The Midlander Super Grimpeur - 28/06/08

[Chris N]

Cor, well done you lot.  I'm sorry I missed this ride, but I really needed a quiet weekend.  If it's on next year I'll try and make it, promise.

[NikW]

I'm thoroughly enjoying the accounts but getting confused by all the spellings:

Mam Nick or Mam Tor

I get the impression that a big hill can have one Mam up oneside and another up the other.  So we went up Mam Nick but the NT sign at the top proclaimed the grassy lump to our left to be Mam Tor which is more the slope down to Castleton on the other side.

A Moss, on the other hand, seems to be the same Moss from all approaches.

HTH

You don't want to do the Mam Tor road on a recumbent 

Nik

[MSeries]

Isn't the Tor the hill and the Nick the gap though or round it. Like Nick O'Pendle going past Pendle Hill.

[NikW]

Well, I cycled the 10 mile commute this morning, and my legs feel OK.  I ate almost constantly yesterday, plying myself with lots of protein and carbohydrates. 

Danial - earlier in this thread you mentioned arranging for a photographer to take photos at the top of Holme Moss.  I didn't see anyone taking photos, but may have missed them if they were off the road somewhere.

Ah yes, this was Mike Wigley. He said he intended to take cycle up to Holme Moss to catch you grinding your way up there. I'll email him and see if he managed to do so.

Mike headed out at about 15:00 IIRC and said he went to the summit of Holme Moss, I think Nik W saw him riding up. Mike came back soon after  though, I am not sure if he was pulling my leg when he said he'd got to the top and back, I've seen Mike climbing and he was too quick.

When Mike passed me he was probably about the same distance from the bottom of the climb proper as I was from the cafe.  He was back just as I finished eating.  So he'd have had to have climbed and descended Holme Moss in the time it took me to order and eat sponge and custard.  Possible maybe be but photos as well sounds superhuman.

You must be a tough lot up there though - I mean just who's local is that Cat and Fiddle 

Nik

[NikW]

Isn't the Tor the hill and the Nick the gap though or round it. Like Nick O'Pendle going past Pendle Hill.

Ah yes - that makes sense.  'Nick' as in small cut.

[D0m1n1c Burford]

It seems Home Moss is quite a famous climb.  Here's an extract from wikipedia:

"Holme Moss has long been considered one of England's most punishing bicycle ascents, rising some 400m from the floor of the Holme Valley at Holmbridge in about 5 km.

The climb begins up Holme Bank, before proceeding with a slight let-off through Holme village to the bridge that marks the beginning of the climb proper. From here, the only way is up, and a tough way it is at that, going initially through switchbacks that have none of the grace or gentility of their alpine counterparts, but serve merely to provide a nasty surprise when the poor rider turns the corner directly into the South-Westerly wind. The final pull is long and gruelling, passing as it does a narrowed section of road that has been under repair for many years, and that offers a nasty experience with traffic (notably motorbikes) on busy Sundays. Once the car park has been passed, however, the end is in sight, as the road flattens and the rider's gears can slowly be cranked up once more as the true summit of the climb – the sign marking entry into Derbyshire – is reached.
 
This explains the Moss's fearsome reputation, and it is for this reason that it has been, on many occasions, picked as part of the route of many of Britain's premier bike races. For many years the (now sadly defunct) Leeds Classic race saw world class riders (many of them, such as Bjarne Riis, veterans of the Tour de France, hence the moniker 'Le Col de Moss') toiling up its slopes, whilst 2004 and 2005 witnessed the riders of the new Tour of Britain scale the climb as part of the Yorkshire stage of the race. Needless to say, the nature of this most terrifying of hills drew a large crowd that filled the road and brought further comparison between Holme Moss and the great climbs of le Tour. Closer to home, every year at the beginning of September hundreds of suffering mountain bikers string themselves out along the length of the climb as part of the Holme Valley Mountain Bike Challenge, a 28-mile route that starts and finishes at nearby Hade Edge. As you can imagine, Holme Moss represents the hardest part of the route, and long may it continue to do so."

[Joolz]

Well that was a hard ride (didn't find Holme Moss that bad) - I couple of times I thought of getting off but I didn't, only because it would take me longer to walk up the climbs in Look plates and shear bloody mildness.

Good points:

1) Perfect route sheet and controls,
2) Excellent company,
3) Weather - not too warm or cold and it didn't rain,
4) Amazing scenery,
5) Veggie chilli at the end

Bad points:

1) Having to go back to Bedfordshire again,
2) Not having the Sponge pudding and custard that Nik had,

Thank you Pat for dragging us to the end.

[mattc]

... shear bloody mildness.

PATC
(Post Audax Typing Syndrome) strikes again  !

[mattc]

Holmfirth, Holme Moss

This so-called "Midlander" ride is now sounding rather Northern. (but in a very appealing way, I should add ...)

[MSeries]

....(didn't find Holme Moss that bad) -

The other side, the side that you descended is a harder climb

[MSeries]

Holmfirth, Holme Moss

This so-called "Midlander" ride is now sounding rather Northern. (but in a very appealing way, I should add ...)

Interesting point, I asked the question a few months ago about where does the north end going south and midlands begin. You want some more of the West Yorks/Pennine hills ? Think about my M62 Axis (of evil) ride I mention a few weeks ago.

[DanialW]

This so-called "Midlander" ride is now sounding rather Northern. (but in a very appealing way, I should add ...)
[/quote]

I count Derbyshire as the Midlands, If you do too, then most of this rides is in the Midlands, I think.

However, I chose the name to reflect the start of the ride, rather than its destination. The intention from the outset was to have a Peak District ride that was convenient for riders in the Midlands and South. Curiously, easily a third of those riding were from the North. Peter Coates popped for his lunch half way round. Danny and Johnny Cocker live further North than the apex of the 300 route that they rode.

Happily, those riders who were new to the charms of the Peak District were impressed with the beauty of the scenery. To be honest, finding a beautiful route in the Dark Peak is like shooting fish in a barrel. It's all beautiful, and it's all hilly. Nick Windle was right when he pointed out that I didn't actually include any hills gratuitously. I could easily crowbar in another 800m of climbing if I wanted to.

This was my first large event, and I'm delighted at how it went, although disappointed with the relatively low turnout. 14 started the 300 out of a field of 18, and 8 started the 230 out of a field of 14. Nobody packed, and  there were only a few minor knocks and breakdowns.

Probably the biggest dramas were at HQ during the day. The caretaker who was due to let us in had had a huge row with the church the night before, and failed to show up to let us in. Whilst the riders were out, he had resigned before he was sacked. He'd also double booked the hall, meaning that for three hours, I was sharing the hall with a rather joyous and incredibly noisy Goan Christian organisation who were having a mini banquet. Only one rider from the 230 got caught up in this, and they cleared off before anyone else turned up.

Thanks ever so much to those who did ride. I'm really touched to read that the efforts my friends went to to make your ride enjoyable were appreciated. I'm delighted the routesheet was error-free. The event is scheduled to run next year on the 6th June, though this is subject to change as I try to work out how to accommodate everybody's LEL plans.

[PatC]

Well I did say I'd do a RR but I'm not too sure I've got anything to add to what's been covered in the other RRs. All I will add is that it was probably the ride that I'd been looking forward to most this year and I wasn't disappointed.

 

[PatC]

BTW what was the rather large white object that could be seen in the distance on your left just after the Cat and Fiddle?

[alan]

I'm guessing ('cos I wasn't there) it could be Jodrell Bank radio telescope.

[PatC]

I'm guessing ('cos I wasn't there) it could be Jodrell Bank radio telescope.

Yes, that'll be it. Big shiny dish sort of thing.

[DanialW]

Yep, Jodrell Bank.

Next year, I'm going to add in a small route change on the way to Glossop, so you ride via Chisworth. The views over Manchester on the road I have in mind are breathtaking, if you can take your mind off the incredibly sharp descent.

[MSeries]

Just said on 'Police Camera Action' that the Cat & Fiddle road is Britains most dangerous, mostly motorcycles who die.

[alan]

They die most frequently on a Sunday & Bank Holiday weekends.Tis a fact.

[DanialW]

Just said on 'Police Camera Action' that the Cat & Fiddle road is Britains most dangerous, mostly motorcycles who die.

And happily (for us) they usually die flying off the road.

On my first draft for this ride, I was going to lead people straight down the Goyt Valley past Derbyshire Bridge. Unfortunately bicycles aren't allowed to cycle against the traffic anymore, and it's a one-way road.

It's a shame, although Jenkin's Chapel is a much more gratifying challenge than the climb up from the other side.

[alan]

I'm guessing ('cos I wasn't there) it could be Jodrell Bank radio telescope.

Yes, that'll be it. Big shiny dish sort of thing.

Viewed daily from my office for 5 years untill January this year as were the Western side of the Roaches & the transmission mast near Macclesfield.

[MSeries]

I've been doing the Cheshire winter 200s since 2005 about 3 per year. Not until December 2006 when I went round the Winter Solstice  very quickly before it got dark that I actually got to see Jodrell Bank. Big innit.

[D0m1n1c Burford]

There is one small suggestion that I would like to make, and it relates to a point made by Nik W upstream.  It would be really nice if the route sheet gave the name of each hill, so that you know what you are climbing. 

Other than that, I think the event was as near perfect as you could get 

[Maladict]

There is one small suggestion that I would like to make, and it relates to a point made by Nik W upstream.  It would be really nice if the route sheet gave the name of each hill, so that you know what you are climbing. 

Other than that, I think the event was as near perfect as you could get 

It would have been twice as bloody long! 

[Jon P]

A similar 300 audax to this is Gavin Greenhow's from Droitwich on 12th July - flat start and finish with a very pretty and scenic but relentlessly steep middle section through the Cotswolds, also the roads are grotty and most people get punctures.  I can't do it this year but can recommend it if you like that sort of thing.