A Figure Of 8 From Chop Gate

A Figure 8 From Chop Gate.

Mountain Bike Ride.

The Youth.

16th May Route.

A somewhat depleted crew today, just me and The Youth, perhaps the climb, descend, climb, descend nature of the route put them off. Another blustery and unseasonably cold day, the three month heatwave we were promised lasted about three days before reverting to sub-arctic temperatures and freezing wind, the gloomy prediction of The Pensioner looks like coming true. “Summer was three days in April.”

We left Chop Gate village hall car park, The Youth having a break from his hardtail and giving full suspension a go on my old Santa Cruz. The first climb began almost immediately and ended three and a half miles  - and a lot of puffing and panting - later, on Cold Moor, where we took a breather but only a brief one, it was far too cold to sit about. The first descent beckoned, down Cold Moor, a nicely varied track, beginning fast and smooth before turning rutted and technical, leading into an unfortunate boggy section which did involve a bit of paddling to get through. Back on the bikes, singletrack all the way back to Chop Gate, The Youth finding the skill compensator a revelation on the rocky sections compared to the bucking bronco hardtail.

Reverting to ascending, we plodded back up the Raisdale Road again, keeping on to Raisdale Cottages, then the gruesome climb up to Stoney Wickes, followed by the more amenable Barker’s Ridge, which we were practically blown up. A quick scoot across the moor and we were making our way down the singletrack bridleway from Cock Howe to Head House, another fine descent which was despatched without drama. At Head House, we paused for a snack, sitting on the doorstep in the lee of the wind, it was almost pleasant, looking across the moor to The Bilsdale Mast, beneficent  provider of the modern opium of the masses.

Another climb, mercifully brief and shallow after the initial section, then were back at Cock Howe, preparing for Trennet Bank, a lovely, long bridleway, over varied surfaces, all in excellent condition today, it might be cold but it has not been too wet. And the best sort of finish to a ride, one which leads directly downhill back to the car park.