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We've included a selection of local ride reports here compiled from various groups. They will hopefully give you a flavour of the groups' activities...
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Lancashire
We left the car park to head up through the village of Wycoller, taking the back road and passing Pepper Hill Barn to miss out the slippery ford, and headed up the Bronte Way. Just below Combe House we turned right to follow the track all the way to Coldwell, the cafe here is at present closed, but we used the seating in their garden to have our morning break, with a couple of members using the children's Wendy house to dine in as it had started to rain. Now we followed the quiet 'B' roads to Worsthorne to eat our packed lunch's on the village green, we made good use of the local shop for a few extras to our sandwiches. For the return journey we ascended Gorple Road, to it's junction with the Mary Towneley Loop of the Pennine Bridleway, and continued on it over Black Moor to rejoin tarmac at the road to Thursden at Widdop. At Thursden we turned right, to again join the Bronte Way and our route back to Wycoller. This time, on entering the village we attempted the ford, a couple of our members can now testify to it's slippiness (and wetness), but luckily the cafe was still open for some very welcome refreshment whilst they dried out. It was noticed that all our members were on mountain bikes on this occasion, something that as far as I know has not occurred previously on our rides, is this a sign of things to come? The weather was quite mixed, starting off dry, but overcast, turning to heavy rain by lunchtime, then we were into the clouds on Black Moor and by the time we were approaching Wycoller in the afternoon the Sun was out in a lovely blue sky! A day of contrasts. Brian Parkinson |
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Lancashire Group members |
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Lancashire Group Update
First of all I would like to express my appreciation to those members who have arranged and conducted rides on this year's programme, and to those who have led group rides in my absence, thank you all. This year we have been asked to put on a ride or two for the South Pennine Walking and Cycling Festival, these rides will appear in the next Journal, and are already on the websites in the forthcoming events section. The first ride is on Wednesday 24th September, from Rivington Hall Barn to Darwen Tower, visiting Rivington Pike on the return leg, the lunch stop will be at the Tockholes Tea Room. The second ride which was already on our programme is from Hollingworth Lake on Sunday 28th September, to Hebden Bridge for lunch, via Blackstone Edge and Cragg Vale, returning on the Rochdale Canal towpath. Again this year, under the RSF banner, I have put rides on the Lancashire County Council Programme of Guided Rides, the next one is from Spring Wood, Whalley on Friday 27th June and the following one is from Wycoller, on Friday 25th July, this ride is primarily for people new to off road cycling, and due to insurance requirements I have to advise that helmets are strongly recommended. Please come along and support these events, which are open to the general public, and perhaps assist with the running of them, all the above rides start at 10am, contact me if you require further information. Next year I intend to put all the rides run under the auspices of the RSF both in the Journal and on the websites. This year I have not organised any multi-day rides, next year I would like to include some, the Mary Towneley Loop of the Pennine Bridleway has been mooted, this would be over a two day period again, staying at Mankinholes YHA overnight, each day would be about thirty five miles. I welcome any thoughts that members may have for events next year, be it a one day ride for the programme, or perhaps a few days camping, a bunkhouse, a YHA or something entirely new! Please put your suggestions forward. Brian Parkinson |
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Home Counties
Hindhead is located about 40 miles south west of London on the Portsmouth road. It's a hilly sandy area with numerous bridleways so providing you don't get sand in your bearings its a great area. It's also the location of one of the last 'simple hostels' in the country, so a couple of members took advantage of the meet to make a weekend of it. We met at the upmarket National Trust café (used to be a greasy spoon until a couple of years ago) overlooking the deep depression known as the Devils Punch Bowl. Leaving the café, our wallets somewhat lighter, we were straight into what is typical scenery for the area, a mixture of woodland and open country made all the more enjoyable by the heather and gorse in bloom. This is an area rich in historical associations and I had passed one of them on my way to the meeting point. A memorial to the drunken sailor who was robbed whilst on his way back to his ship in Portsmouth. The murderers were captured and hung on a nearby hill, which is called Gibbet Hill. Here there were superb views towards the North Downs, which very neatly hides the sprawling mass of London. Due to the Foot and Mouth restrictions to the north we concentrated on an area south west of Hindhead, between Headley and Grayshott. Richly wooded we passed by old Hammer Ponds (a relic of this area's industrial past). Then to Waggoner's Well and out to open common land with superb views towards Blackdown Hill and the South Downs. Apart from dog walkers there was no one out, a consequence of the dire weather forecast - we had no rain all day. After lunch near Beacon Hill we headed north for some lane riding back by Elstead. Steve Griffith |
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Shropshire - Caer Caradoc in the background |
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Northern Peak & South Pennine
We arrived at Chapel en le Frith only to find my tyre splitting in the centre of the tread. This was a fairly new Kendo with a tread that is almost unworn! Nothing for it but to return home, change the tyre and ride from Hadfield, This we did, along with new member Neal. We made the circuit of Longdendale on a baking hot day. At Crowden we followed a new section of trail signed as "Northern Horse Route". This now makes it possible to follow the entire south side of the valley off road from Tintwistle to the summit of the A628 a distance of about 9 miles. Along here I had a puncture so the tube was replaced and then we sat and lunched in the sun. Reaching the summit we descended rapidly to the Woodhead Tunnel and returned along the Trans Pennine Trail, taking in a couple of detours around Valehouse and Bottoms reservoirs. A beautiful day, but after all the rains it seems churlish now to complain about the heat! John Kemp |
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Hilary Thorp: Irfon Fords at the bottom of the Devil's Staircase, Wales |
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Home Counties
This was rough stuff of a flat and domestic type. Not the rugged uplands but a gentle riverside ride. Alec had planned the ride but damaged his car radiator when parking at Maidenhead and had to spend the day waiting for the AA. The rest of us followed the route he had planned for us. We set off from Jenner's Café at the Riverside Gardens, crossed the river at the Maidenhead Bridge and then followed the east bank of the Thames as far as Eton. At times there was an almost suburban feel as we passed manicured lawns and boat houses whereas other sections of the ride were emptier. After lunch at by the bridge linking Eton and Windsor we set off north through Eton to reach the Jubilee River. This is an artificial watercourse built to alleviate flooding by the Environment Agency but it has been landscaped to look like a natural river. Better still, they have put in a cycleway alongside it. We were back near Maidenhead by 3.00p.m., too early we felt to go home. So, instead we rode up the hill [the only one] towards Cliveden. Just short of it we passed Taplow Court with notices saying it was open to the public free that day. The house is a former stately home that is now run by Soka Gakkai International, a lay Buddhist organisation. Certainly the friendly welcome we received from the staff was a good advertisement for their beliefs. Refreshed by tea, we went on a short tour of the house. Its golden age was in the decades before the First World War, when it was a meeting place for the so called "Souls", an aristocratic and intellectual circle. Sadly, two sons of the house were killed in 1915 in Flanders and the third died in a car accident after the war. Leaving Taplow Court we hit our roughest stuff on what is normally a tarmaced road, but was being dug up as part of a housing development, passed Cliveden, came down a hill to the river, followed a footpath to Cookham Bridge and then followed the Thames Path back to Maidenhead. Thanks for the ride, Alec. Let's hope that next time you are able to join us! Charles Harvey |
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River Esk, leaving Egton Bridge towards Glaisdale |
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Vagabonds
George and I took the train from Dundee to Altnabreac Station. Found a fisherman's hut a couple of miles away and "camped" there. Weather was cold, north wind, odd shower. Saturday saw us heading south on good tracks past Lochdhu Hotel (now a private house). Dalnawillian Lodge and out to Braemore. Then on to the A9 to Helmsdale via the Berriedale Braes. After a late lunch we headed north to Kinbrace via Strath Ullie (Strath of Kildonan) along the River Helmsdale. Left at Kinbrace then left onto a track towards Loch Choire Lodge. Found a good bothy (Gearnsary) with fireplace and wood. George can produce a good going fire at the drop of a hat. The weather was cold overnight but we were comfortable. Sunday continued west past Loch Choire Lodge to west end of Loch Choire and a good fire and lunch. Met Bernard and Betty Heath of MBA fame. Travelled on south on a stalking path to Ben Armine Lodge where the keeper and his wife gave us tea and were pleased to have news of Bernard and Betty. (The keeper hails from Kirriemuir!) 7 miles of reasonable track took us to the road at Sciberscross and then to Rogart Station Bunkhouse in old railway carriages. Excellent. 10% discount for cyclists. Next day all we had to do was get to Inverness by 3.15pm. George's encyclopaedic knowledge of highways and byways ensured we stayed off the A9 as much as possible. Saw several groups of cyclists heading for John O'Groats into the cold north wind! We took the Inverness to Aberdeen train, then on to Dundee. I got off at Montrose and cycled home to Kirriemuir. All in all a great trip; thanks to George. Scotrail's cheap over-55 deal was useful. The weather was great, the locals friendly and the views and wildlife superb. Reg Popham |
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