To celebrate the return of my beautiful B*nch* with new cassette/chain and just as frolicky and happy as a sping lamb, I ventured into North Yorkshire to revisit Norwood Edge which rises from Lindley Wood Reservoir near Otley (5/10 in Simon Warren).
"Edge" might suggest that the wind can blow and today it did, it being November. My route also crossed Fewston/Swinsty reservoirs (all fed by the River Washburn - as is Thruscross Reservoir which lies a little upstream)which would suggest that the only route away from the water will be up, so the 25 miles included 2300 feet of climb.
But then, in my case, there is the nice descent into the village of Askwith (near Ilkley) and without me pedalling at all I was up to 42+ mph.
Obviously my bike was pleased to see me again.
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
I'm not sure if bicycle related posts are welcome on here any more, but tough, here's another one.
It cleared up yesterday afternoon so I put the Arkose in the back of my car and drove to Hulme End. From there I cycled down a deserted Manifold Way to Waterhouses, although the last third is beside the, still dry river bed, of the River Hamps. The trail has mainly woodland on either side and is tarmaced for its full distance but there are 3 or 4 sections of 2 to 300 yards in length where the tree roots have lifted, but not broken the the tarmac surface, and this gives the cyclist a good rattling. Not good for fragile shoulders!
From Waterhouses, uphill past the giant Cauldon quarry buildings and The Yew Tree pub. It is famous for the vast array of proper antiques inside which include a Penny Farthing, some bone shaker bicycles and a large collection of Polyphons and Symphonions! I've not been in for years and as it only opens in the evenings during midweek today was not the day for my return.
Still gently uphill and past Windy Harbour to my first objective, the TP at Black Heath. A fast descent to Winkhill and up the other side to the roadside TP of Martins Low. A steady climb up to Grindon Moor before the return, via Warslow, whose Beer Festival Fell Race would make a great Champs race, to the car at Hulme End.
I really enjoyed the 21 miles and 1,500 feet, my first ride for 6 weeks. I've now visited 83 different TP's this year either by run, walk or cycle. It should have been 84 but as the Ras Rhobell Fawr didn't go to the summit this year it didn't count. I'm hoping to get to 100 by the end of the year but there are none left close enough to run/walk from home so more cycling to be done. I am also looking at a trip to Wales and The Dales but have realised that the higher the hills the fewer TP's there are and also a greater distance between them!
Last edited by Llani Boy; 12-11-2021 at 12:33 AM.
Visibility good except in Hill Fog
I once looked out the trig points local to me... One was off a footpath in some fields, and was so overgrown nobody would know it was there, and only a determined lunatic like myself would actually bother to go and find it.
The other was located off a road and in Severn Trent Water private property.
I thought that they, along with our clubhouse, made a fantastic triangle for a race.
Alas i realised that the off-road nature and isolated locations would put off 90% of club members, so i devised a similar race using the various railway stations in Coventry as checkpoints instead.
Thus our first christmas special race was born.
The Manifold Trail is really beautiful, although I once had a head-on collision with a small girl while cycling along there; at slow speed (both of us), and no injuries caused!
There are 4 trig points in Charnwood Forest, and I keep thinking about joining them in a single walk. Starting and finishing at home, it would be a little over 20 miles, although I would probably take some indirect routes to avoid road-walking. Maybe next year . . . ?
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
I have just been perusing OS Maps to see where I can get most TP's for my efforts and I have found some that I have not visited for years. They are in the Radnor Forest as recently reported on by MattPo.
There are 5 that I can, on the face of it, bag on a 12 miles run with 2,500 feet of climb in a circuit from New Radnor. Once on the ground I might have a slight snag with the private weapons testing range in Harley Dingle but my planned route loops to the north of it from Black Mixen to Great Rhos via Shepherds Well.
I just need to pick a decent day now!
Visibility good except in Hill Fog