Cross (remains of)

I like looking at maps, and when I noted the above, written in the medieval script that the OS likes to use for antiquities, next to a route that I have often ridden I decided to get the bike out and head over to see what 'Cross (remains of)' refers to;

Getting there was easy enough, the cross is next to a route that I've ridden plenty of times. Today however, although my fitness is pretty decent, my strength let me down a bit. There's a fair amount of climbing for such a short route. Still, the views are good;

That's Combs Reservoir in the background, somewhat lacking water at the moment. Even the big puddles on the Ladder Hill lane are pretty dry;

And, the cross;

Without the bike;

Despite the inscription, which was carved into the column in 1725 when a sundial was added, the cross was erected in the 8th or 9th century.

The top;

More information here.

A little bit of Anglo Scandinavian history, and a bike ride. What more can you ask for (except cake!).

Paul.

Two mornings

Saturday morning saw me out early, in the quarry in my kayak, doing my usual litter pick (7 bags and two inflatables between us, all gone to the tip). No photos 'cos I forgot the memory card.

Up early again on Sunday, out on the bike. Back to the quarry again, cutting back the trees along the track, less ducking and a faster ride;

I then headed for the swimmer's put-in, to see Dani and the Colonel, only to be chased by an alsation. Once the dog left I dropped down for a chat and rode along the side along a track that's usually partly submerged;

I did this partly because I could, and partly to see if the beach at the end was reachable by road. It isn't, which will make cleaning it up later in the year difficult. It's been decided to leave the beach and other places that the dirty gits use a mess until later in the year and only clean up the parts that the swimmers use and anything floating in the water, letting the filthpigs wallow in their own mess.

I left the quarry, heading down to do a figure of 8 through the lanes and fields and cows, then went home for tea and crumpets.

Paul.

Testing the Floating Rubbish Receptacle

The quarry is currently a shit tip, thanks to partying yoof and don't-give-a-fuck campers. We're doing something about it, we and others have been out litter picking on the bank around the put-in. But, there's also a lot of crap floating around in the water, so to help remove it I've made myself a floating bin.

All I've done is tape three barrels together. The outer two, both 10 litre, are there for buoyancy and the middle blue barrel, 24 litre, has a hole cut into the top to put trash in.

In the background of the above photo there are two air beds. Both were slashed, to drain out the water, and one was carried on the floating bin and the other over my deck.

Bottles...

Note the loop, attached to a tow line around my waist.

It works well enough, although you know you're towing it, especially into the wind, even though it sits high in the water. But, the quarry is relatively small and sheltered from the worst of the wind, and an extra work-out is no bad thing.

We took 6 bags of rubbish away, and we've only really scratched the surface.

Paul.

Just a Sunday morning ride

Out at 8.30 this morning, before the day gets too hot. Across the golf course, then over a gate and into the quarry. Dani was swimming, so I stopped and said hello and watched her and a friend rescue an air bed;

The place is very busy at the moment, with plenty of swimmers in the water and tents scattered about, along with litter, barbecues, and discarded food. Even the swimmers put-in, usually tidy, was a shit tip. Dani and others took a lot of litter home with them, it's a shame that those that left it couldn't.

I left the swimmers and climbed up onto the waste tip plateau, for some reason I really enjoy riding up there;

I then headed for Dove Holes, and the tracks around Beelow Quarry;

I took a bridleway through a farmyard, and stopped to photograph these two tractors;

Heading back took me up Monkey Brew. It's scarecrow season in Peak Dale, and this horse and rider caught my eye;

I got home about 10am. Yesterday I replaced the rear tyre, a Surly Edna(!) with a Schwalbe Jumbo Jim. JJs are a fast rolling tyre, lighter than Ednas and a bit smaller (4" compared to 4.3"). The extra speed that comes from JJs is at the expense of grip, so I only use them in summer, and then only on the rear. I like a grippy front end, if the rear slides then it can be controlled, if the front slides then you're off.

A good ride.

Paul.

A paddle and clean up

Back at the old quarry again for the second time this week, I went out on Wednesday morning as well, both times accompanying Dani and the Colonel whilst they swam. It was busy, unsurprising really as it was a nice morning. There were swimmers just finishing when we got there, people camping, and more swimmers turned up whilst we were on the water. 

Today's job was to attach another buoy to a line that I spotted a couple of visits ago, to give the swimmers something else to aim for, there's a few buoys in the water put in by divers which make a good swimming circuit. Once done we had a bit of a clean up, the early group had already filled a bag with bottles. I picked up two inflatables, slashing them with a knife to drain the water out so I could carry them across the deck. I also picked up two pool noodles, which Dani intends to clean up so they could be used for therapy in exercise classes. Lastly I towed the local life ring from under a cliff back to the swimmer's put-in.

Big white container. Too heavy to shift, and there's no eyelets to attach a line to.

Looking towards the put-in.

Today's spoils, two noodles, two inflatables.

On my last visit I removed a couple of air beds that were floating in the water. The site is popular with the local, and not so local yoof, who camp out on a clifftop and leave a right bloody mess behind. To be fair, there are also campers and yoof who don't leave a mess behind, but I suspect that they're in the minority.

A morning well spent.

Paul.