Made the most of an afternoon off work, taking hours back, to get my March Half Century Challenge ride in and I picked a route with some proper climbing, for the first time in a while. Quite a bit of new territory for me as well.
It was bitterly cold out, but at least very little wind, as I set out through Meole Village, Hook-a-Gate and Annscroft. I then turned off to Arscott and down to Lea Cross, before crossing the A483 and joining Hinton Lane, for the start of the roads I’d not cycled before. There was a lot of mud and water along there, though and so I was quite glad to get to Pontesbury and some drier roads.
I only had a short section in the village, before turning up Habberley Rd, for the first time and the climb up to the village. It’s not a particularly steep climb, but it is quite lengthy and has nice views of Earls Hill looming above.
At Habberley, I turned onto the lanes that pass the nearby Eastridge Woods mountain bike centre, before turning off onto more new roads, along the Gatten Valley. The proper climbing started here and it’s a long steep pull all the way along there, onto cattle grid lanes, but beautiful views in all directions. The valley is famous for daffodils, but I’m a bit early for that yet!
I did however come across a group of 5 adults who had parked in the car park for the daffodil field and decided to break most Covid rules in one go. They were sat down by the stream, having a proper picnic, with hampers, wine bottles, beer cans, etc, a camp fire going, you name it
View towards Wales
Looking up at the Stiperstones
After the summit, I began to drop down towards Ratlinghope and came across a road closed sign! There was no way I was turning back and so decided to crack on and see what the issue was. After a while, I came across a number of potholes that had been filled in and then saw orange flashing lights ahead, coming up behind 2 council chaps in a truck, who were carrying out the work. They were very friendly and allowed me to walk the bike through. Had a good chat to them first, they were moaning they’d had no dinner and said their job is never ending at the moment. I felt like saying that if they did better long term repairs, rather than just filling them in, that they’d have less work to do, but though better of it!!
There is a short steep fast descent to Ratlinghope, sadly no pub stop at one of my favourites though, of course, before I started more new roads, up the first part of Cothercott Hill, then branching off onto the steepest part of the ride, up Thresholds, just down from the Longmynd. It’s a gradient arrow climb and my legs were burning, by the time I got to the summit, at 1397 feet. Great views though.
I was looking forward to the next 6 miles, which were pretty much all downhill, to Picklescott, along Pease Lane to Wilderley, then down to Stapleton. It was certainly relief for the legs, but the air was absolutely freezing cold and I’d lost most feeling in my face, by the time I’d got to dads, where I called in for a chat and a warm up.
The journey home was on familiar roads, but tired legs and so not particularly fast, through Gonsal, Condover, Betton Abbots and home.
32.43 miles, with 2270 ft of climbing and a snail pace 10.7mph avg. One to try again on a warmer sunny day, when the daffodils are out and viewable.
It was bitterly cold out, but at least very little wind, as I set out through Meole Village, Hook-a-Gate and Annscroft. I then turned off to Arscott and down to Lea Cross, before crossing the A483 and joining Hinton Lane, for the start of the roads I’d not cycled before. There was a lot of mud and water along there, though and so I was quite glad to get to Pontesbury and some drier roads.
I only had a short section in the village, before turning up Habberley Rd, for the first time and the climb up to the village. It’s not a particularly steep climb, but it is quite lengthy and has nice views of Earls Hill looming above.
At Habberley, I turned onto the lanes that pass the nearby Eastridge Woods mountain bike centre, before turning off onto more new roads, along the Gatten Valley. The proper climbing started here and it’s a long steep pull all the way along there, onto cattle grid lanes, but beautiful views in all directions. The valley is famous for daffodils, but I’m a bit early for that yet!
I did however come across a group of 5 adults who had parked in the car park for the daffodil field and decided to break most Covid rules in one go. They were sat down by the stream, having a proper picnic, with hampers, wine bottles, beer cans, etc, a camp fire going, you name it
View towards Wales
Looking up at the Stiperstones
After the summit, I began to drop down towards Ratlinghope and came across a road closed sign! There was no way I was turning back and so decided to crack on and see what the issue was. After a while, I came across a number of potholes that had been filled in and then saw orange flashing lights ahead, coming up behind 2 council chaps in a truck, who were carrying out the work. They were very friendly and allowed me to walk the bike through. Had a good chat to them first, they were moaning they’d had no dinner and said their job is never ending at the moment. I felt like saying that if they did better long term repairs, rather than just filling them in, that they’d have less work to do, but though better of it!!
There is a short steep fast descent to Ratlinghope, sadly no pub stop at one of my favourites though, of course, before I started more new roads, up the first part of Cothercott Hill, then branching off onto the steepest part of the ride, up Thresholds, just down from the Longmynd. It’s a gradient arrow climb and my legs were burning, by the time I got to the summit, at 1397 feet. Great views though.
I was looking forward to the next 6 miles, which were pretty much all downhill, to Picklescott, along Pease Lane to Wilderley, then down to Stapleton. It was certainly relief for the legs, but the air was absolutely freezing cold and I’d lost most feeling in my face, by the time I’d got to dads, where I called in for a chat and a warm up.
The journey home was on familiar roads, but tired legs and so not particularly fast, through Gonsal, Condover, Betton Abbots and home.
32.43 miles, with 2270 ft of climbing and a snail pace 10.7mph avg. One to try again on a warmer sunny day, when the daffodils are out and viewable.
and with a friend 
This now means I can turn my head further around for that Life-Saving Check before any manoeuvre. I feel like an owl!
