Thanks to Al (Tendays) for meeting up with me for a blast through some trails in the Peak District, made a nice change than doing my normal routes through North Wales. This was mine and Al's first time in the Peak District (on motorbikes).
Leaving mine in Runcorn at 07:40, I was wearing my new lined winter bike trousers. I got my bike out of the garage and started sweating. So I replaced my warm trousers with my summer pair and set off. And got cold.......esspecially passing over Snake Pass in cloud. Arrived at our meet point of The Fox House Inn 10 mins before Al joined me. Both of us cold, me on my @ and Al on his DRZ400. We hit the trails at 10:00.
The first trail was a nice warm up across Houndkirk moor. Nothing difficult. We then looped round a road section and back across the moor. Good trails.
A short road section to the next Byway. A very easy lane, we went down and back up dodging a few people on push bikes. The lane had obviously had recent work to make it suitable for pushbikes. Will miss this in the future.
Then onto Stanage Edge. Fantastic start to the trail.
YouTube - 3
And then we watched the 4x4's try and get up a steeper muddy section. Note the large suspension spring left behind by the landrover. Something snapped.........
YouTube - 4
We left them to it and continued up to the top of Stanage Edge.
After Stanage Edge we hit the short but fun Banford Clough, another downhill trail. Good fun.
Then a short road section to Pindale. I'd been looking forward to this after seeing a few YouTube clips of 4x4's dropping into the quarry. But we were stopped by police on entry to the trail, who were with a few people from GLASS. Had a chat and were told to stick to the trail. Apparently the quary is of historical scientifical interest. An old Roman lead mine. The soil has a high lead content and theres a specific plant that can only grow in such soils. So no playing. The police had been at Chapel Gate prior to Pindale so more evidence that the police are clamping down on illigal activities in the Peaks.
After this a quick road section to view Mam Tor. Check out the collapsed road.
Then onto the track Id been nervous about......Chapel Gate.
The track was difficult though and trying to dodge the 4x4's Al got bogged down in loose rock. We had to drag the bike back to solid ground.
Chapel Gate was fun...and probably the most difficult trail I have done.
As long as there were not any visible rock steps it was more fun to hit the main trail.
At the top of Chapel Gate time for a well deserved rest.
Some more bikers passed us and pointed at the @ with alook of "how did you get that up here". Same at the bottom, when asked if we had come over the trail the KTM riders couldnt belive it. Great feeling.
After Chapel Gate there was another lengthy track (dont know the name). Really good fun for a few miles.
Then at 14:00 we called it a day. Al went one way home and I headed into Buxton to finish on the old Buxton (or Macclesfield) road over the top towards the Cat and Fiddle. Was planning to do a few more trails but to be honest I was completely knackered so headed home.
Great day. Really enjoyed it. Arrived home at 15:30. Tired now.
Was it better than North Wales? - nope, not better, just different and some of the trails were a lot more difficult.
GREAT FUN. CANT WAIT UNTIL NEXT TIME.:thumbright:
Leaving mine in Runcorn at 07:40, I was wearing my new lined winter bike trousers. I got my bike out of the garage and started sweating. So I replaced my warm trousers with my summer pair and set off. And got cold.......esspecially passing over Snake Pass in cloud. Arrived at our meet point of The Fox House Inn 10 mins before Al joined me. Both of us cold, me on my @ and Al on his DRZ400. We hit the trails at 10:00.
The first trail was a nice warm up across Houndkirk moor. Nothing difficult. We then looped round a road section and back across the moor. Good trails.
Al crossing Houndkirck moor.A short road section to the next Byway. A very easy lane, we went down and back up dodging a few people on push bikes. The lane had obviously had recent work to make it suitable for pushbikes. Will miss this in the future.
Then onto Stanage Edge. Fantastic start to the trail.
YouTube - 3
And then we watched the 4x4's try and get up a steeper muddy section. Note the large suspension spring left behind by the landrover. Something snapped.........
YouTube - 4
We left them to it and continued up to the top of Stanage Edge.
At the top it was time to get serious and consider the decent route.
Do we or dont we? Yep....we do. I found this to be the most difficult section and ended up giving my bike a break, only a low speed drop. Very difficult, lots and lots of rocks, small and big. Great fun though:thumbright:After Stanage Edge we hit the short but fun Banford Clough, another downhill trail. Good fun.
Then a short road section to Pindale. I'd been looking forward to this after seeing a few YouTube clips of 4x4's dropping into the quarry. But we were stopped by police on entry to the trail, who were with a few people from GLASS. Had a chat and were told to stick to the trail. Apparently the quary is of historical scientifical interest. An old Roman lead mine. The soil has a high lead content and theres a specific plant that can only grow in such soils. So no playing. The police had been at Chapel Gate prior to Pindale so more evidence that the police are clamping down on illigal activities in the Peaks.
After this a quick road section to view Mam Tor. Check out the collapsed road.
Then onto the track Id been nervous about......Chapel Gate.
The 2 4x4's didnt have a chance and reversed down. To be honest there is no way we could have got the bikes up the rock steps.The track was difficult though and trying to dodge the 4x4's Al got bogged down in loose rock. We had to drag the bike back to solid ground.
Chapel Gate was fun...and probably the most difficult trail I have done.
As long as there were not any visible rock steps it was more fun to hit the main trail.
At the top of Chapel Gate time for a well deserved rest.
Some more bikers passed us and pointed at the @ with alook of "how did you get that up here". Same at the bottom, when asked if we had come over the trail the KTM riders couldnt belive it. Great feeling.
After Chapel Gate there was another lengthy track (dont know the name). Really good fun for a few miles.
Then at 14:00 we called it a day. Al went one way home and I headed into Buxton to finish on the old Buxton (or Macclesfield) road over the top towards the Cat and Fiddle. Was planning to do a few more trails but to be honest I was completely knackered so headed home.
Great day. Really enjoyed it. Arrived home at 15:30. Tired now.
Was it better than North Wales? - nope, not better, just different and some of the trails were a lot more difficult.
GREAT FUN. CANT WAIT UNTIL NEXT TIME.:thumbright: