For our May workday we returned to part of the northern network within our region. It is quite a while since we last spent and time on parts of this loop. The rain stayed away but, as is so often the case up in Buxton, the tentative sunshine was outwitted by a cool wind and it remained a "coats on" day, ALL day.
David, Catherine and myself joined up with Peter and Jill at the cafe in Monyash to help celebrate the latter's wedding anniversary with coffees and some catch-up chat. We tore ourselves away eventually and crossed the limestone stone-walled lanes leading to Taddington. These lanes are not part of the Sustrans network but they do create a great link down to NCR 680 at Millers Dale station. The road from Blackwell down into the dale can be quite busy, but on this particular day we swooped around the bends to the bottom without seeing much traffic at all. It is quite a tortuous climb back the other way out of the dale, and the alternative bridleway is not in a good state and so presents its own safety problems for cyclists.
Safely down to Millers Dale station we parted company with Peter and Jill who were continuing their celebrations at Hassop station. The rest of us climbed up to Wormhill, gave our respects as we passed the memorial to James Brindley, and then up to the top of the hill at Hargatewall before the long descent down to Great Rocks junction. It is a steep climb up past the entrance to the Tarmac quarry and the heavy traffic using this road remains the reason why neither Sustrans nor DCC are happy to approve this as an alternative, temporary route into Buxton whilst we await completion of the planned route from the end of NCR680 (currently at Wye Dale) up Woo Dale to Swallowfield Road.
Construction work has started at the far end of the golf course. It looks as though there are going to be some new houses and I understand that a new roundabout may be being built also on the A6. I will continue to keep an eye on what is happening.
The signage we put previously in place leading out of the station is still all there but as we got further into route 68 through the town centre we found many of the signs had faded badly and needed replacing.
Eat at No5 is my favourite cafe in Buxton (located at Fiveways) and provided a good place to get our sandwiches for lunch. The route out of Buxton along the A515 has never been ideal, but I suspect it will be many years before alternatives will be approved. I do know there are cycling groups in Buxton working on it. We found a small lane off the A515 and although it didn't have benches we could sit on to eat our lunch, it did offer an unexpected cut through to the road up to Harpur Hill.
DCC have asked me if we will undertake maintenance responsibility for drainage system on Staker Hill. As well as replacing faded signs we looked at the existing drainage channels as we plodded up the hill, but we will need to wait until the DCC engineer is available to show us precisely what is required.
The views from Staker Hill over Buxton are always fabulous and I love the dramatic change in landscape as you descend down to Earl Sterndale. Sadly there are signs outside the Quiet Woman pub which say it is closed indefinitely. No indications at all that it will re-open any time soon. From here only a short ride back to Monyash.
Turned out to be a great days ride of just over 41kms, 790 mtrs of ascent and a lot of faded signs replaced.
Next work day will be Monday 6 June 2022. Hoping that Clare can organise something even further north.
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