7 riders & 3 walkers/runners and 2 dogs turned out on what seemed to be a reasonable evening. On arrival at castleton main carpark, there was another group of bikers gathering, a popular night Thursday is!
I did my usual and sneeked off 5mins before the others, I find that if the ride starts with an energetic climb, I go much better later on if I set off like this and then get a rest before the others arrive.
As I climbed up the old MamTor road I discovered the wind and a slight drizzle were going to cause us some trouble later on. The Mam Tor old road, or Shimmering mountain has not been used for moterised traffic since 1979 when they gave up trying to repair the ever crumbling road.
At the top, I went around the road way to Mam Nick, ( the cutting through the West side of the hill to allow the road from WEdale to pass through. The pass was acting like a funnel, the wind strong and constant, with a stinging rain that bit at my cheeks. I put up my collars and tucked down low to wait for the others.
When the team arrived the decision had already been made to cut the nasty exposed climb upto and along Rushup edge, The wind would have been almost in our favour up there but the ground would have been soft and the going slow.
So down we went! Behind the back side of Mam Tor is a decent the never fails to please. Not this time! The mud was unbelievable, and the V-shaped grooves where water, walkers, bikes, horses and sheep all compete for a path down were deep, infact this descent is now probably in the worst condition we've seen it in.
The bottom half of this track has some gravel type surface and is almost bobsleigh run like in places, you can really pick up the pace on this bit, it didnt fail to exite this time.
A climb now follows up to Hollins Cross a view point on Back Tor Ridge, at the top we normally have a sweetie stop but the wind was again too much for the normally hardy bunch!
We carried on along the ridge for 100m or so, and then through a gate onto another fast and testing descent. This time it was in good condition, the first section is rutted and narrow, with brown slippery mud. Then it opens out, the path less defined now, it is more of a 'I'll go where the bike takes me' sort of track. It happened, I was happily keeping with Geoff, when with no warning I just seemed to dive off the track to my right, and ended up in a gully, which as Geoff had just made the hairpin right turn ahead, would have spit me out in front if I had not climbed out.
Back on track it now gets rutted and rocky as you drop through old broken walls and through a forest of Gorse bushes. At the bottom a gate, a get that leads to a test that defeats most. A very narrow steep sided track with big rock steps to start, if you clear the first, the second is bigger and (especially in the dark) is not clear to which side to drop off until its too late. It does change regulary, and so long as you carry some speed and shift your weight back then its possible to get down safely. If you make it, the run out is fast, but unfortunately, on all but the driest of summer rides, is very wet, the sort of wet that makes you uncomfortable!
The next bit was evil, whoever thought of the idea of riding up Winnats Pass is a saddist!
The narrowness of the road and its 20% (1 in 5) gradient has caused it to be closed to buses, coaches and vehicles over 7.5 tonnes in weight. The road features regularly in the Tour of the Peak cycle race each autumn. It presents the riders with a severe challenge, and often determines the race outcome.
I walked! along with Geoff who was riding his Full suspension bike we both dismouted at the cattle grid and walked to the one at the top.
Luckily for me , (thanks guys) the others had took shelter behind a wall and waited. A quick pedal along the metalled road across Ox Low led us to our prize, the testing down hill to Castleton - Cave Dale. Making up the final (or beggining) of the Limestone Way, this steep side valley initially starts with a grassy cruise but after a couple of gates turns to a steep and slippery Limestone rock body-smasher of a test. One that scares many of us even after doing it many times.
Geoff went first, he was flying, relishing the chance to ride the suspension bike, I followed and was going well, I didnt get caught until a really rocky bit fired me off line, Adam passed me whilst I got back on track. I caught him a little further on, and enjoyed the whooping rolling grassy jumps that are either side of the track at the bottom.
One of the andy's had a crash near the top apparently, landing heavily on his side but was up and riding the rest straight away. Other than that, the general consensus was: 'thats slippery int' it?' well actually the secret is to just let it roll, and to keep off the brakes to avoid slidding. Only brake on the smoother gravelly bits and just ENJOY!
Distance: 09 miles?
Ascent: Lots & lots
Bike ridden: NS Bikes Surge
My performance: Much better with the head start, 95%
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