Bakewell Puddings

Ride Date: 22/09/2013

Location: Wye valley - Cheedale Loop

Riders : Jake, Ryan, Matt, Howard, Dan & Deley 

The first of the "new style" Sunday rides took us possibly the furthest yet from the centre point of work, with an early morning start in Bakewell for what was a completely unknown new ride for all of us.

The start of the route was a steady warm up along the Monsall Trail, through the first tunnel & over the viaduct, here we left the easy riding trail and took a sharp left up a fairly steep and rocky "Black" rated climb, once at the top we wiped the blood, sweat and tears away, took in some of the superb views back towards the viaduct and descended down into the small hamlet of Brushfield, we then climbed & dropped on farm tracks into Priestcliffe, where Howard "percy weakbladder" Derbyshire had to nip off and relive himself.
We the proceeded on pleasant country roads to Blackwell, where we left the tarmac and joined the Pennine Bridleway we followed this steady double track for a short while where the first good descent of the day opened up before us with a nice fast loose ride down into the valley, where is was alleged that Matt overshot the final corner slightly! We then went over the Monsall Trail and over the river to start the next climb, a steady bit of singletrack back up the other side of the valley towards Mosley farm, we stopped near to the top for a breather and much needed drink

The view from near Mosley farm

Ryan & Deley checking out the views of the valley below

A "Tractor Action Shot" at Mosley Farm

After a quick drink we set off through the farm and long the farm track, veering off the track at one point onto an old Bridleway & eventually onto a short section of Tarmac before we took a right up over the fields, which turned out to be the muddiest section of trail we have ridden in many a month, there was also plenty of cow dung on this section too, which took a fair bit of scrubbing to remove in the end. This trail lead us to Wormhill, where we crossed the road and followed a fast bit of weaving singletrack, where Matt displayed his nettle avoidance technique by getting his feet above his handlebars! After a short wait for a few ramblers the singletrack dropped off to a great bit of rocky peak district downhill all the way to the road.
We now began a tarmac climb up-to the junction with the Limestone way, where we took a right and followed it nice and fast downhill all the way to Miller's Dale.
We then cheekily followed the river all the way back to the viaduct at Monsall Head and back onto the Monsall Trail

Dan & Howard on the Viaduct, not sure what Howard is looking for!

The view from the Viaduct

We then set off back towards Bakewell along what had become a much busier monsall Trail, but it turned out to be a nice warm down after the hard riding leading up to it.

All that was left was a stroll down into Bakewell for a refreshing pint in the beer garden of the The Peacock Pub with the weather having turned to be spot on with 20°C and warm sunshine, it was a perfect end to a decent ride.

See the full route here http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/248856226/151189