Parks Inn link to Staker Hill MUP

Another link in the White Peak Loop is complete! When DCC built the multi-user path across Staker Hill, over two years ago, the link from it to Route 68 coming from Buxton was not finalized due to planning problems. Now a last stretch of path has been constructed at Harpur Hill, next to the Parks Inn pub. Up until now the only way of accessing the Staker Hill route was via Fiddle St which some of our rangers will remember we were not allowed to sign, not even temporarily (http://whitepeakrangers.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/pictures-from-last-workday.html). Now all has been resolved: this short section of new path is of an excellent quality, part tarmac, part Toptrek, and leads quickly to the next section, which was built from the successful bid for Government funding in 2013. Bravo DCC! Chapeau bas!

Matlock - Rowsley multi-user path formal opening

Claire O'Reilly has informed us of the formal Opening Day of the multi-user path between Matlock and Rowsley. This will be on Tuesday 27 March at 13:00, by the railway crossing, with refreshments at Arc afterwards.

Signing Route 680 along the Monsal Trail

Catherine, David (R) and David (G) were joined by Sustrans' Midlands Volunteer Co-ordinator, Dan Robertson on 4 December 2017 to undertake further signing of the Monsal Trail. Although David and Catherine had (very impressively) cycled all the way over, we all joined up to start at the Coombs Road viaduct in Bakewell; eventually finished up by fixing the final sign onto a post in the Wye Dale car park (4 miles out of Buxton).

The event had been postponed by a week because of inclement weather on the original work day. This time the weather could not have been better with perfect blue skies and bright sunshine, albeit a bit winter watery. David (G) soon demonstrated why he shouldn't be let anywhere near a hammer as the first nail bent over and the "professionals" within the group had to rescue the position. Dan provided masterful Quality Assurance over the entire proceedings and we all fully accepted that these signs are the only thing that most people ever see or recognise about the National Cycle Network. Therefore they have to be displayed in the correct place to be seen and then positioned perfectly with "no creases".

Clyde had done a wonderful job in preparing all the signs with waymarked distances at strategic points along the length of the trail. Although he was unable to come and help us put them up I am sure he will be pleased that they are now doing a useful job helping cyclists appreciate just how far it is to cycle to different points along the trail.

As well as being a most useful work day this was once again a great opportunity to catch up with other members of the White Peak Rangers group, as well as getting updates from Dan about all the projects he is currently involved with across the region. Not only did he do a very good job of "selling" the Brompton concept to a couple of people we met along the trail, but he also introduced us all to the idea of his travelling coffee filter, which I would certainly welcome as a Christmas present, (another action point for me to add on to my Christmas present wish-list!).

The signing took longer than we had expected and so we didn't get further than Wye Dale car park on this event. We will need to plan another day to conclude the route into, and out of Buxton. We should really extend all the way down the High Peak trail to Cromford, which will certainly keep us going for a few more workdays yet.

Quite a few additional Action Points came out of this workday with regards to signing and I will email these separately. We were definitely a pair of scissors short in the "signers' tool-kit", but we will know better for next time. Thanks to Catherine who saved the day by pulling a "claw" hammer out of the bag.

Signing workday and ride

There will be a workday to put up a few destination patches on the Monsal Trail (Route 680), followed by a ride to Buxton, and then Harpur Hill to see the development of the final Parks Inn spur section of the Staker Hill multi-user path (work in progress - completion expected Jan 2018). 

Meet 10:00 Monday 27 November 2017 at Coombs Road viaduct, Bakewell (the start (or finish!) of the trail). We will sign from there up the Monsal Trail to the Wyedale car park and, if time allows, in Buxton (but not Harpur Hill yet) before returning either by the Monsal Trail or by the High Peak Trail. 

Bring sandwiches although, if it's cold, we could consider stopping at the Buxton Morrison's. 

NB They say that Buxton has its own microclimate! The forecast for Matlock is no rain at all throughout the day, although humidity is always over 80%, but for Buxton rain is predicted the whole day! Temperatures 6-7 C with a significant westerly wind. 

Bennerley viaduct ride Thursday 2 November 2017

The Bennerley Viaduct used to carry the Great Northern Railway line between Derby and Nottingham, over the Erewash valley near Ilkeston. It was bought by Sustrans for £1 some years ago. It is of wrought iron construction, similar to the Meldon Viaduct in Devon (which is on the Devon C2C cycleway). There is a plan to renovate this bridge and make it part of a new cycleway; possibly even to turn it into a mecca for cyclists by one day adding hostels, tea rooms, a pub?  Work has already begun and future developments will depend on sponsorship and awards from charity. Kieran Lee is the project manager.

I have just heard about a ride led by Ian Dent of the Sustrans ranger group. It will leave Derby Market Square at 10:00 on 2 November and follow Route 6 to Long Eaton before turning up the Erewash Valley Trail to Cotmanhay, arriving at around noon. We will be given a tour of the viaduct by Kieran, followed by lunch at the nearby Bridge pub. The return will be via Route 672 the Great Northern Greenway (I think). More details may appear here later, if I find out more. Do come along - it will be great meeting up with old friends!

NB This is not a Sustrans-organized ride for the public and everyone takes part at their own risk.

On Sunday the White Peak Sustrans Rangers held their summer picnic in the wonderful setting of David and Catherine's garden at Warslow. More precisely, we were in their summer-house looking out over the sun-bathed Manifold valley, with the entrance to Thor's mighty cave just visible. We were joined for our picnic lunch by a couple of younger, prospective members for the group (as well as Jane!). Isabel came along with Robin and Karen whilst Nethanial kept coming to see if Granny Rooke could help him to make a dinosaur

Whilst we all took our own picnic, there was lots of sharing (except by me) as everyone had bought with them a fabulous lunch. Catherine then bought out the summer puddings; a mixture of lemon, yoghurt, ice cream, condensed milk and lots, lots more. "Fantastic" undersells them by a thousand times.

That would have been enough to start any bike ride with, but there was more! A special hazel and walnet chocolate cake that was just too difficult to resist (especially with a thick, dark chocolate sauce) made its appearance just as our stomachs were lookingto put up the white flag. Hope you are not yet beginning to think you missed something very special Clyde?

Feeling ready for a lie down, rather than a 10 mile bike ride, 6 of us managed to somehow get on our beasts and set off into ever darkening (rain threatening) skies. Jane tried to show why she was now our leader and attempted to ride off with her back wheel partly jammed against the frame. But, us older and wiser stalwarts were having none of those low tricks to try and escape the ride. So, with a new bike borrowed for Jane from the Rooke's garage we set off again; uphill of course!!

We had very soon climbed up to the (black) grouse moors of the Harpur-Crewe family and then began a (mostly) downhill descent towards Longnor. These were lands that I know of only by reputation, and yet they offered some of the finest views over the Dove and Manifold valleys. The roads were generally very quiet and, although Robin was unable to join us for the ride, I can assure him that yours truly did a wonderful job as rear marshall making sure that our leader got around safely. Catherine and David a wonderful job of riide leader and ride manager ('cos they are separate jobs!). We did have a few spots of rain, but only to cool us down from the occasional steep inclines, especially the one up to Sheen for instance.

Naturally we avoided the direct road back to Warslow, but the extra kilometre or so by going the longer way round took us along some of the prettiest lanes of the whole afternoon. Although the route had taken a bit longer than David had thought (definitely that extra slice of cake to blame) we still managed to get back to their house in time for tea! Of course our kind hosts had left nothing to chance. Catherine had baked a whole magnificent fruit cake for us to tuck into after the exertion of so much energy on the bike ride. Our enthusiastic indulgence would surely have put the Famous Five to shame!

So, many thanks to David and Catherine for their absolutely fantastic hospitality (again) and for sorting out such a wonderful afternoon of bike riding. We reached a decision that afternoon that we would suspend led rides for the rest of this year and then think again about how we might rebrand them for next season. That is not to say that we shouldn't get together as a group for events like this one. We will try to get something arranged for before Christmas but it is definitely the Rooke's turn for a day off. Thanks to you both.

Public Ride - Hardwick Hall

6 riders joined myself, Robin and David on Sunday for a 10 mile ride to Hardwick Hall and back. We hadn't anticipated sharing the ride with a Horse Trekking event, but both horses and cyclists were  well behaved!

The weather was ideal on the day despite all the rain we had during the previous week and the tracks were surprisingly mud free. Everyone enjoyed a coffee break sitting in the sun at the Hardwick NT cafe and  the talk Karen gave on Bess of Hardwick.