Roch castle? Stayed there many times when it was a self-catering holiday let.
Still don't know the pronunciation!
That's the place. It's pronounced roach like the fish.
Roch castle? Stayed there many times when it was a self-catering holiday let.
Still don't know the pronunciation!
The usual city-mince today; scored nothing from the charity shops and binned off all the crap ones as it's getting quite time consuming and demoralising; while I need to concentrate on getting what I actually need rather than clinging to the idea that I might actually find some decent clothing..
Managed to buy a sink plunger from the proper hardware shop in Headington which was a result, then headed down (the cycle path on) the ring road to Yarnton then back in for a restrained and low-energy session on the rings - at least managing to escape this time without anything twinging.
Across to Summertown for more fruitless incursions into charity shops and M&S, then into town for ten minutes sat on Broad St. people-watching while soaking up the glorious post-exercise endorphins. Nearly stopped to look for some clothes but in the end didn't bother due to parking issues, before taking a meandering route home - setting some PRs on the tow path thanks to the lingering exercise high and some great tunes.
Showered and made a big reduced-piri-piri chicken salad upon my return, however felt the absence of desert so got back out on the Fuji for a meander to Waitrose; to find slim pickings and coming away only with a pot of Kefir. Had a nose around an event going on at Tap Social but decided against hanging around so headed home.
Got caught in the rain but it was no big thing and the sunset was very pleasant
Both rides put me on just over 40 miles the most I've done in a day in a very long time
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This is the trouble with Charity shops: you either exchange time searching/waiting for money buying what you need at a normal shop, or you accept what they have. Even when I worked in one, I still bought a lot of clothes new because I didn't have a month to wait until my specific size turned up.
Nice ride...42.6 miles at 12mph average. Strava says 3705 feet of climbing. Good training for the ride later in the year.
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Looking towards Eastridge Woods from the top of the Broom Hill climb...
Tour of the Peak, starting with a moody and overcast climb of Snake Pass, here in the distance.
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The weather improved the other side, with magnificent views of the Hope Valley from above Bamford.
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Down to Baslow and a welcome Coop for water bottle refill before crossing the Derwent.
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Then through Bakewell and up to Monyash for lunch at the excellent cafe. A Red Kite clearly was also hungry, but the pair of curlews whose nest it had presumably targeted took exception and chased it off with extreme prejudice. Unfortunately though, about 300 bikers had the same cafe in mind, so headed down Long Dale to Hartington instead. A perfectly balanced lunch of pasty, pie and crisps was washed down with lemonade.
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Finally all the way along Morridge, with incredible views all the way from the Long Mynd, the Wrekin, Welsh Hills, Mow Cop, Jodrell Bank and more.
Here Hen Cloud, Bosley Cloud, the Roaches and Ramshaw rocks.
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101 miles, 2900m climbing
Much more sensible ride!👍