A day late with this one, but all good things are worth waiting for!
We will call this 'The Dandelion & Cheese Ride'. I left Ram City on my usual route, heading out via Radbourne Lane. Here I picked up another rider, and one became two! As we spun through the lanes my mate David caught us up, and then there were three! We passed through Sutton on the Hill and Church Broughton. Here a chap called Paul went his own way, and then there were two! We passed through the villages of Sapperton and Marston Montgomery and the downhill freewheel to Rocester and into Denstone for a coffee stop. Following coffee, David and I parted company, and I set off up through Prestwood and round the side of the JCB Wootton Estate and on to Wootton village. From here it was all uphill on to the top of the Weaver Hills, which tops out at about 371 metres ASL. After a short stop at the top for pics, it was downhill to the A52.
Turning right and soon left and the long drop down to Waterhouses village. Here I picked up the Manifold cycle & walking trail (the old railway line), stopping for lunch at Wetton Mill Cafe. I spent lunch yapping to two mountain bikers. From here I continued along the trail to Hartington (famous for it's cheese factory), passing Ape Tor (I didn't see any!). Through Hartington, and up the hill to Hartington Station on the Tissington Trail. At this point I noticed alot of the peakland fields were yellow in colour. No, this was not oilseed rape, but dandelions by the thousands! (Hate to think of the size of the rabbits!)
After a very quick drink at Hartington Station, and a chat with a group of silver DoE award walkers, I took the trail to Ashbourne, passing through wonderful countryside, with cracking views all round. During the last five mils of the trail, I passed various back markers of marathon runners, who were on the way back to Ashbourne. (Well done to them all. As the outward route from Ashbourne is a steady incline all the way to their turn point at Parsley Hay. Some of them who I passed looked 'well ready'. Chapeau to them!) From Ashbourne, up the steep hill on the A52, here I turned off and crossed the old threshold of the former WW2 OTU RAF station, of which now little remains. Stopping at a mate's house at Bradley for tea and cake, and the purchase of a lawnmower!, I continued back Ram City, through Mercaston and Kedleston and the short climb past Kedleston Hall, and finally back home. So, a splendid ride, in cool spring sunshine, with windy bits and more dandelions than you could shake a stick at, and i forgot the cheese Gromit!
A top of the Weaver Hills . by
rebalrid, on Flickr
The Road up the Weaver Hills .
Top tube on the Weavers by
rebalrid, on Flickr
Round House by the Mnifold River . by
rebalrid, on Flickr
Looking Westish from the Tissington trail by
rebalrid, on Flickr
