- Location
- Shrewsbury, Shropshire
After doing a tip run before lunch I managed to get out this afternoon for a ride over the Long Mynd.
Route was Condover, Ryton, Longnor, Church Stretton, Little Stretton, Minton, Hamperley, the ascent of Nutbatch to the gliding club, Pole Bank, Shooting Box, The Burway, Carding Mill Valley, All Stretton, Acton Burnell, Cantlop, Condover and home via Lyth Hill.
The route out was fairly uneventful, apart from having to wait an age for a gap in the traffic on the A49. There were quite a few other cyclists out and judging by the pristine dayglow kit, probably on their first rides of the season.
Between Church Stretton and Little Stretton riders with numbers on started to come the other way and continued to do so as far as Hamperley. I believe this was the Shropshire Devil Sportive. Just after Little Stretton I also came up behind another rider who was going mostly at a similar speed to me. It was temping to try and catch him but this was the section with the toughest climbs of the ride so I paced myself. I did keep up though until the Nutbatch climb where another mountain biker overtook me and I stopped for a couple of photos so I lost both riders.
Joining the Portway it was surprisingly warm as air from down in the valley was lifted up by the ridge. This lasted until I was past the gliding club where it very quickly got quite cold once away from the ridge-lift.
Being a Sunday there were lots of visitors up on the hills in their cars and I had a few passes on the single track lane that weren't terribly considerate. Having had a good ride so far this got me down a bit.
I got to the summit at Pole Bank as a group of walkers were just leaving. Once out of the way the place was pretty much silent apart from the drone of a distant aeroplane and the air was really clear so that the hills stood out for many miles in every direction. I could have stayed there for ages just enjoying the quiet and looking at the view.
I decided to head down the Burway. While taking a photo near the summit of The Burway one of the riders with numbers came past. I asked what the event was (didn't know at the time) but got totally blanked. I know you've just had a mega climb but I've climbed that high too and would have the civility to answer a question at the top.
The descent of The Burway was fabulous. I chased an MG part of the way down 'til another photo stop, then chased a Discovery after that. Just before the cattle grid at the bottom I turned off onto the bridleway that links to Carding Mill Valley. This is busy with walkers and has deep drainage channels across the path every few yards so isn't quick.
Back on tarmac I headed down the valley and was heading north again. The A49 was quiet so easy to cross and I had a fairly good run back, although not as quick as I'd hoped as the northerly wind had picked up a bit.
I took the longer way back via Acton Burnell, then over Lyth Hill where I cought another rider on a much sportier bike. He had an excuse though as it was his first proper ride of the year and he'd done a metric century. Lives locally so I may see him out and about.
41.1 miles for the day. 12 mph average. 30 mph max (may have been while chasing that MG down the Burway
)
Near to All Stretton with Caer Caradoc as a backdrop.
Minton. Pretty sure you two shouldn't be out on the road.
On the climb up Nutbatch.
View from the ridge as I'm about to join the Portway.
The gliding club. Not too much wind today as you see from the windsock.
Glider has just launched and banks away to find an updraught.
View from Pole Bank. It doesn't look as good in the photo but it was really clear as far as Cadair Idris which is about 70 miles away.
Good place for posing the bike near the top of the steepest part of the Burway.
View from the Burway into Carding Mill Valley.
The National Trust pavilion in Carding Mill Valley. It's the building with the pink roof in the previous pic.
Route was Condover, Ryton, Longnor, Church Stretton, Little Stretton, Minton, Hamperley, the ascent of Nutbatch to the gliding club, Pole Bank, Shooting Box, The Burway, Carding Mill Valley, All Stretton, Acton Burnell, Cantlop, Condover and home via Lyth Hill.
The route out was fairly uneventful, apart from having to wait an age for a gap in the traffic on the A49. There were quite a few other cyclists out and judging by the pristine dayglow kit, probably on their first rides of the season.
Between Church Stretton and Little Stretton riders with numbers on started to come the other way and continued to do so as far as Hamperley. I believe this was the Shropshire Devil Sportive. Just after Little Stretton I also came up behind another rider who was going mostly at a similar speed to me. It was temping to try and catch him but this was the section with the toughest climbs of the ride so I paced myself. I did keep up though until the Nutbatch climb where another mountain biker overtook me and I stopped for a couple of photos so I lost both riders.
Joining the Portway it was surprisingly warm as air from down in the valley was lifted up by the ridge. This lasted until I was past the gliding club where it very quickly got quite cold once away from the ridge-lift.
Being a Sunday there were lots of visitors up on the hills in their cars and I had a few passes on the single track lane that weren't terribly considerate. Having had a good ride so far this got me down a bit.
I got to the summit at Pole Bank as a group of walkers were just leaving. Once out of the way the place was pretty much silent apart from the drone of a distant aeroplane and the air was really clear so that the hills stood out for many miles in every direction. I could have stayed there for ages just enjoying the quiet and looking at the view.
I decided to head down the Burway. While taking a photo near the summit of The Burway one of the riders with numbers came past. I asked what the event was (didn't know at the time) but got totally blanked. I know you've just had a mega climb but I've climbed that high too and would have the civility to answer a question at the top.
The descent of The Burway was fabulous. I chased an MG part of the way down 'til another photo stop, then chased a Discovery after that. Just before the cattle grid at the bottom I turned off onto the bridleway that links to Carding Mill Valley. This is busy with walkers and has deep drainage channels across the path every few yards so isn't quick.
Back on tarmac I headed down the valley and was heading north again. The A49 was quiet so easy to cross and I had a fairly good run back, although not as quick as I'd hoped as the northerly wind had picked up a bit.
I took the longer way back via Acton Burnell, then over Lyth Hill where I cought another rider on a much sportier bike. He had an excuse though as it was his first proper ride of the year and he'd done a metric century. Lives locally so I may see him out and about.
41.1 miles for the day. 12 mph average. 30 mph max (may have been while chasing that MG down the Burway
)Near to All Stretton with Caer Caradoc as a backdrop.
Minton. Pretty sure you two shouldn't be out on the road.
On the climb up Nutbatch.
View from the ridge as I'm about to join the Portway.
The gliding club. Not too much wind today as you see from the windsock.
Glider has just launched and banks away to find an updraught.
View from Pole Bank. It doesn't look as good in the photo but it was really clear as far as Cadair Idris which is about 70 miles away.
Good place for posing the bike near the top of the steepest part of the Burway.
View from the Burway into Carding Mill Valley.
The National Trust pavilion in Carding Mill Valley. It's the building with the pink roof in the previous pic.
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Need a nap.
. I was along there earlier and later en route to Marsden on my club's slow ride (
