Sunday morning was a surprise start. We dragged ourselves up to discover that we had overslept by a couple of hours and it was nearly half ten. I leapt into action and bundled us out of the hotel and back down into Hathersage to locate some elevenses and take a peek at the map. Candy decided that we would not be cycling back to Sheff on account of the unfriendly hills, packs and our expected state after a day on the hill. We worked out that the train would meet our needs admirably. With breakfast and the London escape route planned, we headed to Aston to start the climb up and over Win Hill.
The route starts off an in tree tunnel - here the route is rocky and steep - difficult going but pretty soon it rises up and levels off to become much more manageable. Here much of the ride is on single track looking out and across the valleys. The Higher you go the better the view becomes. Candy provided entertainment with one of her special slow motions falls. Both of us in paroxysms of laughter whilst the hill and the sheep looked on with mild concern. Once pride and progress had been restored we crested the summit without further incident. Taking a breather at the top we found that Candy's tumble had even provided a war wound (the comedy bruises were only visible back in London). The route we decided followed the crest and the going was very pleasant. We encountered a landrover and a whole squad of scrambling bikes as we took a breather by an odd direction post carved from grit.
We'd seen a few other parties come through us already but as we progressed through the next section we had the trail to ourselves again. The rest by the direction post had been a good choice as large tracts of the next part were over chunky loose rocks that were very difficult to ride. Soon it smoothed out enough to make good progress - and as the view down to the snake road opened up we were soon whipping along again. The final descent before hitting the road was down a long and rocky incline - Candy filmed me struggle down this without any suspension. Right at the bottom we met a large group of walkers filling out the trail. Though I was in time to get through, candy got trapped on a steep section and had to wait as none of these guys had the wherewithal to look up and allow her past. Back on the tarmac we whizzed down the Snake road to hagg farm where a bridge (good resting point) allowed us back to the Northern slopes of Win hill.
Whilst in Outside we had identified an optional track through the forest and now we were on the ground it looked good. Though a steep climb the track was an easy ride. Candy had decided to push thinking that we would encounter similar rocks and difficulties from the other side of this hill. At the top of the slope candy's screaming calves informed her that the riding option was probably better. The single track through the forest and back down was superb, quick but not terrifyingly so - and with the occasional log thrown in for good measure. Great riding just over too quickly.
The timing was perfect. We took in a leisurely pint at Ye Derwent and coasted into Hathersage - to await the train. Knackered but happy.
