The Ladybower Loop
'Big' Edge Cycleworks Shop Ride
Sun 20th June '10
It was a glorious sunny morning, perfect for a day in the Dark Peak. With blue skies predicted to last all day we slapped on the sun cream and checked our Camelbacks were full to the brim, while eagerly looking forward to riding the dry, dusty trails.
We set off along the edge of the Ladybower Reservoir towards the first climb and before long found ourselves perched on the nose of our saddles with sweat dribbling into our eyes. It was a steep way to start. With the amount of riders coming down towards us it could have been argued we were going in the wrong direction but at the top it all made sense. The payback was a long, big ring descent with lots of rocks and line choice.
The descent lasted longer for Pete. I had gone ahead to give directions. I was also taking pictures, so had my back to the junction. After shouting ‘Go left’ I realised it was my left not Pete’s and he had gone the wrong way, doh! At least the extra bit of trail was great fun. It was only short as well, so it didn’t take long for him to ride back up.
The descent finished with a loose rocky blast that returned us to the Ladybower Reservoir. We rode along its southern edge for a while before climbing into the trees on a trail that was new to most. It’s concessional and not shown on the map. Everyone enjoyed the new discovery almost as much as coolness and tranquillity of the forest, even if the track was a bit steep in places.
At the top we emerged from the forest to stunning views across Edale Valley. It produced one of the many “wows” that day. Our appreciation of the scenery was interrupted by a group having difficulties with their route guide. “Do you know where we are?”. After sending them in the right direction, with instructions on where to find good route guides, we headed down the fast, rocky descent to Hope for an appointment with coffee, cake and ice cream at the Woodbine café.
Steve set off from the café a bit too quickly for Pete and me. Our cake filled bellies were feeling a bit heavy. It took until the Broken Road, on the other side of Castleton, for the food too work its way through. I think hitting the big drops helped force it down as well. Don’t worry, I promise to edit the GPS log so it doesn’t take you off any ledges.
On the long climb to Rushup Edge Micheal started to flag. He hadn’t partaken in cake, or eaten anything else. It was time for a picnic. As we sat munching our food we realised what we were doing wasn’t that hard, compared to the guy who came walking past up the hill while carrying 18ft of packed hand glider on his shoulder.
Rushup Edge delivered us to the top of Chapel Gate. The descent had transformed since I was last there. It had weathered into a complete boulder fest, perfect for the Roscoe. I nailed it down the top section, possibly going a bit fast due to the audience at some stationary 4x4s, and was buzzing at the gate halfway down. Pete followed behind with a few dabs and shouts of encouragement to himself. After a stop for Steve’s puncture we hit the second half and difficulty went up to 11, with big drops and TV sized rocks. We all made it down in one piece. The same couldn’t be said of the 4x4’s, which we left smoking on the hill after one slammed into a big rock.
The excited chatter about the descent dried up on the next climb. Not only did the exertion have an effect but we got spooked by a silent shadow that flashed over us. It may have been a hand glider but the image of vampires is buried deep in our brains. The strange feeling stayed with us for some time. That was until final rocky scramble to the top of the climb where the strangeness was replaced by burning, in our legs and lungs.
We were treated to another stunning view. Pete asked if he could say “wow” again. It was definitely the most overused word of the day. It could have been ‘gnarley’ or ‘rad’ if our combined age wasn’t quite so high as the next descent was another great one to add to the list. And it was far from the last. After climbing through Jagger’s Clough we reached the top of The Beast, a descent of big slabs and boulders. As usual me and Pete battered our way down but not all of us were on for the technical challenge, Steve cheated by picking his own jazz line through the trees.
There was only one climb left but it was the steep, tricky climb from Hagg Farm. I’ve been trying for a while to get up in one go. I almost did it. The bit that caught me out was cleaned on the second attempt, so it’s doable. Next time then. We reached the top with only the Nabs Wood descent left, a fast flowing track that finishes at the edge of the Derwent reservoir. The last time I’d been there on a shop ride it had ended with an ambulance ride. No such problems this time. The only souvenir I took back to the Visitor Centre this time was a big, silly grin.
