Krozzy posted on May 06, 2011 00:17
Riders – 7
Miles – 115
Weather – Dry Sunny Warm, (temp sponsored by BMW 13.5o C) even after dark
Time out – 19:05
Time Home - 22:30
Destination - Glossop -OR- Owls feel a bit “Peaky”
Riders – Krozzy (CBF Thou), Stuart McCrorie (GSXR750), Nigel T(TL1000R),
Yan C(BMW GSA 1200), Mike S(Triumph Sprint S), Nick Bancroft (VFR800) and late entry – Dave Munt(GSXR1000 – modified)
Route – From BP, M6 south Thelwall, A50 Knutsford, A537 Macclesfield, B5470 Whaley bridge – Cockyard (honest), Chapel-en-le-frith left, A6187 Castleton right, B6049 Hazlebadge Right, A623 back to Chapel-en-le Frith Left, A624 Glossop left A57, M67, M60 south loop, M61, Owls Split for home at J5
Ride – Set off from BP, Nigel leading, down M6 past the urban jungle which is south west lancs, A50, off.
Pull in temporarily at the “truck stop”, no not for a yorkie, but Dave M had not had chance to fill up and needed fuel, well they say these big gixers will pass anything….except a petrol station.
On the way down the A50 towards Knutsford a push bike race caused us to drive with care – caring club, the Owls is. Nice swoopy road the A50 just here and fairly empty, still, observing a “route nationale” 60 per. We pass Mere crossroads and into Knuts. Straight on at White Bear, then left onto the A537. We all know this road, towards the cat & fiddle. Nigel leads onto an unknown road labelled the B5470 into the High Peak area. Past Rainow, Kettleshulme - these are surprisingly groovy roads fulla the whoops and doops we like so much. A new feature here was the 5g dip, you hit the bottom of these at a good pace, flatten your suspension, clench, up and out the other side, you couldn’t pay for this. Arriving Whaley Bridge (past the horsebox parked on the pavement…..) a cute little stone built village/town we pass through en route to Chapel-en-le Frith (home of Brakes-made-of-Ferodo they claim, anagram of Herbert Frood of the town) straight ahead looks like a superb road but oddly is marked “dead end” we swing left for, as it turned out, quite a challenging sequence of roads twisty/narrow, one scarily sharp right, which form a loop known as Winnat’s pass, according to Google maps, through Chapel’s neighbouring villages/hamlets with names like “Slackhall” past “BLUE John” (who?) “Grind low” (you couldn’t make these up) returning us back to Chapel-E-L-F joining the dead end road coming in the other way.
Brew time was declared, and, being just outside a Morrisons (well, they have cafes don’t they ?…) we pull in. Sadly last orders had already been called, all staff at banjo practice, so Dave M interrogated a native to discover the next nearest likely brew was in Glossop, on our intended route anyway, a McDonalds.
Leaving Morrison's car park we swing left, left onto the A624, right, under the railway arch towards Glossop. Another good road this, less challenging than Winnats pass, time to admire the scenery, through Hayfield, Brookhouses and regrouping at the traffic lights in Glossop. No sign of a McDonalds, we spot a pub car park (Norfolk Arms) with bollards, skilled bikers like us can ride between, facing a, deserted, “Subway”
We park up and enter the subby. Big table seats 8 in the window, most business this shop had done all night. Coffee & cake (blueberry or chocolate muffins mmm….) about £2.70 Nick indulges in a sub having rushed out without his tea.
Brews supped, and now properly dark, we head off down the A57 towards the M67 & M60 Manchester ring, to M61 and home.
A good run out well worth the minor irritation getting past the Greater Manchester urban area 16 minutes BP to A50, about 40 mins Glossop to Bolton, easy running though
Cheers
Krozzy