With a generous dusting of snow and seriously sub-zero temperatures, choosing a route for the pre-Christmas lunch ride for the Saddo was preying on my mind I have to say.
A sprinkling of excuses: "Think we'll give the ride a miss today and just come for the lunch!" etc etc made a few more dents in my resolve that a ride would be OK. Add to that a rear mech that wouldn't budge until I'd poured a bucket of warm water over it, a puncture on the way to the Lime Kiln and a few more phone calls to field and I was beginning to doubt the advisability of the whole thing.
This was to underestimate the good natured encouragement I always get from this extraordinary group of cyclists and so off we set - cheerily. The ride couldn't be too long as Christmas lunch awaited us back in the Lime Kiln so it was up to the Delph Donkey, somewhat icy but with no sudden movements we were all beginning to find our confidence. Through the village of Delph we rode and along the lovely little byway following Hull Brook before climbing slowly up the Castleshaw Valley to the aptly named Bleak Hey Nook and the only bit of completely unmanageable ice we met all morning.
In a long standing tradition of trying to convince the Saddos that I've found a new route by doing an old one in the opposite direction we set off towards Harrop Edge. The start was steep and icy with compacted snow. Feeling a little uncertain about leading the group up it I was indebted to Tish for boldly striking out with a "Well we can always walk it if necessary!" and so we all followed. It was not long before we were all cycling up to the ridge with the snow crunching pleasingly under our tyres and what a view when we arrived at the top. The clouds were lifting, the sun was beginning to shine through and the whole of the Castleshaw Valley opened out to our right. The highlight of the morning.
A little bit of slippery descent negotiated each according to his or her ability/proclivity and we were back in the village centre of Dobcross before heading back to the Lime Kiln for their always exceptional Christmas lunch.
A great was to end another year in the company of such a great group of people. Thanks for all your encouragement and good cheer over another year and here's to 2018!
Some more photos can be viewed on Flickr here: