The ride to Etherow Lake 2015 is a regular fixture on the Stockport Community Cycling Club calendar. Whilst it is without doubt a pleasant and enjoyable route, it is not one that usually lives long in the memory. However the ride this particular weekend would prove to be incident packed.

We met at the Lapwing Centre in Brinnington.

We began by briefly cycling through Reddish Vale Park.

We made our way through Woodley.

And then picked up the Peak Forest Canal.

Through Woodley tunnel.

We followed the canal to Romiley where we turned off for Tangshutt Fields.

After crossing over the railway to Hyde Bank Farm we had our first casualty when one of our cyclists had to leave due to issues with his bikes gears. The rest of us continued back on to the Peak Forest Canal.

Crossing Marple Aqueduct.

Before leaving the canal once again at Marple and cycling through Brabyn’s Park.

After leaving Brabyn’s Park we made our way to Compstall, the home of Etherow Lake.

  

We stopped here for our coffee break. The food offering is fairly basic but filling nonetheless. There aren’t too many gluten-free options unless you enjoy baked potatoes. However they did have a gluten-free chocolate cake. That was Sarah sorted then! It must have been good for she was eyeing up a second slice.

I was expecting us to cycle around the lake after the coffee break …

That however wasn’t the plan. Instead we set off for a trip over Werneth Low.

The climb up School Lane and Beacom Lane is quite a challenge even for seasoned hill-climbers, so for our Saturday ride leisure cyclists it proved to be a never to be forgotten expedition! 🙂

The journey up provided for the next couple of incidents as Kate’s chain snapped and Bruce’s pedal came off due to a threaded crank.

If the climb up Werneth Low is tough, the drop down in to Gee Cross via Joel Lane is just as memorable thanks to the hair-raising descent!

It was certainly too much for Sarah’s rear wheel rim …

We then cycled on to Haughton Dale.

Where we followed NCN Route 62 which of course forms part of the Trans Pennine Trail. The memories of our most recent Coast-to-Coast trip are still fresh in the mind :).

Cycling through Haughton Dale brought about the final incident of the day. On his first time out with us one of our cyclists suffered a puncture. Unfortunately he was riding a road bike and no-one had a spare inner tube that would fit. He ended up jogging through Hulme’s Wood to the other end where we waited until someone came to pick him and his friend up.

Finally we were able to get back on the bikes and tackle the final climb of the day – Castle Hill.

We estimated it had taken us six hours to cycle 14 miles! What had seemed to be a route without too much incident had provided for an action packed ride. It was indeed a strange day!

You can view our Etherow Lake 2015 route below:

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