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Eight riders started from Hayfield Visitor Centre car park. One rider opted out after a mile due to a loose bottom bracket (bad luck Alan) on the steep Snake Path climb out of Hayfield. 

The remaining riders persevered to a photo shoot at The Shooting Cabins on Middle Moor.

We then crossed the moor to steeply drop down to the footbridge where we were befriended by a very tame ram!

Climbing west and north to skirt Lantern Pike on the Pennine Bridleway heading for Aspenshaw Hall , we continued on Byeways up to Broadhurst Edge nature reserve. 

Using Castle Edge Road and the byeway running by New Mills Golf Club , we arrived at  The Fox Inn at Brookbottom (SK22 3AY) for lunch (9 miles)

After lunch we dropped down the Goyt Way via Hague Bar and  Mousley Bottom , following  the River Goyt up to New Mills via Station Road. (The Millenium Bridge/Torr Hydro route was unfortunately closed).

We then joined the Sett Valley Trail at the Leisure Centre for a gentle route back to Hayfield.

 After 12.8 miles we arrived at the Sett Valley Cafe (SK22 1BP) . The option to do an extra 6 mile hilly route from here was not popular and everyone was happy to call it a day at 3pm and go back to the start at Hayfield  completing 13.7 miles. 

Phil and myself decided to have a cake and coffee at the cafe to round off a most enjoyable ride in exceptionally good weather and company. 

The route we did:

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A bit saved for another day:

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