Words by Alex, Photos by Pete
Crew: El Pres, Slim, Butty, TJ, Dunc, Troll, G, Stunt
Route: Backeddisbury lane, Zag, Charity, Extension, Tea rooms, Shining Tor, over the moors across Andrew’s Edge to Hooleyhey lane, Ewrin lane, Pike road, Blaze Hill, Poachers.
Conditions: Cold, Still, mist in places, wetter than expected trails.
Notes:
Pete puts out a go high, go big route idea on an evening with no wind and after a week of almost no rain.
The 6pm start means that dunc will RV at the tea rooms, and the E bikers will catch us circa charity.
Under the almost full “beaver” moon in a clear sky, we could almost ride without lights (I remember doing that many years back in the pre LED lighting era when good moonlight was nearly as good as our lights were!). Before we get going we admire the fully refurbished troll bike – all moving parts are new, and a new front tyre to boot.
Climbing up the Zag we can see a mist bank rolling off the meadows by Windyways and over the track into the fields towards Teggs. Descending to Walker Barn we come out into clear air again, on the main road up to Charity the valley to our left is blanketed in white, but the tops are all looking clear.
Butty is waiting for us at the national park marker (taking arty photos), and by the start of Charity proper G has also caught us (having passed a solo rider and invited him to tag along – only to be politely rebuffed).
The inevitable werewolf jokes come into play whilst we regroup, the resolutely solo rider passes us, and we take on Charity – with occasional mist pockets to add some jepoardy.
Cold air at Forest chapel, and back into the fog at Bottom of the Oven, but of course a warming climb to the tea rooms. No sign of Dunc the the lead riders arrive, but his lights come round the far bend well ahead of our laggards, and we are complete.
Time may be getting a little tight for the plan A, so Stunt goes into route progress auditor mode and chivvies us along the high track and over the gates to the Shining Tor down and up.
What is it about the ground conditions – mix of geotex fabric, mesh and peaty mud that is so energy sapping!?
Some trig hugging at the top, but no time to faff, and Pete is getting his excuses in early about ground conditions being “wetter than expected”. He’s not wrong as it’s a proper swamp at the turn, the alternative to Pym’s chair is a lot longer, so we man up and get going.
It does get a lot better once we start to descend, the long grass although wet is a good alternative to the main muddy trail, and actually quite grippy where it’s starting to frost!
The amount of fun this section contained might have been directly proportional to the degree of waterproofness of your footwear!
In contrast the final downhills to Hooleyhey lane were fast and firm – maybe the grass that has grown over top has done the job!? 20:20 hours and all is well vs pub ETA. Cold tired legs mean that dead mans hill is a bit of a grind, but El Pres must be able to smell the beer because he finds new energy to head past Dunc to make the E bikers turn up their power a notch!
More mist at the bottom of Blaze hill!! but no casualties and into the pub at 20:45 as promised by Cheesy Chips himself.
Sleepy Badger stout at only 4.5% is a must, although the usual suspects do the taps of doom. What’s this – PTD and Dr S posting pics of climbing with whisky, on a Thursday! Well it is a fine night for it đ
WNB Richard (who helped Ratboy organise the enduro) passes round a pump complete with enclosed toolkit and CO2 cannister, which having been unclaimed from the Enduro is now being auctioned off in aid of Bolly festival. Tis a cunningly designed bit of kit, which is rapidly diassembled on our table, and eventually put back together! G has the winning bit and it will now be a TNR team burden to be carried by someone who has done something silly. G will carry it initially for being silly enough to buy it in the first place đ
El Pres frustrates Pete who is getting second beers in, by asking for “this” but not knowing the name of his pint – situation de escalates with all getting a decent pint of the right colour (Phew!).
Ribaldry zone is eventually reached, fond memories of Dempsey and Makepeace (not to be confused with Cagney and Lacey). Paddy’s children in need ride (with blaze hill training) triggers Raleigh Chopper, Grifter and Boxer chat – with agreement that they were all sh*te but some might still buy one for the nostalgia – Pete had a mate who sold one for >ÂŁ500 a few years back having kept it from childhood.
Speaking of retro, TJ has acquired a Royal Enfield (subcontinent constructed) as his latest motorbike. We expect to see him with leather helmet and goggles next time!
With TJ & G talk of the coming alpine season is also inevitable…
Also inevitable – there was a lot of climbing tonight – so was it a Munro night? Dunc (a.k.a. Stato) did not do Charity – but posts 666m of ascent (2185ft), Butty – who was with us, but did 2x Oakenbank extra gives 1,014m (3,327 ft)..so is it possible we did the magic 3000? Map geek Pete does the a route check on OS Maps to conclude that from Bolly Heights it was 2688ft. So a decent quantity of ascent but well short of a Munro.
A fine Tamavulin to finish before a cold ride home….but perhaps not as cold as it will be next week!!
