Fanylion Mountain Bike Team
Official site of the Fanylion Mountain Bike Team. Includes mountain bike ride guides, gear reviews, bike maintenance, team reports and rider profiles of the Fanylion Racing Team.
Mac Forest and Buxton
October 14, 2006, England
Mac Forest and Buxton.
Distance: 30.65 miles
Total Ascent: 827m
Grid Ref: 058 737
Weather: Good
Three riders that’s all, not a good turnout on such a good ride but never the less a fine morning greeted myself, Downhill Maniac and Team Quad (fighting fit since his broken leg in Scotland) as we unload the bikes at Wildboarclough for the planned 30 mile classic gritstone Peak loop taken out of the Dark Peak and White Peak Mountain Bike Guides. Having ridden the loop once before I knew it was going to be tough un but the weather was in our favour as we set off up a short, sharp, tarmac climb to the edge of Mac Forest where we took in some fine double-track weaving its way through dappled sunlight and down to the depleted Ridgegate Reservoir where, once again (this happens on every ride) Downhill’s left crank departs itself from his bike.
Cutting right we hit a long climb up and into the forest and then up to the rocky “baby headed” decent of Charity Lane where we stop to admire views across the Cheshire plain and compose ourselves for the magical decent down to Chapel House and then down to the Stanley Arms pub via a sketchy, washed out, rubble infested track.
The tarmac climb up to the Cat Fiddle on the A537 is pretty long but soon Downhill is lighting up a cigarette whilst myself and Quad scoff Harribo like two little boys in a school playground. Downhill docks his cigarette out and we descend on tarmac to the Derbyshire Bridge then take a corker of a rocky roman road into the spa town of Buxton. Back on tarmac once more thanks to the A53 and A5004 we then reach Cold Springs Farm where we take a rocky bridleway section round Ladder Hill where SPD trainee Downhill gets stuck and takes another tumble still attached to his bike.
Dropping down and through the River Goyt and its valley is pleasing stuff with a mix of farm tracks and bridleways we hit a small sweet rocky slab section by Madscar Farm by this time the 18 miles on Quads computer starts to feel more like 30 as we all feel the pace. Navigating along the banks of the very low Errwood Reservoir with its woodland trails we are soon picking up the agonisingly long tarmac climb to the road-head of the Derbyshire Bridge once more.
Quick rest, saddle up and we catch a glimpse of the Cat and Fiddle in the distance and I knew the best was yet to come; as the moor top vista across to Danebower Hollow looked beautiful in the haze of the October sun. A quick blast on the A54 and we hit the finale of the ride, the rock infested Cumberland Brook just oozes quality with its fast, technical, sketchy sections it just pumps your arms and tests your line to the max with Downhill getting in a “such a cofuffle with his SPDs once more. 5:15 on my watch and we are back at the cars tired but exhilarated from a truly awesome ride.
Even though we had a turnout of only three riders on such a stupendous day all I can say is you lot missed out big time.
Team Starkey,
OUT.
Riders present
Starkey
Downhill Maniac
Quad
(Yes that's right, 3 of us!)
Enjoyment level
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