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I'm getting the train up from Stoke to mac tomorrow morning to cycle round mac forest, if anyone's free and wants to tag along then you're welcome. All being well I shall be arriving at macc station at 8.41. I'll go up the old buxton road and drop down the lane before teggs nose and likely pass the leathersmithy arms about errr 9.30/45 ish. *shrugs*
My route will be up n through the forest, down charity lane, then all the way up to the cat n fiddle (stop for a brew) and then over the BW, missing out the 3 shire head but then heading straight up to cumberland clough. At the bottom there I'll be turning for a 100% road ride to leek and then onto stoke. I'll be on a hardtail so will be mincing down the descents but otherwise would be nice to have some company on that horrible forest climb. Any takers my email in profile, always like to meet likeminded souls. 🙂
Now, if you'd been there yesterday, you could have ridden with us, 'cos that's pretty much exactly what we did 🙂
Oh, what were conditions like IHN?
That's my local route, including 3 Shires Head. We did it yesterday. There was a bit of ice on Charity Lane but nothing unrideable, a lot of big ice-covered puddles on the bridleway opposite cat and fiddle pub, but Cumberland Brook especially the 2nd part of the descent, was pretty much ice free. It was bloomin' windy yesterday- up from Bottom of the Oven to cat and fiddle into a strong headwind.
Just got back in from the Forest and there's no ice and prob not going to be any tomorrow either, it is VERY VERY WET though, Charity was like a river tonight and I can only imagine the lower half of Cumberland is the same.
If your going to climb Old Buxton Road why not carry on and take a left onto Back Eddisbury Road, take the first track/lane on the right and follow it to the end, turn right and drop to Teggs carpark, then straight out the back of the carpark onto Saddlers Way. Follow to the bottom and keep right then keep left at the fork and climb up Forest Road/Hacked Way to the top, It's a tough climb up and misses out a chunk of the black stuff and descend Charity, or keep right and follow all the way under Teggs just past the reservoir over flow, through the gate on the left, round the reservoir and continue as planned. Personally I'd be looking at going over Tagsclough to Burntcliff Top too, and on through Gradbach Youth Hostel and Up to the ridge, along the ridge towards Roaches End then on the black stuff again to Upper Hulme and the A54. Drop into Leek and onto Stoke. IMO a bit more interesting than Tarmac from Wildboarclough to Leek. Yeah it's a bit harder as it's off road and cheeky but it sounds like you have all day.
Just my 2p like
vicky - we saw you, we were the group of four you came past on the climb out of the forest and we caught you up at the top, then again at the top of Cumberland Clough.
Small world, eh? 🙂