Signing the Missing Link

On Thursday 29 September, I went by train to Uttoxeter with Les and Martin of the Derby Rangers and we met Catherine and David, Robin, and Jean from the Lichfield group at the local Tesco's. After a coffee, we rode (Martin, having injured himself recently and whose arm was in a sling, walked) towards Doveridge. All credit to Martin, he was present at our first two signing points, after which we lost sight of him!  We crossed the River Dove into Doveridge which is in Derbyshire and then turned northwards up the newly adopted section of National Route 549 which had never been signed before. This is an all on-road route through the wonderful Staffordshire countryside and planned by our late friend Jim Hudson as an improvement on the original Sustrans-proposed route via Rocester. At Norbury we had lunch at the church where the stained glass dates from the 13th century. From there we passed back into Staffordshire and Ellastone, known for its George Eliot connections. Les left us before the hilly bits to come, and Jean had already turned back somewhere before Norbury. After a thankfully brief but unavoidable short section of busy main road, we started to climb quite steeply for a while, to Stanton. There, Robin demolished a wall while standing on it to nail a sign to a telegraph pole. Fortunately, he was not hurt - the wall was! We climbed further, eventually to 300 metres, and then descended to Waterhouses. There were some staggering views once we had climbed a bit and the traffic was mostly light, which makes it a good route. We were blessed with sunny weather and conditions were perfect for the ride. Chapeaux to Catherine and David for planning the workday, and also to new, local rangers Andy and Gill, who had done preparatory work but were unfortunately unable to come on the day. And thanks to everyone for coming. I rode home by the Manifold Valley Trail to Hulme End, then took main roads to Matlock. I could have taken Route 548 and the High Peak Trail, and it concerns me that we go to a lot of trouble keeping free some very pretty routes through beautiful countryside, but when we want to get anywhere in a hurry, we resort to busy major roads! We are a long way from having the cycle routes of say, Holland where you can go from anywhere to anywhere else under safe conditions.

Postscript: since this ride, I have been with the Stoke on Trent Rangers from Stoke to Cheddleton, and then to Leek before returning to Stoke, making use of newly-signed Routes 550 and 559. Much of 550 follows the Caldon Canal and makes for a delightful trip. We have in this area of Staffordshire quite a network of cycle routes which now form part of the NCN. Let there be more!