Saturday 15 March 2003 - A Big Macc Ramble

 

Here's another 'blast from the past'. It's a bike ride that I've done many times. I've recorded other visits, with a description of the route, here.

 

Anyway, on this sunny Saturday, I assembled at Trentabank at 9 am, with a hangover thanks to Egan Brooks' 60th birthday party, with five perfect companions - Don and Liz, Alastair, Simon P, and Sue, making a rare appearance on her mountain bike that for the last few years has lived in our shed.

 

The 15 mile ride is supposed to take 2½ hours. Today it took 3¾.

 

Don and Liz had stayed overnight in a cold bunkhouse, and arrived too late to find any source of food last night. They will be better organised tonight and have booked a table in a local pub. Don was still cold this morning, and nearly turned back.

 

There was a strong, cold, easterly wind. We stopped for a tea break at the left turn towards Macclesfield Forest. Sue and Al shot off. Simon's chain broke, and he proceeded (with a little help from Don) to mend it.

 

Thus we found Al and Sue sunning themselves outside Macclesfield Forest chapel. Simon, Al and I then bombed on, whilst the others walked down the stony track. (See top picture, I walk down that section these days - Ed)

 

Here's Sue, back on her bike.

 

 

From Bottom-of-the-Oven to the Cat & Fiddle, the road cycling was really hard against the wind - we even stopped for a rest.

 

So the now well surfaced (it used to be a very boggy path) southerly path from the Cat & Fiddle was a pleasure to cycle along.

 

By the time we'd reached Cumberland Clough, Simon's chain had broken again - giving Sue and others more sunbathing time at this sunny spot.

 

 

 

We then continued down the rocky track, past Cumberland Cottage, to cross the ford near Clough House, where the remainder of the day's pictures were taken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Since 2003, the track has got harder, and the ford - with practice - easier - Ed)

 

With the wind now pleasantly behind us, we completed the route, the final downhill section being slightly spoilt for the time being by a newly gravelled track (hard to go fast). (Now in 2020, walking and cycling routes have been separated, with some bike only singletrack sections - Ed)

9.30 to 1.15 - 15 miles.