Looping round the reservoir.

Out and about on the fat bike this afternoon. At the moment I generally ride once a week, running takes priority these days. So my rides are generally short and local, no bad thing as getting used to a new bike, in fact a new way of riding, takes time and there's plenty of interest within a few miles of home (by jingo I love living in the Peaks!). Yesterday I ran a 17k loop in the Goyt Valley, as preperation for a race that I'm doing there next month. As I haven't ventured that way on a bike for a while I thought pointing the bike that way today would be a fine thing to do.

So, after a long drag up Long Hill and a quick whizz down Goyt's Lane (hitting 57.4kph) followed by a short climb I arrived at the first off-road section, a quick spin along the fire road through the woods above Fernilee Reservoir;

At the end of the fire road, which is a UCR (Unclassified Country Road), I turned right dropping down a slope and across the dam wall at the northern end of reservoir;

It was along here that I saw the only other mtb'er seen all day, who ignored me. Bloody Cotic riders... all the roadies that I saw nodded at me however.

There's another UCR that I've been wanting to explore, which runs from the eastern side of the reservoir and climbs up to Long Hill (A5004);

The lane climbs up following a couple of vehicle ruts;

The views are good as the track snakes around;

UCRs can legally be driven, and although there are tyre marks along the lane it looks like the jacked-up Disco idiots haven't discovered this little gem yet.

So, onto Long Hill. I rode back towards Buxton, then picked up a bridlepath on the left which climbs up, drops down, and finds its way to Old Road. Looking forward at the highest point I could see the edge of Combs Moss, shame its off limits to bikes;

And behind, Fernilee with Taxal Moor in the distance;

Old Road is just that, a Roman road, part of the Midshires Way and a Byway. A short loose climb and onto broken tarmac;

What the photo doesn't show is the fabulous views over the Goyt Valley. Further on there's a short fun rocky downhill, here I met some other cyclists, 3 rough stuff'ers by the look at them, pushing/riding hybrid/touring style bikes up. They had cyclists caps on their heads rather than helmets and the middle guy, on a small wheel folding tourer, wanted to know how long the rocks went on for. Not far was my reply as I left them and headed for home.

I did note whilst driving home from work this morning that the Peaks were absolutely swarming with cyclists, even more that would normally be seen on a warm Sunday morning. The Olympics effect of course, I just hope that they all keep riding when the Games are over. Speaking of which, I was glued to the team pursuit, the most aesthetically pleasing of cycle sports. Team GB were absolutely awe-inspiring, fantastic results from both the mens and womens teams!

Paul.