Mountain Biking, Holme Valley

Members: Margaret Baldock, Dave Dillon.

Guests: Gill Stephens.

 

Despite a bit of a low turn out, and visibility at times down to 20 metres, this was a most enjoyable day. The sun shone brightly as we approached the starting point but was hardly seen again until the last hour, though we might have overheated had it been otherwise. Gill's new bike soon became unrecognisable, covered in mud much to her delight. The Clothiers' Alms in Netherthong was most hospitable, providing a gigantic pot of tea, roast beef dinner for £2.50 and hammer to carry out urgent bicycle repairs. We were struck by the friendliness of everyone we met but suspect it was due to Gill's beaming smiles, undaunted by however steep was the next ascent. The afternoon featured an encounter with a hungry horse who took a fancy to the end of Gill's handlebar - spat it out after 5 minutes in a very mangled condition, peppermint tea and Eccles cakes, and a bumpy descent in the growing dusk down forest tracks at the end of which Dave was outnumbered in his uncharacteristic wish to take the most arduous route back. Instead we ambled gently back alongside the reservoirs, stopping for Dave to photograph the eery reflections in the fading light. Then a final slog up, up and up to the welcome sight of our cars.

Margaret Baldock