2015.04 Peaks ride 23rd to 27th April

Four excellent days of driving in the Peak District. Initial part of the report details the rides, and at the end we have contributions from members emails post the event.
PT, ZA, RK, JR, TK, MT, SP, RT.
Thursday 23rd April
PT, RK, RT met at Nepcroft to load the two LSV’s. On the way up North communications established with the Oxford wing of the FGCC and met at the services at the top of the M42. Proceeded to the digs at Hartington, and RT collected JR and TK from Buxton and ZA arrived shortly after, having arrived in the area the previous day.
Met landlady Helen and husband Steve and immediately realise how lucky we were to fine such a perfect location with such wonderful and welcoming hosts.

Bank House Guest house, Hartington
Bank House Guest house, Hartington

A short ride to in a north westerly direction parallel to the River Dove. RK already hungry and made his selection for dinner, whilst there was a great debate as to which mother was number 34
Roy's lamb chop number 34
Roy’s lamb chop number 34

Dove river valley:

Dover river valley
Dover river valley

At the end of the valley we came across the Pack Horse Pub at Croudecote. Pub closed (5.00pm), but met the publican who advised that he had the best beers in the region but didn’t open till 6.00pm. We could try Ye Old Cheshire Cheese which would be open but it only served Robinsons. In spite of that the peleton climbed the steep hill to Longnor and a not particularly good pint. Zoomed down the hill to a great beer tasting session at the Pack Horse but had to return to the digs after only a couple of pints. Agreement to return.
Dinner in the Devonshire Arms across the road from the digs.

The Devonshire Arms, Hartington
The Devonshire Arms, Hartington

Friday 24th April
Rode up to the Tissington trail, heading south to Tissington and then easy and round the south of Carsington Water.
Barley Mow pub
Up to Middleton Top. Some down to first level, ZA and SP down to the canal.
High Peaks Trail
Back onto Tissington trail and to Hartington.
Total 36 to 40 miles depending on which level went down to at Middleton Top.
Dinner in Croudeco out

Saturday 25th April
PT and JR to Buxton in LSV for bike bits.
ZA off on ride up Manifold Trail prior to leaving for home.
RT, MT, TK, SP, RK headed off….
Coffee shop at Hulme End. ZA joined, PT and JR arrived with spares and effected repairs. All then headed off down Manifold Trail and the end of which ZA left us and we all got soaked in a downpour! Found pub recommended by publican at Croudeco – excellent pub with real ales and decor fitting of a lost property office. On the way up we past MT’s wished for company – LaFarage Tarmac!
Alternative route to parallel the Manifold trail. Chain busting RK caused a short delay while TM fixed it. Interesting route back making us wonder if we were lost, but rejoined Manifold trail at the point where the river disappears into the ground. PT blasteet whilst RT and TK derided JR’s ripped shorts.
Back up Manifold trail on other side of the valley and along the road to Hartington.
Total 31 miles
Dinner pub a mile away.

Sunday 26th April
Road route to Bakewell. Then the Monsal Trail to Buxton, the Pennine Way and back on the Tissington trail to Hartington.

Monday 27th April
Return home via Oxford to deliver SP and see the one UKIP supporter in Witney.

Contribution from Mr Roche:

Richard (and fellow Gentlemen),

Many thanks for this.

You also asked for thoughts and recollections from those attending: All I can do is to try and amplify that which has already been said by others: the superb planning and execution of all the logistics, the kind ministrations of the drivers; the inspiration from the club chaplain and the catalytic affect of all others involved.
I am particularly impressed that the youth wing have been so inspired as to conduct separate R&D work for future rides (see separate e-mail from Sam) in an attempt to carry on the traditions of the club. Well done to Sam for this and for putting up with the current old fashioned trends within the club (i.e. paper maps rather than hand-held phones etc)!
Such are my views and I was happy to leave it at that until I was reminded by those on the Saturday ride of other disturbances that occurred during the Peaks break. I refer to an event that certainly did not mar the Peaks Ride, but rather shifted it slightly sideways. As you know I shared a room with Tim and was slumbering early one morning when there was, what can best be described as an equalisation of pressure between the inner Kersley and the outside world! Such was the magnitude of the report that he managed to wake himself up. Having startled himself and then realised that all was (apparently) right with the world he returned to the unconscious state with a satisfied smile on his face; unaware of the havoc that he had wreaked in those last few seconds. Luckily the building withstood the blast very well (something to do with the way the joists were positioned) and the other strong men within the house must have barely noticed anything.
However there are always consequences when someone attempts to follow in the footsteps of the club aromatherapist. In every chain reaction it is always the weakest link that breaks and the pressure blast from within the Guest House, when once liberated to the outside world, through our (thankfully) open window, created somewhat of a vortex effect, taking out the bus shelter across the street and Paul’s back tyre which was locked within LSV2. No one noticed until after breakfast (and after the various emergency vehicles had no doubt finished ferrying the wounded to hospital). The only other outward signs of a disturbance were the church bells which were ringing as we left town. I suspect that they hadn’t rung out like this since the Second World War when all bells were supposed to be rung in the event of a gas attack.
However, every cloud has a silver lining (even a gas cloud) and Mark can now rest easy knowing that he can be accompanied during future trumpet voluntaries by Tim taking the bass on the tuba involuntary!
As I mentioned above I had forgotten all about this shocking event until Richard advised us all on Saturday that, in his attempts to maintain standards within the club, he (like Sam) had been doing some R&D work (some of his Canton-ese back-room boys had doubtless been working on a formula), for measuring all such future chemically inspired reports – dissatisfied with the very limited scope of the Richter scale Richard has introduced the Kersley scale as the means of measuring the magnitude of future eruptions. I say: well done Richard.
BRs
JR BNTR

Response from Mr Kersley:

John

As ever delightfully understated – enough said of my ‘bakewell tart’
I accept the accolade of nearly the best ‘rip’ of the tour – but feel I need to play second fiddle to the ‘minor tear to the derrière incident ‘ – this may be bettered at the general election – but until this time I believe that this comprised the most significant ‘loss of seat’ yet in 2015.
BR
Tim
BNTR (big noise Tim’s report)

To which the further reply was:

Hi Tim.

Many thanks here. So insignificant was my loss compared to your high powered exhalation – with a thrutch power of nearly 6.8K (Kersleys), that I had completely forgotten about it.

Kind regards,
John Roche.

With the final word from Mr Kersley:
John

Bare faced cheek ?

Kind rearguards

Tim