We met at The Gribdale Park & Ride which was absolutely packed, poor weather doesn't keep the good folk of Cleveland stuck in the house! We set off straightaway up to Captain Cooks, passing a variety of people carrying small children & babies down from the moor. Are Teessiders like The Spartans? Do they leave their kids out on cold hills to toughen them up?
We both failed "The Nemesis Climb", the last set of steps on the path up to the monument, something we'd both nailed on our old bikes but haven't quite mastered on the new ones.
Left at the monument and down the stone steps followed by a woodland excursion at the bottom, a bit of wood neither of us had done before. Nothing too challenging, but a nice little rock ramp part way in and some good flowing (and dry) track. Out of the woods, past Lonsdale Farm and up the deeply rutted track to Percy Cross Rigg. Recent 4x4 traffic on this climb combined with all the rain had turned it all a bit claggy, but the Trailrakers dug in and did their job while Neil's 2.4inch 10 quid specials slithered about looking for traction.
Along Percy Cross Rigg to Hutton woods, where we passed quite a few other riders in various sized groups, all in good cheer apart from one miserable looking bunch by a large puddle at the corner of the path to The Hanging Stone. Takes all sorts.
Left here and onto The Cleveland Way towards Roseberry Topping, where we take the muddy track down the hill rather than the stone steps beside it. Or at least I try to, but that 80mph wind seems to have found us and makes it hard to even stay on the bike, let alone on line. Neil nails it, but I get blown into a muddy rut that takes me out, but at least the ground is soft!
Round Roseberry we go, through Newton wood and eventually emerging at Dikes Lane, which we cross and climb the rooty track that goes up from there to below Captain Cook's. The roots look bigger than ever and there's no chance of riding up it, and it looks like coming down will be even more fun than usual in future.We plan our lines while pushing the bikes up.
Once at the top it's the traverse below Captain Cooks towards Kildale. This bridleway has been totally mashed by horses. There should really be rules of etiquette that say "no horses when a trail is sodden wet" because nothing destroys a trail like a horse. This whole section was just a quagmire of mud, studded with hoof sized holes all full of water and more mud. Once again the trailrakers did their stuff but it was really no fun.
Out the other side and it's up the steep road (having to stop and lube up the chain which had been stripped of oil by the shit on that last section of trail), along the fire road onto Coate Moor and down through the woods once more. This had stayed nice and dry, no worse than any time in the summer really. At the bottom Neil nailed the big drop-off while I still took the chicken run, despite my best intentions. Next time, next time.
Out of the woods and back at the car park, and still feeling fresh. Time to put in an extra loop just for the hell of it, so up onto Great Ayton Moor we go, just so we can plummet back down through the woods. The climb is too much for Neil's unlubed chain (chain suck sucks!) and he has to look like a pussy, pushing up a climb that even girls can do. The drop back through the woods is fun, fast, slippery and loose and is largely out of control all of the way.
So back at the Park & Ride again, and quite surprised to see that not only is my car still there, but no one has stolen Neil's knee and elbow pads from here either. They really must be rubbish.
Gribdale Circuit: 12 miles, 2200ft up/down, 2hrs30.
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