A wee ride/push up to Ferriser and we descend via Nessit and the bottom half of the traditional downhill course ..
Time for dining Al fresco
When Phil does bangers ….he goes the whole hog (arff..arff) . Home made , home skinned and delivered to us still quite warm :
Exhibit A : “kitchen sink drama” (as in everything but the…) : pork, pudding of colour, smoked bacon, smoked paprika, Jack Daniels.
Exhibit B : “Zorba Jones the Greek”, (linking the two nations that have strong associations with sheep) . ingredients : lamb, mint, halloumi
Delicious and quite filling, especially when washed down with a beer ….
Its dark, damp and getting chilly …time for home …well before midnight.
Route :The zig , Teggs Nose rear entry, full descent, The Leathers, left hand side ascent, Charity , off piste to Narnia…and beyond…ending at Bob’s bench.
Conditions: cloudy , dry, cool
Notes:
10 weeks is one long hiatus.
It was time to get the band back together.
Our muster point was anonymous but not far from BL
The dirty half-dozen assembled , with Butty dancing to a different beat …..
Bernard took the ops leader role and proposed a classic route ..with a twist at the end.
The tracks were beautifully dry , and the descent off the front of Teggs was the grippiest I have ever know it .
TJ and I nearly got lost in the “off piste” woody paths to Narnia …don’t turn right at the wall !
A brief Narnia stop (at the winter bench) for a snifter of cooking whisky and another of port (thanks TJ)
We then reversed our track back towards charity about 100 yards ..and then Bern took us off piste down some bad ass gnarly stuff. He has been doing some training with the “yoof” …
This was quite entertaining ..but I bailed out when we reached the road down from Forest Chapel ….with an agreement to meet them outside the Leathers . I was ready for a rest , a butty and a small beer !
15 mins later I get a text from Butty summoning me to Bob’s bench .
Here , as the light faded, we quaffed and ate our butties . El Presidente had donned his presidential “Disco keks” for dinner !
And before 11pm we are off home – No pub means early nights 🙁
A very springlike sunny day deteriorated with strengthening gusty winds, and a nasty hail shower (Causing Butty to return home, change layers and declare his position)
Suitably dressed, the rest of the crew assembled at BL, for presidential direction on route. This being a stay low(ish) and be at the pub for 8:45 (despite an advertised 10pm for food).
Local it may be, but variety it is! The snicket from Ecton ave was slithery enough to ensure concentration required, and some good views, it always feels like a hidden treasure.
Some amusing road signs on Swanscome lane warning of the evils of Peds and Cyclists in the road way!? Then some larking about with the road closure signs on Lidgetts, before uniting with Butty who was being stalked by a cat near the pumping station.
The mud by the Kerridge gate was unrideable, so the steep climb up to the ridge was actually a sensible suggestion! (merit to Dunc for getting to the gate with only a dab).
Phil amusingly says he rode the next bit in the summer..and gets bet 3 months worth of beer to do it..turns out it wasn’t “that bit”, but it does invoke some competition on “this bit” which Dunc wins, but merits for Troll and Butty who got within a couple of bike lengths!
We’ve been sheltered from the wind on the way up, but there is no escape at the trig point, while we wiat for Pete who has had a camelback malfunction! But we are not on the ridge long before its time to cut back and down. Dunc expertly guides us to the lower path, with a few “Whoos” on the slippy bits where there is some sideways action!
The resurfaced section is still slippy (but only in a few mm of mud way) but the best we will get before the slippy slope of doom down to the stream. Mudski! but well spaced out there are no incidents.
Ascending Oakenbank we almost catch a lone rider, but he puts in a big effort not to be caught and then heads straight down, disturbing a badger who runs in his lights for a bit.
We regroup, admire (briefly) the views, and then head on ourselves.
Rain is in the air, Troll has exhausted his front light, and we follow El Pres down the poachers snicket and through the back roads of Bolly.
Icy heavy wind and rain hits on grimshaw lane, its heads down and gritted teeth all the way to the pub.
Once inside and stripped of wet muddy gear, we realise we are a couple short…whatsapp confirms that Butty has broken his chain …Pete assists and some time later two bedraggled riders finally appear.
Excellent table service from the staff, Speckled Hen, Abbot and Guinness help wash down the food, and puddings are also consumed!
Butty despite being rained on twice, and going over the handlebars as the chain snapped, is in good spirits as he got to use his new quicklink opening tool!
Much catching up, and dark humour, we sense that Slim’s 20 month Gaaap yaaar may be coming to an end, and the Troll has a new project (land acquired). Good to have Croxy’s company too.
Cold ride home..smug mode for anyone with fresh gloves! 🙂
Words by Pete, Photos by Butty, Pete, Dunc and Chris
Crew : Butty, TJ, El Pres, Pete, 3 sheds
Pub : Adrian (before we even got there !), Dunc & Croxy
Weather: Cold , Dry , Clear . about 1c when I got home
Route:
RB, Redway Lane, Ingersley Vale , Poachers Snicket, Pott Shrigley , Dale top from the layby, Sponds Hill, Dale Top , Birchencliffe La, Brickworks, Upper Bollingtonia, The Cock & Pheasant
Notes:
It is still light at 6pm as I depart Austin Towers ..there is even a hint of Spring in the air.
The track from Moat Farm is almost free of puddles !
We have a 6:30pm rendezvous at RB by Presidential decree . Our finishing point tonight is the Cock & Pheasant , the first of many new pub choices we have planned.
To really mark the occasion , Chris has even washed his bike ! (shock, horror)
Chris has a thing for Sponds Hill at the moment …so once more that is our destination . Not that I am complaining, but my legs feeling it are after LOTSW on Wednesday and decent walking circuit of Lyme Park earlier on Thursday.
I have to confess a degree of faffage this evening with some very jumpy changes of gear …all due to my rear bolt through axle having worked loose !
Plenty of slippy mud to impede our ascent once we leave the tarmac , but its great when we get up to Dale Top to see the lights of Manchester and the Cheshire Plain . But Sponds Trig is our destination so there is more traction to be sought in the roller coaster track up towards the Gritstone Trail.
Chris has his eye on the clock and urges us onward back to Bolly, but we arrive with plenty of time to spare before our 9am deadline .
Funky Dunc arrives on the BMX built for a Pixie, but he still looks quite like Dominic Cummings !
And yours truly has another surprise …25% of the food and drink bill courtesy of my “Barclays Rewards” scheme…which helps to fund a small AOE !
(Postscript : El Pres has a “tyre hernia” on the way home but arrives without a fatal burst…)
Crew: El Pres, PTD, Butty, Troll, Dunc, Slim, Stunt
Pub: 3 Sheds, TJ
Route:
BL, New Road, Tea Rooms, Cat, Tea Rooms, Stanley Arms, Standing Stone, Nessit, Ressies, St Dunstans.
Conditions: Clear, cold, dry, some snow higher up.
Notes:
The wet n windy weather finally gives some snow, but only higher up, so it’s the only way to go!
Pete sorts meal logistics for the Dunny at BL, then it’s straight up the road under starry skies, with a nice crescent moon and venus. Planes move lazily across the darkness, traffic is light, and almost non existent past the rat run turn.
Roadworks by the tea rooms, to repair some walling.
We regroup, don extra layers and enjoy the snow animal (dog?) at the start of the path.
There is only about an inch or so lying, with some deeper patches, but it proves surprisingly hard work to climb on it!
At the Cat, we rapidly discover that going will be very slow over Danebower, and that we will not make the pre arranged time at the Dunny…
Sadly we turn round, and do the offroad back to the tea rooms descent, which although short was great fun!
A head numbing rapid drop down the road to the Stanley, and a welcome little climb to warm the legs up to standing stone.
Stunt provides some hot chocolate to boost the circulation.
Time is a ticking, pace must be kept up, peleton stretches out…not all riders do the full Nessit…but we meet the SLA of 8:45 to keep the very welcoming Dunny staff onside.
Krypton factor fun stacking the bikes on wall hooks in and around the bins in the passageway..but they all fitted!
Lancaster bomber dissapointing, the 61 deep Pale ale better 🙂
In the posh bit tonight (mainly to ensure we didn’t block the view of the United game on the tellybox), and posh service too…Gravy, Gravy, Enough to sink the Navy! amongst table beer service and free table water!
Much bants, putting pandemics to rights, updates to dodgy twitter accounts, and the welcome company of 3 Sheds. TJ turned up on cue to get the beers in (twice!), and an AoE settles in with Japanese Whisky and DoE attitudes 😉
The witching hour beckons for the inevitably cold ride home, Butty discovers a flat front tyre (and blames a dry tubeless tyre), legs are stiff from more than just the cold (we’re not used to the cat climb these days!)
..although others would claim lunchtime running, and big wednesday rides as better reasons!
Got home to discover that the cherry tree had decided to blossom..early spring is weird!
Route: Rainbow bridge, New footpath (to old Tythy), Snickets past water treatement works and the Tythy streams & woods, Under the railway by the golf course, Bollin valley to Prestbury, Chelford Road, Finlow Hill Lane, Bradford Lane, Hocker Lane with Alderley Park Woods extension, Slade Lane, Findlow Hill Lane (again), Cut through to and across Artists Lane, Windmill Woods to the Owl, Artists Lane, Route one to Legh Arms.
Conditions: Cold, Windy, extremely wet and muddy trails
Notes:
The challenge this week was to “Not do the Forest and Sutton Hall”, but forecasts of 40-50mph gusts at the Cat, with windchill down to -9, so the return to the Edge came into play.
With the Bollin valley very muddy, the usual rv at riverside car park was abandoned in favour of Rainbow Bridge (where Charlotte said Hi on her way back from visiting her mum). However a lack of reconnaissance (and a lack of listening to Dunc) meant that the new path into the new houses turned out to be a new path from the old houses!
The good news was that this meant an introduction to the Tythy snickets for half the crew, which they liked! One muddy field was negotiated, then firm path into Prezza..although not sure what all the fencing and gates are in aid of!!
Pete pops into the Legh arms to order food then its the long climb up to the B road, a quick left and right into Finlow Hill Lane keeps us away from the fast moving, tyre rumbling, Champagne Triangle 4×4’s.
A whiff of horse manure past the stables, twinking lights from the caravan park, and into the muddy rocky Gnarr of Bradford lane, where the safest line was in the several inches of running water over the broken bones of the former road! The lower cobbles not too greasy (luckily)
Left turn up Hocker, and then divert Right into the now open access Alderley Park woods, with a couple of big patches of missing woods! recent logging added to the mud, serious peddling needed to keep upright in a few sections before we completed the 3 sides of a square back to Hocker.
Another road climb up Hocker and Slade, and a time check confirms that we won’t make the big decent off the far side, so we slither across to Artists lane and into Windmill Wood.
Its as muddy as predicted, but the sheer amount of water lower down has never been seen before by any. Its still lots of fun (in a mucky kinda way).
Regroup by the owl, then back up Artists Lane to the recently closed Wizard. In the absence of the President, Lee and Stunt lead the charge to the Pub.
The refurb has removed the railings in the car park, but the garden furniture is plenty sturdy enough to substitute.
We leave our muddy boots and outer layers in the lobby, and head inside.
The bar area has been opened out and we have a table nearby, where with steins of lager, tall glasses of Stout and normal glasses of Unicorn, we start to thaw our toes, and demolish our nicely presented food.
A typically TNR eclectic range of conversations, excellent table service, and the welcome addition of Nick fresh from Birmingham.
Our responsible healthcare professionals head off first, with the remainder staying for last orders and a cheeky Highland Park.
Not often a hill post pub is welcome, but at least it got us warm!
Route: Berns, Zig Zags, Charity, Extension, Standing Stone, Nessit Hill, between the DH track, ususal route to Bobs bench, Sutton Hall.
Conditions: Clear & Cool
Notes:
While El Pres and some of the usual suspects had been lured East for a Thursday Day Ride, the faithful duly assembled at Berns for a 6:45 start.
Dunc starting (and we hope it continues) a new trend of doing the full TNR!
Much ribaldry right from the start, with Stunt being promoted to El Pres in a bloodless coup!!
Dunc claimed that the banter was nothing to do with his presence, and accused us of “Fithasizing” his comments…we do believe that this just proves our point! 🙂
A bit of creaking from various legs which have been off the bike a bit too much, but a decent pace maintained up to Charity lane
The dastardly green old P reg disco was seen again doing cheeky descent and ascent of chazza!
Storm Ciara though had left us more things to worry about on the extension!! sketchy rocks in the extreme!!
A plan to raise a glass to Dan on top of Shutlingsloe is abandoned due to lack of time (shame as conditions were good), and we rode to Nessit instead to break out the Winters Gold, in Berns proper glasses, on TJ’s “tablecloth” 😉
Superb blast down (despite being dazzled a bit on the first section by lads on big rigs pushing back up)
Cold air now very noticable, and an unexpected full width puddle at the bottom of the hill down from the Smithy, made for one last “moment”!
Sutton Hall busy with folk getting their xmas vouchers in (last night they were valid). We manage to bag the usual table in the chapel bar, some hazy IPA’s tried, but Lucan is still the best! Top table service, and plenty of chat from the variable weird weather in the Alps, to technical details of occlusal reconstruction, and TV’s on ceilings..for something to look at when you are lying down (phnarr phnaar).
Mini AoE with some rather fine (and v good value) 15 year old Dalwhinnie before chilly ride home.
Weather: Cold , Dry , Clear . about 4c with a strong breeze high up.
Route:
BL . Hurdsfield, Well Lane , Cliff La, Calrolfold La, Lidgetts La, Kerridge bridleway, Rainow, Oaken bank, Spuley lane, Pott Shrigley, Brickworks, Moorside La, Dale Top , Beaver Creek, Poachers.
Notes:
This week I took a Redway Lane tarmac route from our humble abode in Upper Bollingtonia to El Presidente’s palace on BL. Once again, the owls were hooting on Higher Fence Rd
23 minutes !! I was almost early
A small, but perfectly team of four this week. an Eric-friendly crew size .
So, having arrived promptly, Chris and I await the Poynton Posse ….but they have already experienced an eventful journey from the gentrified zone of North Cheshire – the towpath is closed at AZ !!
So we get whatsapps telling of us a muddy and treacherous crossing of fields as they embarked upon an off piste route …
Which leads us to meeting the muddy boys at the end of Well Lane. With a bijou sized crew we can make up the route as we go along …with no complaints 🙂
Butty has finally begun to exit the closet, bringing his (costume) wig from El Pud’s 60th party and wearing it for the entirety of the ride, and in the Poachers as well !
A brief discussion on “going high” but this dissolved into a quiet tarmac route towards Lidgetts, which gave us the opportunity to educate TJ on the link between Calrofold La and the Radio 4 Today programme … the late Brian Redhead used to live up here. We also had our first encounter of the evening with the WNB’s at the top end of Calrofold La.
The Kerridge Bridleway was entertaining – but not the best choice for those of us seeking some traction. It was very hard to stay upright !! So we bailed out halfway along & dropped right and up into Rainow .
Oakenbank was fun , and then more tarmac ..taking Spuley La , and a distinct drop in temperature, out to Pott Shrigley .
At the Brickworks we hung a left towards Moorside La , and then climbed from just before Keepers Cottage towards Dale Top ..
The climb soon became a push , with our lights turned off to enjoy the brightness of the moon …enough to give us all shadows.
Chris was the first to the apex of Dale Top …dumping his bike and taking a wander to inspect a bunch of flowers attached to the fence about 20 metres away. He looked back to his bike and saw the dark shape of a figure standing just where he was moments before. To begin with he thought it was Butty, but we were still further down the hill on our moonlit push. Spooky !
It was flipping cold in the wind up there , and Chris was keen to go…leaving me to pack away my camera as fast as I could.
Butty leads us down Beavers Creek …..which is slippery and entertaining (Fnarr Fnarr) . The tarmac descent to the Poachers was so cold I lost feeling in some of my fingers.
Pies , excellent IPA and the certainty of Gammon, Egg and Chips made the Poachers the “Right Answer” …
Adrian joined us in “B*llshit Corner” where wig donning had reached a strange frenzy.
I think Collette, the barmaid, was a little taken aback by Butty and his wig antics
