Up, up, up

Phew! I'm not sure how I managed it but I hauled my butt all the way up to Chew reservoir in the Peak District.


I began at the Chew Valley roundabout and turned off towards a small business park where I joined the track at the side of Chew Brook. Following this round to just past the football pitch and a left turn brought me out onto a private road that follows the brook to Bank Lane and the sailing club.


Once past the landed dinghies and onto Chew Road where things turned skywards. Once over the bridge you're already on an average gradient of 8%. Sweeping round the bend with Indian's Head (Whimberry Stones) on the right and the road just seems to go on forever with only the bends giving some visual respite from the thoughts of ascending into heaven.

Round more bends and the grad gets steeper, now at around 11 or 12% and at one point you can see the efforts that have been made to stop sections of the hills on the left slipping across the road and down the steepening gully into the river below. 'Decoy' rocks begin to appear, making you think you're getting closer to the top than you are - from the car park below these look like they're on the moor top...but no! They're decoy rocks that first of all elate you, then deflate you as you realise it's only going to get tougher.

Now it's 16% and getting steeper as I began to really pant from the effort and as I begin to get closer to the hillside that still rears up from over my left shoulder, purely because of the steep gully getting closer to the road edge (I'm afraid of heights you see).

One last sweeping bend and the sky gets huge as the hills seem to disappear. I'm near the top!! On my left is what looks like a little cove with cliffs and a dinky lake - perfect spot to stop and eat sandwiches while looking over the valley to the extremely steep, rocky, scree covered hillside across the valley.

After the yummy food I knew I wasn't too far away. Once back on the road directly in front of me is the final hurdle. I can see the reservoir banking and the usual United Utilities 'hut' type thing they put in reservoirs. The hurdle? The final bit of hill to get me onto the very top of these moors is a 19% bugger!

I made it!! The vista from up here is just breathtaking; I don't see another point higher than where I am, the sun is beating down on me and the sky cleared of all cloud and became the most beautiful azure blue i have ever seen.

After climbing 1017 feet it's a great feeling to be on top of the world with not a soul up there with me, other than the mountain bunnies and the birds of prey swooping around during their mating dance.

See LiveSearch Aerial View of this location.

Hartshead Pike

Yesterday I went for a wee wander up to Hartshead Pike and ended up walking pretty much all the way back to Droylsden - not entirely sure how I managed it without too much pain. Maybe the wonderful sun was stopping any pain?

It proved to be a rather interesting walk. I began on Mossley Rd in Mossley and began the upward trek up Broadcarr Rd, round by Lily Lanes and from the tidgy car park up the gravel path past the millstones which is where the original Pike stood to the beauty itself. After drinking in the stunning views on all side and taking hundreds of photos, I set off back down again.

I thought I'd go a slightly more rural route back down along some of the footpaths that are dotted through the farms that lie on the hillside. What fun that turned out to be! It became a 13 and at times 14 degree scramble (and quite often slide) down the hill on what at times was nothing more than a rut a wheelbarrow made. The pathway started off relatively easily, but steeply down Lily Lanes and alongside the border wall of a farm. Then it became fun. Across a skinny stile (do footpath makers think all walkers are super skinny?) and onto the narrowest of pathways, bordered either side with the obligatory bramble bushes that try to not let you past as your clothes snag on them - in my case my little figure snagged on them too and half of it was a trifle torn and very very scratched.

As the rutted centre was quite deep I ended up walking along straddling it (and most likely looking pants!) until, joy of joys, a tree was leaning right across the path and Ilike I'd had an accident in my had to scramble under it.

Then came the best bit. I had to cross a field. That's not too bad you might think. but it was bad.....as the pathway became a muddy, boot-sucking, squelchy 5 inch deep muddy bog-type thing. After a fair amount of heaving myself through the gloop I reached yet another skinny stile -the kind you have to go through sideways and still get your butt stuck if you're not careful! Splodge!!! T'other side of the stile was the glorious gloop I'd struggled through before; and as I was still descending a steep hillside, it was a big drop to the floor, so yet again it was a case of heaving myself across this bit. Now I was confused as the path seemed to just completely disappear into the air. was in a field with no trace of a path and fence posts that were difficult to make out if anything was between them. As the previous paths were along the edges of the fields you naturally assume this one will be too. But no! This one was right through the middle of the boggiest field I've every seen. Luckily a tractor had been through it at some point and I opted to walk in its tracks which thankfully led to a gate and back to where the path continued. This brought me out onto Twirl Hill Lane and where I wanted to be. Phew!

Once across Lees Rd I set off up/down Alt Lane before veering off to the River Medlock and it's steep sided vally before joining a Sustrans cycleway along a lovely tree-lined avenue that led me through Limehurst farm and out to Riversvale and Daisy Nook. After a welcome rest on a bench on Riversvale Drive, I though I'd clean my boots off in the river before hunting out a bacon butty at the Jown Haworth Centre in Daisy Nook to replenish my energy reserves.

For your information

Since getting my nice shiny new toy for my birthday - Pentax 10meg digital camera - I've created another blog: Avix Pics.


It's more a photo blog than this Lost Sheep effort.


Please feel free to view it and leave your comments on the photos, be they good, bad or ugly!

Birthday wishes

As the clock struck 5:35pm I hit the big 30 - the 'baby' of the family has now begun the approach to middle-age!

No parties were scheduled (or sprung on me) so it was a quiet affair with just my folks. I did get to play with my new toy though, choosing to try out the 'sportsman' mode on a willing participant - a local pigeon. he made an excellent model.

Oh, and the birthday wish? To be able to ride Everest again soon. Who knows, it may come true next month.

Cheshire Cat Ride

I'm gutted that I can't ride it, but I just want to say to all I know riding the Cheshire Cat tomorrow have a great day, enjoy it like mad and ride a teensy portion for me too!

I took advantage

I woke up to the sun streaming in through my bedroom window casting a lovely warm red glow through the room and thought I just have to get outside. So I did!

As I'd had a good amble around Daisy Nook on Monday, I thought I'd head back out that way again and have more of an explore.

I began again at Bardsley but stuck to the river side instead of the canal sections of the country park. After almost sliding down a steep muddy path to get to the valley bottom, it was almost like stepping into a dream - the silence was deafening, with not a hint of the road above and carried on the occasional breeze was only the faint bubbling of the river as it trickled across pebbles. Perfect.

I made my way to Riversvale Drive - a beautiful sweeping compacted earth driveway that led to the (now, sadly demolished) glorious Gothic pile that was Riversvale Hall. The Earl of Stamford certainly picked a stunning spot to build his house in 1846. While soaking in the atmosphere a fab photo opportunity arose in the shape of a lovely hound lying proudly in between the gates of the Lodge; almost as thought it was his house and he was guarding it!

After pootling about in the wood I opted for a stroll through the river - it's rather shallow in parts and reach the top of my boots. Then I made my way back up onto the paths I walked on Monday before making my way to a funky stone slab bridge over the river to a cute little arched stone bridge over a brook that trickles into the Medlock here. After another wander in the river and along its pebbly banks to yet another little bridge, I made my way to the John Haworth centre for the obligatory bacon butty and mug of tea.

It seemed that no matter where I went today I was being pounced on by hounds - I made lots of new waggy tailed friends today - Alsatians, Retrievers, Labradors, Cairn Terriers, Great Dane....all having so much fun their tails were a blur of happiness!

After much chatting with the dog owners and after the butty and tea had gone, I looked at my watch to check the time and found I'd been out for almost 2hrs. Blimey, I didn't think I was out for that long!

Those boots were made for walking....

And that's just what they did.

Seeing as I can't ride at all yet (can't even sit on my bike never mind ride the thing!) I decided that a walk was in order to try and retain some strength in my thigh and limit the amount of time in physio later.

So on went the nice clean walking boots and off I set in search of mud!

I had to cheat a little (bus) to get to the start of my walk in Bardsley, but once there it was bliss.

Nobody about, just me and the tweeting of the birds, the quacking of the ducks and the sound of silence.

I set off along the disused and bullrush congested Hollinwood branch canal with nothing but farmland either side of me and only the ducks for company as the birds fluttered off as I wandered past and over Valley Aqueduct and Waterhouses Aqueduct to Sammy's Basin at Daisy Nook Country Park.

On the approach to Dark Tunnel I spotted a route off to my left down to the River Medlock and chose to head this way as I've never been on this bit before. It turned out to be a very good choice!

This part of the route was rather hilly with not much of it on the flat, and it followed the river as it meandered it's way through the countryside.

Lots of mud and climbing up and down the hills and far too soon I was at the site of Riversvale Hall which was sadly ripped down many, many years ago; a little trip along Riversvale Drive and then I returned via a diversion actually into the river (very shallow here) to clean my boots a little and headed back to the Dark Tunnel and on into the John Haworth Centre for a very welcome mug of tea.

By now the unseasonably warm weather meant I was pulling my jumper off and stuffing it into my bag as 2 layers was far too many!

Once refreshed I set off onto the Jericho Trail to a cute little bridge some of you may remember from my January walk along here. All too soon I was at Cinderland Bridge and along the track squashed in between Cinderland Hall Farm and a school - getting ripped to shreds by the brambles that I'd forgotten were here!

Before I knew it I'd walked about 3 miles - not much really, but when you consider my broken pelvis has only had 1 month of healing with more to go... - I'm impressed with how far I managed to get. Even more impressed with the state of my boots now.....caked in mud, despite my attempts to wash them in the river!

Middleton CC Track Results

Here come the results from yesterdays track championship -

200m sprint

Tony 14.75

Peter R 15.70

Steve C 15.97

Paul 15.98

Alan 16.02

Steve F 16.04

Ali 14.56

Janet 16.85

1k TT

Peter R 1.31.34

Tony 1.37.53

Paul 1.38.08

Steve F 1.39.09

Steve C 1.44.61

Ali 1.34.59

Janet 1.40.66

2k individual pursuit

Janet 3.27.09 v Steve C 3.20.05

Peter R 3.07.00 v Steve F 3.25.42

Paul 3.25.00 v Ali 3.09.56

Middleton CC Track Champs 1

The first session of the Middleton CC Track Championship of 2009 got underway in earnest this afternoon at the Manchester Velodrome with approx 10 riders (club and guests) taking part in the 200m sprint, 1k time trial (4 laps) and the 2k pursuit (8 laps).

As with last year the forerunners seem to be Ali Mitchelmore and Tony Martin although Tony didn't take part in the pursuit.

Ali certainly made the 2k pursuit look easy as she powered past my bro Paul and we had a family affair with Janet pitted against her husband Steve (Steve winning this particular session).

Full results and pics will follow tomorrow. But for now....all hail the king and queen of the track Tony and Ali.

Well done guys!!

February review

After January's successes, I thought that February would either be the same or get even better. My plans didn't quite go according to plan (as this will tell you)! So here's the info -

1. Ride every other day. Rode 1 out of 28 days - 2/2. The very day that plans went awry!
3. Complete a metric century ride each month. Erm, nope!
4. Ride Hartshead Pike once a week. Not a chance.
5. Ride the Middleton CC Club ride. My bro rode it, but alas not me.
6. Ride Chorlton Wanderers ride. Nope.
7. Practice hill repeats. Didn't quite get to a hill on my one and only ride this month.

Total February mileage - 15.29