I managed to get Anna out on the bike this afternoon. I took the camera in a bag over my shoulder but never got it out, so that was a waste of time. From Uttoxeter we headed past JCB at Rocester up the hill and turned right in Ellastone, before Norbury bridge over the Dove we turned left up the farm track to Calwich Hall and abbey ruin. This was our first snowdrop treasure find, in the woods at the abbey the patch of snowdrops is so thick and extends for a patch about the size of a tennis court or two. We carried on along the track back out onto the Ellastone to Mayfield road, out to Hanging bridge and turned left up the hill towards Leek.
At the top there is a gated road on the right, it is fairly set back between a couple of trees or holly bushes, you have to look for it even when you know more or less where it is! Anna had to work the gates, there are three of them, sometimes four if the farm entrance gate is closed too. This track comes out at Blore crossroads.
Straight over and down the hill for Ilam, up the other side and turned right for Milldale. This is all tarmac. At the Milldale teashop/ice cream shop there is a small lane that runs up the steep hill to Alstonfield, not the road alongside the river, it comes out by the church. From there we headed towards Hartington, but the cold set in and I had to bring her home, so we turned left for Wetton, through Wetton and down the hairpin hill into the Grindon valley, up the other side into Grindon.
From Grindon we headed towards Waterhouses, only I turned right on the sharp bend and down the hill for the hamlet of Ford. This is another hidden valley. From Ford we went down Pethills to the main road (again the Ashbourne - Leek road). Here we went straight over onto Dukes Lane, it is signed 'not suitable for HGVs' and is going to be testing for a small, family car but no problem for most motorbikes, you 1200RT and 1600 riders might not like it and I wouldn't want to take the R100CS down! This comes out on the top of the escarpment near the crossroads above Waterhouses, we turned left to get to those crossroads.
At the crossroads we went straight over for Ramshorn and Ellastone and back home along the Rocester straight. This was Anna's first experience of off tarmac routes. She loved it. Nothing difficult, a road bike could have done it but not as easily. The old R80GS is such an easy bike to ride and so comfy. About 60 miles all told and 10 of those on rough tracks. I am happy to show someone else these little hidden places but they need to be done incognito, especially the Calwich Abbey one, three or four bikes will raise eyebrows and cause consternation. A pair going very quietly and steadily will not be a problem. There are various tea shops we could visit on the route, or very nearby.
At the top there is a gated road on the right, it is fairly set back between a couple of trees or holly bushes, you have to look for it even when you know more or less where it is! Anna had to work the gates, there are three of them, sometimes four if the farm entrance gate is closed too. This track comes out at Blore crossroads.
Straight over and down the hill for Ilam, up the other side and turned right for Milldale. This is all tarmac. At the Milldale teashop/ice cream shop there is a small lane that runs up the steep hill to Alstonfield, not the road alongside the river, it comes out by the church. From there we headed towards Hartington, but the cold set in and I had to bring her home, so we turned left for Wetton, through Wetton and down the hairpin hill into the Grindon valley, up the other side into Grindon.
From Grindon we headed towards Waterhouses, only I turned right on the sharp bend and down the hill for the hamlet of Ford. This is another hidden valley. From Ford we went down Pethills to the main road (again the Ashbourne - Leek road). Here we went straight over onto Dukes Lane, it is signed 'not suitable for HGVs' and is going to be testing for a small, family car but no problem for most motorbikes, you 1200RT and 1600 riders might not like it and I wouldn't want to take the R100CS down! This comes out on the top of the escarpment near the crossroads above Waterhouses, we turned left to get to those crossroads.
At the crossroads we went straight over for Ramshorn and Ellastone and back home along the Rocester straight. This was Anna's first experience of off tarmac routes. She loved it. Nothing difficult, a road bike could have done it but not as easily. The old R80GS is such an easy bike to ride and so comfy. About 60 miles all told and 10 of those on rough tracks. I am happy to show someone else these little hidden places but they need to be done incognito, especially the Calwich Abbey one, three or four bikes will raise eyebrows and cause consternation. A pair going very quietly and steadily will not be a problem. There are various tea shops we could visit on the route, or very nearby.
