Tag: peak district

#365daysofbiking Hall or nothing

April 20th – First dayride of the year on a glorious spring day racked up a decent 188 miles.

Leaving at dawn to return in the evening, a run the length of the High Peak and Tissington trails and then over the Weaver Hills was just what the doctor ordered although I was exhausted at the end of it.

The rout was broadly Lichfield – Burton via Whittington and Walton; Derby via Findern; over to Keddleston Hall where I opened these majesticic gates to cross the hall grounds. From there, Mercaston to Kirk Ireton, joining the HPT at Middleton Top.

Return was via Rochester, Abbots Bromley and Handsace.

I have missed having the Peak District in my life so much.

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May 7th – The third day of a long weekend, May Day bank holiday, and I knew what to do. The forecast was for a beautiful, hot day so I hopped on a very early train to Macclesfield, and rode back via the Moorlands, Roaches, Morridge and Weaver Hills.

You can see a full gallery from this ride on my main blog here.

Just on the moors near Thorncliffe, I found this curiosity, something I’ve never seen before – a UK Meteorological Office remote weather station. I have no idea why it’s here specifically, or for the oblique angle it subtends to the road, but it is fascinating, populated with a host of instruments measuring rainfall, win speed, polled count, air quality and other metrics of the atmosphere. All this seems to be remotely operated by telemetry link.

Also in the compound is a GNRR sensor for the Ordnance Survey, a Leica device to provide calibration for GPS signals.

A fascinating and slightly haunting thing, right in the middle of nowhere.

September 23rd – At Calton, high in the Weaver Hills, I was surprised to find a tree with a huge crop of ripe plums, so ripe that they were falling off the tree and rotting on the ground, food only for birds and a huge army of wasps.

A taste of one of the purple fruit told me why they were untouched – so tart my face nearly turned inside out.

This was no deterrent to the wasps, however, who were too busy to bother the inquisitive human with the camera.

May 23rd – Here’s an odd one. Half way up the hill, on the steep, long climb out of the manifold valley to Throwley, there’s a sheep trough on Farewell Lane. It’s a good kilometre in either direction to the nearest dwelling, and this is remote, wind-blown country. 

I stopped to lean my bike up against the trough while I got something to eat and admire the view. In it’s depths, I noticed something orange: a 6 inch long, healthy looking goldfish.

People have suggested it is put there by farmers to eat the eggs of some animal parasite – but I have no idea. It’s a very odd place to dump a fish, but I suppose it’s egg could have been transported from another pond on the feet of some bird.

A real oddity. Suggestions welcome.

May 23rd – I needn’t have worried. The first century of the year took place on a warm day that was overcast in the morning, but finished in bright, pleasant spring sunshine with little wind – ideal cycling weather. 

The Peak District was as it ever was – beautiful, challenging and in the places I like to ride, surprisingly devoid of people.

A great day – more to come tomorrow on my main blog.

August 22nd – near the top of Mere Hill overlooking the Manifold Valley near Calton in the Peak District stands this old, redundant stone gatepost. Initially, its survival long after the field boundary it marked was removed is puzzling, until one notices the Ordnance Survey surveyor’s benchmark carved into it. This is the usual explanation for any such stone posts, and the majority are no longer used, but it does make a fine cattle scratching-post.

August 22nd – Off into the Peak District for the day on a long ride. It’s sometimes said that the best bits of Derbyshire are in Staffordhire, and Ilam is no exception. The border between the two counties runs down the river at Dovedale, and everything to the west is in Staffordshire, including this picturesque little village at the foot of the Manifold Valley. Superb architecturally, the village monument has just been refurbished. 

More pictures from this ride are on my main blog.

August 10th – The Weaver Hills are one of my favourite bits of Staffordshire. From the floor of the Manifold Valley at Steeplehouse, to the ruins of Throwley Hall; from the picturesque, weathered beauty of Calton Village to the solitude and fine views of The Walk, they are a fine, pagan place. Hell to climb up from either side, but a heavenly descent. This is Staffordshire, the county I adore, at it’s finest. 

August 10th – I did a century, up to Cromford. Starting early, I cycled up the incline and onto the High Peak Trail, and on to Parsley Hay. Back down the Tissington, tea in the village, then off to Dovedale, climbing up to Throwley and on to Calton in the Weaver Hills. I love the Peak District, and as is often said, some of the best bits of Derbyshire are in Staffordshire; the Weavers are, and so is Ilam. It was a gorgeous, sunny, warm day. I had power in my legs, and the sun on my back. It doesn’t get much better than this.

Find out more on my main blog.