Two Misty Moisty Mornings... Well, one and a bit anyway !
I'd cycled on Christmas Day. Four miles each way to enjoy Christmas Day with my family, and I did it on a Brompton. Presents had been dropped some days before and my presents if any would be picked up a few days later. I only had two glasses of wine, honest, and didn't wobble much on the way home in the dark. But wobbling on a Bromton is not difficult even when you haven't had a drink. This Christmas Day ride had been my first ride in over a month, a cold, racking cough and a weasy chest had kept me off the bike. I had though made it to some of the other RSF Christmsas Lunches ! I hadn't kissed anyone (lucky them) and I hope didn't pass seasonal bugs to anyone.
The view from Nessit HillFor Boxing Day I had promised myself a 'decent' ride! Perhaps a planning excursion for a January ride South of Macclesfield. However, if you go to bed late, have a lie in and then only get out of the house at 1.40 PM what you can manage is limited before the sun goes down, even if it is visible and any sun had not affected the mist. It was still down and moisty on my glasses. So it was a leisurly local ride, damp and feeling quite cold but good to be out, keep on moving.
The mist probably wouldn't lift from my route, starting in the dip of the old rail track, known as The Fallowfield Loop. Nor on Nelstrop Road (actually a track) by Houldsworth Golf Course, through Reddish and dropping in to its Vale, and across the River Thame on to the TPT (Trans Pennine Trail) up and cross the back of Reddish Golf Club following the valley. At the old Brinnington Train Station I turned left on to the track bed and went through the well lit tunnel, then a right down the hill passing under the M60 and Crookilly Way by Welkin Mill and road. Across via the parallel crossing, by The Pear Mill and in to Woodbank Park over a river, this time the Goyt, and up to Woodbank Hall. Through and on from the park I took a sort of direct route through the back of a quiet Stockport towards the train station approach from where I took the recently opened (probably 6 months ago now ?) mixed pedestrian and cycle path that drops down to Viaduct Park and the new bus interchange. The last part of this descent is a spiral, down for me, partially over another river. Here the Tame and Goyt have joined to make The River Mersey. If you suffer from vertigo this could be exciting! The safety rail and netting look strong enough to hold me - just!
I am impressed with how this development has turned out, we will see how it matures. A lot of re-development has and is still going on around this part of Stockport. It will/could/is, becoming very trendy, that is I guess the plan. I wonder who is paying for it?
I think that there were plans (there may still be) to extend the Metrolink from the present end of the track in East Didsbury/Parrs Wood, to the new interchange at Stockport. When I last saw some plan I believe it involved three Mersey bridges over and back then over again to get into Stockport all in the space of perhaps 2 miles. Sounds expensive and no EEC funding now.
Anyway from Viaduct Park, I crossed to Heaton Lane and back onto the TPT running along side the river towards Parrs Wood where I cut up through Green Pastures in to Heaton Moor to go back via Aldi for tomatoes, with my Bacon, Sausage, & .... plus Black Pudding and Egg. Aldi was however shut! Don't worry I got my fruit elsewhere, when I nipped out in the car to pick 'my' presents up.
15 miles ridden and about 500 ft of ascent, home in daylight or what answers at this time of year.
And so the next day, Friday the 27th dawned, although I wasn't up for dawn, but I had got up in time today and the body was still willing, sort of. A flask of Miso soup was made and packed and I left with my bike on the back of the car just after 9.00:AM and turned the fog lights on, safely drivable but much worse than Boxing Day. I later heard that many flights had been cancelled or diverted. Heading out to the South of Macclesfield, the fog, mist, low cloud, got thicker in places. I parked just passed the Leather Smithy by Ridgegate Reservoir, managing to get a FREE parking space after asking a gent to move foward a bit, please.
It was very misty along by the water but you could just see a damp sun trying to break through. Mounting up and setting off South I took the right turn to get on to the gravel track left, out of the mist hopefully, up Nessit Hill. On the road just before the turn I met a lone walker coming towards me "Morning, have you seen a group of 10 male walkers?" he asked "No sorry", not yet I hadn't!
Off he went, the wrong way! And I went the right way, curving up the hill through the forest and into the sunshine, looking down on the blanket of cloud. At the top of Nessit Hill cracking views were being enjoyed by a large number of people. I soaked in the views and could even see my car down below through a gap in the cloud. Almost all the hills around were visible and in sunshine. There are not many hills on the Cheshire Plain, the clue is I guess in the name. 'We' were all looking down on the cloud. Maybe an inversion, as it felt a lot warmer up here in the sun than down in the misty cold. But I didn't have a thermometer with me and who cares, it was a lovely day up here. I became aware of one group of gents passing texts and calls to a missing member, and chuckling about his actual job! So I had to ask, apparently their missing friend is a Pathfinder in the Army (Oh dear!) he was going to be the butt of some jokes.
Cumberland Cottage track
The Cross near the Hanging Gate
Footbridge and ford below Hawks Nest
The penny had dropped, so I told them. "I think I must have met your friend (no names, no pack drill) down there in the mist. Do pass him my appologies, if/when you meet up. I told him, that I hadn't seen you, and at that point I hadn't. More ammunition loaded, for his drubbing. I left them and cycled off in the sunshine and sunshine it was for the rest of the day until just before got back to my car. Lots of planes visible at high and low level looking for a visible runway.
My route took me on along the edge of the forest on the wide gravel path. Back on the road near spot height 359 I took the descent right then South on to the road heading towards Crag Hall. Before reaching the Hall I took the rocky Cumberland Cottage track up and around to the A54. That was said very quickly. It is a longish, stoney, rocky, tree rooty, muddy in places wet slog. At the A54 I went right and down to the Cut-thorn minor road turn from where I took the right track, this was mostly dry and sandy but with stones and rocks, to Three-Shires Head.
Arriving at Three Shires HeadHere I sat in the sun and had my soup, enjoying (visually) the mermaids swimming in Panniers Pool. Brave ladies, I've never seen any men swimming here! Not daft enough? Is it a different distibution of fat? No, I am not going to mention fat to a lady either! It would freeze my wotsits off and I've grown quite attached. Leaving this view, I set off almost due South around Turn Edge hill almost to Hawk's Nest. Just before, I took the hard right down the bridleway and over the footbridge, actuallyI forded the stream. Up past Far Brook to the Flash road. Some of the last part of this track is new but much of the early part is quite narrow and difficult, you would need a svelt horse, I made it !
Turning West I dropped, well positively whizzed down passing Spring Head to Greens and on along past the Gradbach Road to the Rose and Crown at Allgreave. No, I didn't stop for a pint but some were drinking outside in the sunshine. A very short distance North on the A54 where I then took the left on to a UC road to drop down and cross Clough Brook via the foot bridge. Some years ago I did cross the here on my motorcycle. I seem to remember going in and having to ride a, rocky, few hundred wet feet along the brook before the road came back out. Yes I got my feet wet but thankfully didnt't lose or bog the bike. It would have be a long way home.
From Clough Brook it was a little bit of a plod up and NW along the road passing the old cross and then dropping by The Hanging Gate Pub. Just past here I left the sunshine and returned to cloud and back to my car. A great day out. Started in fog and mist and finished in the same, but in between was sublime, I'll not get another day like it this year ................ cos there's almost none left.
I'd done 15.5 miles and 2400 ft of ascent. I would also have been home in daylight but I went home via my daughters. Where I got climbed on and over a lot by Grandaughter. My Grandson is bidding his time and planning his moves. At 7 months, he can't yet walk but wants to, desperately.
Sunday 29th Dec 2024
No more this year ........ I promise
A Happy 2025, to us all, I hope.😀
Editors note: 'A Misty Moisty Morning' was a song written by the folk group Steeley Span, released in 1973 and Believed to be based on the initial lines of the song The Wiltshire Wedding, printed in 1680.