After shovelling chowder down my throat for fuel I set off along my main road into Ashton setting a good pace due to the lack of traffic. Even making it through the rapidly breeding contraflows without a sniff of a problem (although from now on I probably will have problems!).
After making my way through Ashton town centre and the side of Ikea I suddenly decided that I wanted to head over to Park Bridge and the farmland over there as it'd be quiet and isolated, which is what I wanted seeing as I was in a contemplative mood. So off up Wilshaw with it's evil hump to get over and past Ashton golf course to get to Alt Hill Lane turning opposite Twirl Hill Lane.
I stopped to admire the view (what a view!) and spotted a bird of prey silhouette in the glowing skies as it hovered over it's next meal before rapidly swooping and gliding off victorious. Sadly my camera phone hasn't got a powerful enough zoom to capture its beauty, grace and effortlessness.Climbing and descending through Alt Village was a dream. So much different than when I ride through here in the daylight. Although I had my lights on I was relying on memory for the road conditions and turns too and it made it more of a fun ride for me. That and the sheer isolation I got once I was in the valley bottom.
Once back into reality (sadly) I built some speed up as I shot along to Waterloo and made my turn-off onto a great twisting descent with stunning listed cottages abutting the road. Once past farmland I decided to go all guns blazing and got onto the outer ring (for some reason I very rarely use the front big ring, I always stay on the inner one) and put my foot down for some pacy flat riding. Pretty soon I was turning off at Droylsden FC and winging round Fiveways before my lovely jaunt the wrong way up one-way systems - it's great when the roadworks mean you can do this! Especially when you see the faces of people who don't quite realise that this has happened.
Then home and a lovely radox bath before rubbish tv into the early hours.
Stats -
Amazing. Lovely and warm still.
Miles: 11.95
Average speed: 14.5mph
Climbed: 374ft
I love it when you're up the hills and you can see all the lights in the valley bellow.
ReplyDeleteI'd recommend a ride out to Charlesworth, Saddleworth moor etc. Any of the hills looking over Manchester.
This time of year is the perfect tome of year to do it. You don't need to be out in the middle of the night and you wont freeze to death if you have to stop.
Cant beat a radox bath AHHHHH
ReplyDelete@ Red: It's glorious isn't it. At this time of year I'll most likely be getting out more at night, usually after work so it's already going to be going dark before I've even left the house.
ReplyDelete@ Gaz: total bliss!
After work???
ReplyDeleteYou kept that one quite. Congratulations!!!
If only. It's unpaid work in a charity shop. Something to keep me occupied, stop me going mad and to boost my cv.
ReplyDeleteI wish i could get paid for doing it as I love the work I do, have great colleagues and am in my element (media specialist/archivist) but sadly it's a voluntary job only.
Lovely pictures! Clouds are my fave of mine to photograph because they are piss easy to replace over any shitty background :)
ReplyDeleteNice little ride too!
It's a route that I do quite a bit. If I'm feeling good I'll do it a few times as a loop.
ReplyDelete