Sat 9th Nov Road bike ride Sun 10th Mountain bike

Six of us met at Mayfield near Ashbourne on a good cool morning first heading west to Stanton then down to Ellastone and up and down through pleasantly wooded countryside, past the lure of Alton Towers and across to Oakamoor up Stoneydale maybe a puncture stop then down a good swooping lane and across a ford , there was a point here where Chris kell had a free supplement of Cannabis out of a passing car window and then past the remains of Croxden Abbey which deserves a return visit when open onto the Roman road for all of 1/2K then down to Stramshall, there were murmurings about lunch but that was not going to be ’till Rocester a Roman fort settlement, but by this time it was 2pm and there was a very welcome unscheduled warm cafe, lucky as there was not a cafe in Rocester! Then back out into the elements for the final cycle back to Mayfield on a slightly shortened route as we were becoming benighted! only 30 miles
Sunday
Three of us set off on a brilliant morning overdressed after the cooler conditions of the previous day from Disley Reservoir near Holmbridge up for 2k then a really goog bit of downhill nearly into Meltham and then back up Round hill with a great descent where we happened on a fourth person in the name of Colin Brown, an old member may be soon to be a new member testing out his new electric mountain bike. Colin joined us back to the Disley Reservoir car park for our sandwiches and then we continued South around Holme woods and Yaleholme Reservoir Colin wizzing up and down the hills! We then had a fairly spectacular cafe stop at a vineyard with great views back to Holmebridge, Leon had a go on the electric bike, don’t know whether he’s bought one yet when back to the car Park, 24K, another great day thanks. Bill & Elen