From Clough Head, looking back on Tittesworth Resevoir and Roach Road. Yes, I rode that track to here.

Those who follow me on social media and in my everyday life will have spotted that I’ve had a bit of a rum old week this week, so everything is running behind – well, it was, but now I’m nearly caught up. One thing I’ve been meaning to do all week is post this ride gallery from last Saturday…

As September began, I had an instinctive feeling that we were probably going to get the last good day of the summer on Saturday 2nd September – don’t ask me how, I just felt it – so I did the only decent thing I could: Hopped on the bike at dawn and rode into the Staffordshire Moorlands and Peak District.

People have been asking me for more ride reports, galleries and cams so there’s a report and gallery here and ride cams from this outing will come soon. This one is for @theplastichippo.

I had spotted a road on the map from Upper Hulme on the A53 Leek to Buxton Road, that ran from the south end of the rugged outcrops known as The Roaches, over to the Dane Valley. It looked like a tough ride. It was, but it was very beautiful.

My route from Morridge (bottom right) to Wildboarclough (centre top). This is stunningly beautiful, rugged country I commend to anyone. Click for a larger version.

I rode out into Staffordshire, over Chasewater, then Longdon Green, Hanch, and wound through Armitage and up the B5013 and 4 to Uttoxeter, and then north to Denstone for breakfast; from there, Ellastone and up over Wootton to the Weaver Hills, one of my favourite spots.

Making good time, I hit Waterhouses and onwards up the ridge called Morridge to the viewpoint at Sheepwalk, overlooking the Roaches, then dived through Thorncliffe, crossing the A53 to Hulme and joined the lane I’d seen after tea and cake at the wonderful Roaches Tea Rooms.

The byway I’d found was called Roach Road, and had commanding views of the Tittesworth Valley and reservoir, and was a tough ride as it clung to the side of Five Clouds. Peaking at Clough Head, there was a ride on an unmade track and a long downhill into the Dane Valley at Bearda, from where I went again north through Danebridge, Wincle and Wildboarclough.

The road through Wildboarclough is quite flat until Bottom of the Oven, and then a last, punishing climb up Trentabank into the Macclesfield Forest, cruising downhill through Langley and Sutton Lane Ends into Macclesfield, and a train home. A great day.

I’ve been loving the long rides again this year, and this was tough; but gorgeous weather, a decent route and the best of the British countryside made it an utter, utter joy. Summer may have passed now, but I couldn’t have asked for a better finale.

Roach Road marked in red, upper centre right, overlooks the valley and Gun Hill, which I’ve ridden over many times. Click for a larger version. 3D map created with Geospacial. Click for a larger version.

So please excuse the lack of updates last weekend, I was out on my bike.

For more of this sort of thing, the 365daysofbiking journal is still running.