Paupers Beach

After thinking long and hard over a few days (Friday and Saturday) I decided I would get out for a ride on Sunday.

As I woke up early and found the sun streaming and a very gentle breeze blowing through the window, I slapped on the Riemann P20 and readied Everest for a gorgeously sunny ride.

After a stint through Clayton and Failsworth I got onto Broadway for the long steady climb up through Hollinwood and Chadderton and past The Latics before having to follow a diversion through God Knows Where before it felt like all the hills in what I now know as Shaw were coming out to get me!

Once back on known land I ploughed onward and upwards, soon arriving in Newhey and hunting for the hill I prefer to climb than that on Kiln Lane. For once there was no furry Exocet missile on a suicide mission as I flew along Wild House Lane before turning at a dinky roundabout to head along the waters edge on Lake Bank passing John W (Middleton CC) and round to Halifax Rd where I trundled uphill to the start point of Middleton CC's hill climb route. I wanted to see how I did riding Blackstone Edge but my legs had other ideas as after a mile of 7% climbing they screamed at me to stop going uphill and then refused to push me any further! So I turned back and headed back the way I came in search of food which I found at the visitor centre for the Paupers Beach (Hollingworth Lake).

After some yummy sustenance and a phone call to Evans Cycles I set off back along Lake Bank where I spotted a few more members of Middleton CC - Paul, Lyndsey and Simon. After a rapid and twisty descent back down Pennine Drive I was flying down through Newhey, Shaw and Chadderton to the base of Broadway with it's junction at Oldham Rd. As I wanted to treat Everest to some new things I set off along Oldham Rd to Manchester City Centre and had the thrill of attacking the one way systems and skinny-laned contraflows while the victorian sewers get replaced and going in the opposite direction to Evans.

Eventually I managed to get back on a road that would take me to the shop and treated Everest to a new Knog Frog light and some lovely carbo effect Cinelli bar tape.

Once I'd left the shop I was back in the roadworks, only this time I could follow the buses and taxis through the no-go areas for other traffic and got onto Plymouth Grove which would take me to Longsight and the fast road through Ashbury's all the way to the Velo. Pretty soon I was zooming through Medlock Vale and at the start of my hill repeat hill. I thought I'd give it a shot while totally knackered after the rest of the climbing I'd done in the day. I was happy with my time for it.

Stats - view route

Beautifully sunny, hot and clear

Maximum speed: 29mph

Average speed: 13.7mph

Miles: 46.46

Climbed: 912ft

Time taken: 3hrs 19 mins

Hill climb

Maximum speed: 10.3

Average speed: 6.4

Miles: 0.26

Climbed: 85ft

Time taken: 2.10