Meltham - Buxton, 63 km
Wet this morning, but no wind so not too bad. A visit to the local Co-Op supermarket got us breakfast of instant porridge and bananas, but didn't take up the option of Toffee Yoghurt!!... so along with last nights left over pizza we were fortified for the day hopefully.
The apartment owner came over at 9am to unlock our bikes from the garage and with his well wishes we set off... up, and up and up. Following the climb it was a drop down to Holmforth which looked like a nice village with lots of cafes and bakeries... but too soon for our elevenses so we carried on with our upward trajectory. Some pushing involved.
Holmforth was the major filming location for the iconic British series Last of the Summer Wine... we could almost hear Compo saying "Aeh Up... wot are those two up to then?...". And tempted though we were to sit on a stone fence and admire the view we kept moving.
Raining lightly off and on a bit but quite warm so not really an issue. Noel got a puncture, back tyre just to make it a bit more challenging, close to the top of the hill... Caro ahead and hadn't realised so waited until he appeared half carrying his bike up to avoid any rim damage. The replacement tube fitted and we were on our way again.
Across the tops, then down and over the dam on the Winscar Reservoir, carefully crossed over the A628 which was a busy arterial road. When looking at the map it is obvious that todays ride is a bit like threading the needle as we pass between a couple of major UK cities of Manchester and Sheffield without really leaving the countryside.
Once over the A road it was following some cross-country tracks, down through a gully and back up to again carefully cross the road to continue on the off road track high above the road before descending steeply to once again cross the busy road. Getting a few looks from some MTBers on this section that were thinking they were hard-core in the wilderness until we came cruising along on our fully laden bikes. The rain had cleared away by this stage so a bonus.
Joined up with a lovely ex railway line cycle/walking path (unpaved) beside a series of reservoirs leading down to the area of Hadfield. From there we wound our way out of the township area and onto the next lot of hills. Via farmland scenery before a quick drop into and up out of New Mills. Up and around the side of a hill, dropped down to a canal but immediately lifted up again... we debated if we could follow the canal but it wasn't clearly marked and our GPS was insisting on "go up".
So over a bump (a pretty big hill in other words) to drop onto the edge of the village of Whaley Bridge. We had tried to get accommodation here but there was nothing available, once we passed through we realised there was a festival on so hence why we couldn't find anything. It would have been nice to stop about there!
Up the next hill, stopped for a cuppa on the side of the road and once we started Caro had a front tyre puncture (small fragment of glass, probably picked up off side of road coming through town). So the 2nd replacement tube fitted for the day... down to one spare, and fingers crossed!
Once our next lot of climbing over it was a very steep descent into the town of Buxton. Buxton is branded the highest market town in the UK... and it feels like it... and located on the edge of the Peak District National Park, but in Derbyshire.
Buxton is thought to have had human settlement for 6000 years! First Stone Age, then Roman settlement from around 75 AD to 410 AD enticed due to the existence of a thermal spring here. It is still reknowned for its water (fresh) with out of towner's coming to fill containers.
The spring was dedicated to St Anne in 1382 and a "Spa Town" in the style of Bath was forming from the 1780's. A very grand looking town with an opera house, pavilion, gardens, a large Crescent style building in the centre etc. And possibly one of the most grand is where we are staying... it was quite cheap, we think due to our late booking... The Palace Hotel.
We turned up at 7 pm after a very big day, complicated by the 2 punctures and the fact this was/is the biggest climbing day of our whole trip with just under 1500 metres of climbing, often steep. So looking suitably bedraggled and smelly we checked in.... the lobby was full of people in their finery and holding champagne flutes, it appears a wedding is in full swing!
A very flash lobby, chandelier, grand piano being played etc... and the friendly chap checking us in just said nonchalantly... wheel your bikes in through the lobby and we will put them in a conference room... What??? So he proceeded to ask various well heeled people to move a bit so we could push our bikes through.... funny as, and the ideal way to get us laughing at the end of a tough riding day.
Feeling revitalised after a cuppa and a shower we headed out for a wander around the impressive town centre and found a suitable dinner pub.
Sunday, June 30: I'm a train, I'm a train, I'm a chucka train...
Buxton - Ashbourne, 41 km
A quick walk around Buxton again this morning before departing about 10 am.
Hills??.. the sad thing about most of these towns and villages is that you drop down a hill into them which then means you have to climb back out. Probably more so when following the suggested cycle routes which are all designed to keep you away from traffic as much as possible (a brilliant thing!).
Although the climbing not too bad this morning, initially on streets, then up farm-like tracks into Limestone country, briefly back onto very quiet roads before joining the top of a trail on ex railway line... the Tissington Trail. Why we have not found railway trails everywhere is a question, they are easy!!! As we started at the terminus it was all slightly downhill which made for very pleasant riding through picturesque scenery. To make things even better there were periodic snack shops, toilets, bike hire/repair shops etc.
Being a Sunday in mid-summer (supposedly) there was lots and lots of people on the trail... people with babies, people with dogs, people on bikes, families on bikes... a very relaxed feel. As we had been climbing this morning there were a lot of other bikers about then too on a Sunday blast... serious and a lot lot lighter and faster than us.
Arrived into Ashbourne after the final flourish of a lengthy railway tunnel, we were early for our AirBnB check-in but Sandra the host had told us that was fine. A great 1 bedroom apartment with a washing machine... bonus and much appreciated.. very close to a supermarket and then the town centre easy walking distance. The ideal spot for our 2 night stay... we have been extremely lucky getting accommodations to suit us pretty much everywhere, particularly when we have often only been booking the day before. There is also a friendly cat desperate to be adopted, so ideal. Looking forward to a day "off bikes" after what has been a pretty hard few days.
Monday, July 1: A guided tour...
A changeable day, warm cloudy start turning to misty rain, steady rain and wind then clearing later in the arvo.
Noel did a clean up and service of the bikes... they appreciated a little love!
Then at 10 am our friends Alan and Janet came and picked us up. Alan and Janet live near Derby, not too far from Ashbourne, but spend a couple of months every NZ summer in Arrowtown... we got to know them through the Whakatipu Walkers group we all attend. They had kindly offered to show us some of their local walking, and interest, spots.
First up was a walk around the village of Ashford-in-the-water, a cute stone built village (as a lot are!) with the river Wye running beside it. Historically known for black marble quarrying. Very pretty town, still small and quiet... although as Alan explained a lot of the houses are absentee owners, due to the aesthetic appeal pushing up prices, so a lot of these small cute towns are losing their actual community feel.
Drove a bit further and walked a section of the Monsal trail... starting in the village of Little Longstone we walked across a field to reach the ex railway line trail. A very popular trail, even on a Monday there are a lot of people about, a sign that we are now in the lower more highly populated areas of the UK. This section of trail passes through the Headstone tunnel, a 500 m tunnel. Wandered partway across the Headstone viaduct which crosses the river Wye.
The railway had been a link between Manchester and London which was closed in 1968, when a major overhaul of the UK rail system occurred. The line had historically supported a number of cotton, wool, textile mills in the area.
Alan drove us through a number of busy villages and with deteriorating weather we climbed up Mam Tor, a 517 m hill near the town of Castleton. Mam Tor means Mother Hill so called because frequent landslips have resulted in a number of small hills below it. The tor was a fort in the bronze age. It was windy... a wind tunnel strength wind.. and as we got to the top a mist rolled in so the view wasn't ideal either, but lots of fun! As we descended the cloud rolled back to give us some views.
We walked from there down the road a little to the Blue John Cavern... a cavern discovered whilst lead mining was occurring above. The whole cave system is limestone based hence there are a number of caves/caverns in the wider area. Whilst exploring the cavern the lead miners came across a variety of Fluorite known as Blue John, a semi-precious stone used for ornaments and jewellery. So far this is the only place in the world known to have this stone.
We did a guided tour down into the caverns, 245 steps down and up again reaching a depth of 90 m. Spectacular formations of limestone, iron coloured and rippled flow-stone. The cave has had water continuously dripping or showering in... more or less depending on outside conditions but always flowing in some form. An amazing place to see, the cave system is extensive and we only got to see one section of it. Our guide was a very knowledgeable expert having worked there as a guide since he was 14, guessing he is now mid 50's.
The Blue John name is thought to have come from French origins "bleu et juane" meaning blue and yellow.
Apart from the 4 of us, the group included another family... including their dog down into the depths... as we've mentioned, dogs go everywhere!!
From there a stop at Grindleford railway station cafe for a hot cuppa to warm up and prepare for our next expedition. This was to Curbar Edge, a beautiful ledge of gritstone made up of lots of dramatic forms which make an ideal area for rock climbing. It was nearly deserted due to the inclement weather, mist swirling around which to us made it more spectacular. Funny though as Alan led us up a lesser used path, which added to the adventure although Janet thought he was mad doing so!
A stop at Chatsworth house carpark and a quick walk around as it was jtime on closing time anyway. Chatsworth is the seat of the Duke of Devonshire... although the Duke and Duchess have moved out to let the younger generation take over... The Earl of Burlington (ex photographer), his wife (a model) and 3 children... it is hard imagining living in a house like that... it is absolutely huge. But exceptionally well maintained and a very popular tourist spot. Alan and Janet advised it is well worth a visit but you really need a lot of time to explore the house and gardens.
King Charles, in his past job as a prince anyway, would often visit as the Duke was his favourite uncle. The house has been in the Cavendish family since 1549. A huge complex and a massive estate still goes with it (some land was sold off in the 80's to cover owed duties), plus villages nearby all owned. The villages all have the same paint scheme (ie stone buildings but doors, downpipes etc all the shame shade of blue).
After what has been a great days exploration of part of the beautiful Derbyshire area a pie and pint at a nearby pub before heading back for the guys to drop us at Ashbourne.
A fabulous day out and a very big thank you to Janet and Alan.
Ashbourne, and a lot of the other villages in the area, have bunting up in their main streets/squares. Apparently as it has recently been the "well dressing" weekend, a celebration of purity of the village/s water wells. A tradition started by those who survived the Black Death plague in 1348, or else the continuation of water supply in 1615. The current ceremony format started in the late 1700's. Clay boards adorned with flowers and mosses to make pictures, mannequins are dressed etc.
Ashbourne itself for this celebration has a completely mad ball game that takes place... apparently up to 100 in each team fighting for possession of a large round ball. Nor rules really, they will all charge through peoples gardens, up rivers etc to try and be the winner (who is an individual left holding the ball at the end of a set time (days).
Tuesday, July 2: Easy rider...
Ashbourne - Stafford, 48 km
Pre departure walk into the town to restock the tyre tube supplies (kept thinking carrying 3 spare was an overkill... but perhaps not given we have twice had 2 go in one day).
Upon packing up and a cherry farewell from our lovely ex Irish host, we wound through streets and out into the country. Largely still following NCN 68 at this point. Quiet roads, cropped fields of wheat, barley, beans and corn (with no plastic.. the soil is warmer!). Saw about 5 day cyclists out for a ride.
A stop at a motorway service stop for lunch on the outskirts of Uttoxeter, as not sure what else we would find and we were getting hungry... so Burger King it was!! However after another 30 minutes we came up on a lovely farm shop, garden centre and cafe... so purchased a couple of pieces of scrumptious cake to purge the system of the BK top up!
A lovely ride through farm landscapes on quiet B roads. No more stone walls, no more sheep. A few young cattle, more trees scattered through the fields across undulating countryside.
We kept following a road with multiple "road closed ahead" signs with a bit of trepidation, to finally reach a hole dug across the road on the edge of a village. A friendly local told us to just push the bikes around it and carry on... which we did.
Another 20 minutes later we encountered another road closed barrier but there was a footpath/bike path still accessible so easy.
Arrived at our Premier Inn accommodation on the outskirts of Stafford around 4 pm... a chance for a bit of admin catch up and dinner at a neighbouring pub so very handy!! Our bikes are in the room with us for the night, the first time for the trip but standard practice apparently at this chain hotel.
(EDITORS NOTE: for those of you reading these posts, in current time we are off the grid for a couple of weeks so won't get a chance to catch up on posts... we are about 3 weeks behind in real time... but will in due course)
