Sunday riding. Again?

Mountain Bike Ride.

Dave.

25th October route

Another weekend; another Clay Bank start. Just me and Dave this time and he fancied an old Terra Trailblazers route from 2003, (TTB05) 12 years and one week to the day, not having hungover youths or smoking pensioners this time it ought to be (hopefully) less than a full day epic.

The downhill start through the Greenhow Plantation was a great help to our average speed, although the ascent of Turkey Nab, or Ingleby Bank as it is sometimes known, from Bank Foot Farm brought it back to more realistic levels. A bunch of wobbly-head, One Life: Live it, offroaders had managed to skilfully tip over a Land Rover near the gate, which took away some of the agony of the climb. It did not help the second section which soon degenerated to pedestrianism, owing to the loose surface, nothing to do with our lack of technique or weak legs. The signpost at Tidy Brown Hill, directing Cleveland Way walkers to Kildale, indicates the majority of the climbing is over and it was not without some relief when it crept into vision. Continuing, more easily, along the moor, we were passed by a few groups of motocrossers doing their Sunday thing; each to their own and all that. Our human-powered engines spun pedals relentlessly, onwards toward Bloworth Crossing, then up to Cockayne Head and onward past The Badger Stone, ultimately to Tripsdale, that magnificent track which becomes gradually rockier, steeper and faster as it nears the valley bottom, culminating in some loose hairpins which nave caught out many an unwary Terra Trailblazer over the years.

Tripsdale descent

In mountainbiking, as in life, every pleasure must be paid for and the climb out of Tripsdale is as equally steep and loose as the descent. A lapse in concentration resulted in a lifted front wheel which put paid to my attempt to repeat the only Terra Trailblazer’s dab-free ascent of this track. Eventually we made the top as the sun broke through and a pleasant ride above East Bank Plantation took us to Medd Crag, the now-ruined downhill track to Urra. It appears someone thought it a good idea to bulldoze the bottom part of the track into a smooth carriageway, then abandon it, so it is now just a mass of soft, wet mud and broken rocks.

A long slog up The Raisdale Road followed, steady pedalling regained most of the height we had just lost. Both feeling the pace by now but with only a few miles to go, the cafe was given a swerve and we embarked on The Fronts, that glorious roller-coaster track which passes along the side of Cringle Moor to Broughton Plantation. Things begin to deteriorate from the plantation, the track is sheltered by trees and never seems to dry out properly, the worst section is just after The Wainstones, where things go uphill and traction depends on tyre choice. Today was touch and go, it’s fair to say we shall probably be ignoring this track until about May, unless there is a good frost.

The last half mile is an excellent rock garden leading to a fast bit of fire road before a sharp right finishes the route on a pleasurable high with a slippery, rooty, downhill which spits two tired but happy riders out onto the road opposite Clay Bank car park.