ELDERLY GENTLEWOMEN'S WEEKEND – DAY 1 (27 June)

The eagerly anticipated details for the Saturday ride . . .

This is a lovely new route based on the Eastern Moors Tour in the V-graphics White Peak book.
Please email if you would like a gpx file (or mmo) or a pdf of the exact route, which varies from the original.

It’s a BLUE ROUTE (with a few RED options), very suitable for beginners, but still interesting for more experienced riders. We’ll be riding south towards Baslow through the picturesque Barbrook Valley, and back along Baslow Edge, Curbar Edge and Froggatt Edge, with their spectacular views.

The pace will be “sociable”, and no-one will care if you are slow. More time to chat and admire the countryside!

We shall divert to The Moorlands pub for an early lunch after about 6 miles.

Afterwards there’ll be a opportunity to escape, if you’re really not enjoying yourself (under a mile back to Longshaw). So if you are nervous, you don’t have to commit to the full ride.

And in addition to a brilliant route, with some lovely new friends, there’s a special cultural treat!
We’ll be visiting six ancient Guide Stoops and their modern Companion Stones.
(This is NOT an excuse for me to have six little rests, without you realising. How dare you think such a thing!!! )

So here’s all the facts and figures . . .

ROUTE
16 miles, with just 1650 ft of climbing

START
Longshaw Lodge[/url], outside the Tearoom. Grid ref SK266800

PARKING
Approximate postcode S11 7TZ
NT members free, otherwise £4
Woodcroft (SK267802) is nearest, re-opening mid June, after refurbishment
Wooden Pole (SK267790) as an alternative, riding down to the Lodge
Free parking along from The Grouse pub[/url] (SK258779)

PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Train from Sheffield arriving at Grindleford at 9:28am, and from Manchester at 9:50am
2 mile ride to start at Longshaw Lodge

TIME
Saturday 27 June
Meet from 10:30am, to start riding at 11:00am prompt
It will take at least four hours, probably longer with the pub lunch.

REFRESHMENTS
Breakfast available at the, errr, “iconic” Grindleford Station Cafe
and The Moorlands[/url] at Owler Bar (“All you can eat” for £3.99)
Coffee and cake at Longshaw Tearoom, opens at 10:30am
Lunch at The Moorlands pub
Ice-cream van at Curbar Gap

TOILETS
Longshaw Lodge (start and finish), The Moorlands pub, otherwise behind a bush

Terms and Conditions apply:

This is not a commercial venture, just a group of mates out for a day’s enjoyment.
So it’s entirely at your own risk.
But we will do our best to make sure you enjoy yourself.
Just ask if you are unsure about anything.

Please bring adequate clothing, food (or money to buy lunch), water, first aid kit, puncture repair.

And either carry Emergency Contact details, or email them to me beforehand.

I’ve just checked the National Trust website:
Woodcroft car park will be closed for improvements until early July
Wooden Pole is the nearest NT car park, just 1.5km away from the tea room

The “official” start is still outside the tea room, as above

Hi there

Is this open to anyone to come along? I’m very new here!

Cheers
Si

This is primarily a ladies ride – there’s also a ladies ride on the Sunday, alongside which I’ll be taking the blokes out to play. you;re welcome to play out with us if you fancy

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/elderly-gentlewomens-weekend-day-2-28-june

It’s basically a girly ride, Si, although Ton is coming along with Mrs Ton.
He’ll have to open gates, fix punctures and carry out other menial tasks for us though 😉

You are welcome to join us if you bring a female chaperone 😀 but you’ll find the pace rather slow.

There’s a separate gents ride the following day at Bakewell that might sure you better.

Edit: Thanks, nbt – you beat me to it!

Ton has a special dispensation to ride with us, because he is elderly and infirm.
Also, he is our inspiration, since he organises Elderly Gentlemen’s Drinking and Riding Weekends.

*chortles*

Poor ton!

Si, email me for the route. You’d get round it in a couple of hours, so maybe a nice evening ride, perhaps?

Ahem . . . lucky Ton

Also we’ll be able to cow-er behind him, when we meet these cute furry animals 😯

Hey, thanks for the replies. Believe me, any pace is reasonable to me – haven’t ridden a bike for a year!

I’ll drop you a line esme as the route sounds great…

Si

Ton has a special dispensation to ride with us, because he is elderly and infirm.

…is what I was getting-at. 😉

I had a look in this ‘ere thread because MissStripes may be up for a group ride. I’ll find-out.

11 signed up so far for Saturday:
Mrs Ton plus The Mascot
Ceefa plus 4 Bike Buddies
Debbie
DivaGirl
Esme
Pink Tortoise

Anyone else coming out to play?

Dry and dusty trails now forecast 😀

Fabulous day out Esme, many thanks and good to meet everyone. See y’all tomorrow at Bakewell 🙂

Yes, a lovely day! And Mrs Ton was definitely the star of the show . . .

Thanks Esme for the invite from what I did see of the route and from what the others told me it was very good.
Nice to meet you all, Hope Mrs Ton is ok after her tumble yesterday (Sat)
Hope to see you all again Soon x

a fantastic weekend, in good company, doing 2 very good rides, even my good wifes over the bars did not put a dampener on the weekend.

thanks for organising Esme. 8)

a big ugly thorn, in a bunch of roses.

DSCN0051 by 20ston[/url], on Flickr