The climbs were over quickly and we were soon speeding down the final
singletrack descent to Little Stretton. The track was wet and slimy and it was all
too easy to gather too much speed, fantastic fun. It was John’s turn to crash on
this one, twice, but he still had a huge grin on his face. Neil didn’t even feel
tired any more. It was a great way to finish the off-road and only left a few easy
miles back to Church Stretton and some well earned beer.
singletrack descent to Little Stretton. The track was wet and slimy and it was all
too easy to gather too much speed, fantastic fun. It was John’s turn to crash on
this one, twice, but he still had a huge grin on his face. Neil didn’t even feel
tired any more. It was a great way to finish the off-road and only left a few easy
miles back to Church Stretton and some well earned beer.
| ||||||||||
Church Stretton didn’t put on a great welcome for us. It was cold, raining and overcast. But for those who
turned up it was worth the effort as the weather cleared just before the ride started. For once we weren’t
going to climb Carding Mill Valley so there was a bit more of a warm up before the gradient increased. I
had chosen to climb out of the Batch as it’s an easier way up, usually.
turned up it was worth the effort as the weather cleared just before the ride started. For once we weren’t
going to climb Carding Mill Valley so there was a bit more of a warm up before the gradient increased. I
had chosen to climb out of the Batch as it’s an easier way up, usually.
Dave had problems at the start.
He fell off in the wrong direction
and rolled down the slope.
Fortunately it was covered in a
heather and dead bracken crash
mat, so there were no injuries.
Higher up, on the grassy trails, we
all started to suffer. The previous
couple of weeks deep snow was
thawing, leaving the grass
completely saturated. As we
He fell off in the wrong direction
and rolled down the slope.
Fortunately it was covered in a
heather and dead bracken crash
mat, so there were no injuries.
Higher up, on the grassy trails, we
all started to suffer. The previous
couple of weeks deep snow was
thawing, leaving the grass
completely saturated. As we
| (clockwise from top left) Daniel, Darren, John & Lee and Shane starting the singletrack climb out of the Batch |
squelched up the climb it felt like our brakes were
on and the slight head wind didn’t help.
on and the slight head wind didn’t help.
After the
strength work
out on the hill
we got a skills
work out on the
track along the
ridge. A 4x4 had
cut ruts through
the snow, just
deep enough
that we kept
clipping our
pedals. It was
possible to keep
| (above) Jason & John (below) and Shane on the wet and draggy Cross Dyke climb |
riding but took some concentration. It was difficult but would have
been nice if it had lasted. Eventually we had to leave the ruts behind
and were reduced to pushing before reaching the first descent.
The double track descent was covered in large patches of slushy
snow. The snow was deep so I tried to gain enough momentum to clear
it without having to pedal. This worked quite well but left my feet and
legs covered in freezing slush, not nice. We tackled the snow as best
we could, slipping and sliding our way down the hill. The key was to
been nice if it had lasted. Eventually we had to leave the ruts behind
and were reduced to pushing before reaching the first descent.
The double track descent was covered in large patches of slushy
snow. The snow was deep so I tried to gain enough momentum to clear
it without having to pedal. This worked quite well but left my feet and
legs covered in freezing slush, not nice. We tackled the snow as best
we could, slipping and sliding our way down the hill. The key was to
hold our line, as any
wobbling from the front
wheel was likely to ditch
us into the snow.
By the time we reached
the bottom most of us
had had an off. But that
didn’t matter, it had been
great fun and we were all
grinning like kids. In high
spirits we followed the
lane below Long Mynd to
the bottom of the grassy
climb that would take us
wobbling from the front
wheel was likely to ditch
us into the snow.
By the time we reached
the bottom most of us
had had an off. But that
didn’t matter, it had been
great fun and we were all
grinning like kids. In high
spirits we followed the
lane below Long Mynd to
the bottom of the grassy
climb that would take us
| (Above left to right) Darren, Jason & John, Daniel and Dave tackling the deep snowy ruts on the ridge of Long Mynd |
back up to the ridge. The soft
ground meant it was a push all the
way to the top.
ground meant it was a push all the
way to the top.
| Dave in the snow patches at the top of the Priory cottage descent |
| Synchronised dabbing by John and Daniel |
| Shane in the deep snow |
| Lee taking a dive |
| Darren, John, Jason and Daniel in the deep snowy rut at the bottom of the Priory Cottage descent |
At the top Dave
bid us farewell
and took the
road back to
Church Stretton.
The conditions
had taken its toll
and he had
nothing left in
his legs. I let
him know the
next ride would
be much easier
and he would be
bid us farewell
and took the
road back to
Church Stretton.
The conditions
had taken its toll
and he had
nothing left in
his legs. I let
him know the
next ride would
be much easier
and he would be
more than welcome to come on that. The rest of us
took the BW over Minton Hill. Minton Batch wasn’t
took the BW over Minton Hill. Minton Batch wasn’t
| (above) pushing to the Glider Club (right) Neil & Darren on Minton Hill |
an option as it was too wet. It started out
fun, trying to stay upright on snow filled
singletrack, before hitting a grass track that
took us to the main descent.
The descent turned out to be the fastest of
the day as it wasn’t easy to scrub off speed
on the steep, wet grass. Hitting a big snow
patch doing well over 30mph was
interesting but not as much as the rocky
holes at the bottom. Darren and me
entered the last section together, where
fun, trying to stay upright on snow filled
singletrack, before hitting a grass track that
took us to the main descent.
The descent turned out to be the fastest of
the day as it wasn’t easy to scrub off speed
on the steep, wet grass. Hitting a big snow
patch doing well over 30mph was
interesting but not as much as the rocky
holes at the bottom. Darren and me
entered the last section together, where
the grass just got steeper. When the holes and
rocks appeared we only just managed to get
through them. Turning round we shouted for Neil
rocks appeared we only just managed to get
through them. Turning round we shouted for Neil
to slow down but he was going fast. Throwing himself sideways he hit the ground and managed to stay at
the top of the rocks, while his bike flew into the hole. Everyone else scattered and chose different lines
but no-one else crashed. This prompted a good question from Daniel, ‘Does too much momentum come in
a brown colour?’.
the top of the rocks, while his bike flew into the hole. Everyone else scattered and chose different lines
but no-one else crashed. This prompted a good question from Daniel, ‘Does too much momentum come in
a brown colour?’.
| The 'Oh No!' moment |
| Daniel, Shane and John on the singletrack across Minton Hill |
| Daniel, bottom of the Minton Hill descent |
(right) Neil, a whisker away from a big stack
| This photo doesn't really do the scene justice. Imagine multiple riders, high speeds, no grip and holes appearing from nowhere |
The only thing to suffer was Neil’s bike. Something had broken in the shifter and he was stuck in big ring.
The only way to fix it was to undo the cable and jam a stick into mech to keep it in middle ring. Not a good
thing to have happen just before the big climb through Prior’s Holt Woods. Even so he made it ¾ of the
way up before having to push.
The only way to fix it was to undo the cable and jam a stick into mech to keep it in middle ring. Not a good
thing to have happen just before the big climb through Prior’s Holt Woods. Even so he made it ¾ of the
way up before having to push.
Back on the ridge again I was a slave to my
GPS for the second time that day. While I
slogged through snow and soft grass to log
the route Lee, the local, took everyone else
an easier way. Even riding the easier track
Neil’s legs gave out before the end of the
next climb. After waiting for him to catch up
I managed to convince stay with us for the
last descent rather than bailing on the
road. There were a few small climbs left
before the descent started properly but I
knew what he would be missing.
| The start of the climb through Prior's Holt wood |
| John and Daniel on the Jack Mytton Way |
| Shane on the Round Hill climb |
| John climbing Round Hill |
| (clockwise from top left) Shane, John, Darren, Jason, Daniel, Lee and Neil on the rocks of the descent to Little Stretton |
| www.flattyresmtbroutes.com |
| Directions for this route can be found in my Route Guides. |