Buxton to Etwall, Friday 31st October 2008.
Mavis Ratcliffe and Phil Harris were soon back on their bikes after Wednesday's trip to Boston, this time taking their folding bikes on the bus to Buxton and cycling home to Etwall along the Tissington Trail.
Here is their account of the trip.
We boarded the 9.50 Transpeak to Buxton, planning to ride back to Etwall. 2 folders fitted neatly into the coach “hold” (internal luggage rack filled with cases!) and there was more hold room but probably too narrow for extra folders. A very helpful driver advised that we would have had problems if his coach had been a bus as many Transpeak vehicles are. (See first comment - Ed.)
The route to Buxton was along the A6 but the coach diverted left to Chelmorton and we alighted at the junction with the A515 at 10 minutes to midday.
We cycled for 2 “hairy” miles south on the A515 before turning right onto a bridle path, which led us to the High Peak trail. Coffee was enjoyed at Parsley Hay (5 miles) before enjoying a great ride along the well populated Tissington Trail to Ashbourne, arriving at 1.40pm after a total of 19 miles. An excellent cooked lunch was enjoyed at Busy Bees between Sainsburys (no café in store) and the bus station.
We left Ashbourne at 3pm, following a well-signed R68 to Etwall, arriving at 4.30 after a total ride of 34 miles. The weather was dry, sunny and cold (very similar to the Boston ride) but most enjoyable. An excellent day out and thoroughly recommended if anyone would like to try it.
4 comments:
I have taken my folding bike on the Transpeak bus without any problems.
But ......... mine was the only bike on board and it was in a bag, so perhaps the bus driver did not realise what it was.
However, the "official" policy for folding bikes on buses is that the driver has discretion.
Should have said that both bikes wre in bags but do not think that affected the situation at all. Phil
Excellent account of a great ride! Well planned: you must have had the wind behind you doing it this way round! Also the railway gradient was in your favor! But why didn't you ride from Chelmorton to Brierlow Bar on the A515 where you can join Route 68 immediately and avoid the horrid main road? (I'm a fine one to talk, with my recent jaunt up the equally unpleasant A52 to Grantham!) There is a decent pub, the Silent Woman, in Earl Sterndale. The pub-sign shows a beheaded lady with her head under her arm!
We considered the option of linking up with the B5053 at Brierlow Bar but as the bus was 15 late getting to Buxton and planning to meet phil's wife and two friends at 1.30 ish in Ashbourne, looked at the contours on the map and felt we didn't have time to do the Earl Sterndale link. Perhaps next time. We did find our way to another one of Peter's tried and tested, and reasonably priced eating houses in Ashbourne though!
Mavis
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