Good Weather, Dry Trails!
Ride Date: 15/05/2016
Distance: 22 Miles
Climbing: 2500ft
Route: Miller's Dale > Chelmorton > Wormhill > Brushfield
Riders : Jake, Matt, Jonny, Basil, Duncan, Luke & Paddy
Decent weather on the lead up to the ride had us confident the trails were going to be dry which was something long overdue for this year. Also a healthy turn out continuing the average group size of seven with a rare appearance from Jonny (Hairball), but missing Deley & Scott due to Nat coming home and Carro due to reasons I can't remember.
We started off with the steady warm up along the Monsall Trail, before climbing sharply up to Kings Sterndale followed by the short but sweet drop in to Horseshoe Dale and following the steady but rewarding rocky route along the Priest's Way to Chelmorton. A bit of a climb out and then over the singletrack and down to Blackwell before the fast decent into Wye Dale. A small break at the bottom for puncture repairs, then back out the other side up the steep switchbacks to the farm.
With a bit of leg work between two farms we were soon at the start of my favourite part of the ride, the descent from Wormhill into Monk's Dale, almost a mile of twisting singletrack broken up by a couple of gates, the second being the point of another puncture. I think most had a sketchy moment at some point on this section, not least Luke, who had a stunning "over the bars" at the bottom, fortunately he got up and shook it off OK.
Next up was the drop into Miller's Dale, again with the flow broken up by a few gates, once in Miller's Dale Paddy left us to go and see a man about a dog, the rest of us enduring the tough, but final climb of the day to Priestcliffe and then weaving in and out of the only puddles of the day as we made our way along the trails to Brushfield and the final descent of the day, which starts off on fast hard limestone, then into a section someone described as riding on marbles, before a sharp left and a steep rocky drop onto the Monsall Trail.
That just left a roll back along the Monsall Trail to the cars. A good ride all in, great weather, dry trails and a good group. Don't miss the video below.
Next up The Eastern Moors Epic, keep an eye out for it.
Distance: 22 Miles
Climbing: 2500ft
Route: Miller's Dale > Chelmorton > Wormhill > Brushfield
Riders : Jake, Matt, Jonny, Basil, Duncan, Luke & Paddy
Decent weather on the lead up to the ride had us confident the trails were going to be dry which was something long overdue for this year. Also a healthy turn out continuing the average group size of seven with a rare appearance from Jonny (Hairball), but missing Deley & Scott due to Nat coming home and Carro due to reasons I can't remember.
We started off with the steady warm up along the Monsall Trail, before climbing sharply up to Kings Sterndale followed by the short but sweet drop in to Horseshoe Dale and following the steady but rewarding rocky route along the Priest's Way to Chelmorton. A bit of a climb out and then over the singletrack and down to Blackwell before the fast decent into Wye Dale. A small break at the bottom for puncture repairs, then back out the other side up the steep switchbacks to the farm.
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| Decent views on the climb out from Wye Dale |
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| Puncture break, just before the last drop into Monk's Dale |
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| Looking back up the excellent singletrack from Monk's Dale |
Next up The Eastern Moors Epic, keep an eye out for it.
