So with the SV fired up, happily ticking over now and a week off from work, it was time to get out. Where the hell should I go? One place I've always wanted to go that was not to far from me was Hartington in the Peak District. Everyone i know has been there, so you could call it "afraid of missing out" but when i was looking for a road to ride the road to Hartington looked like it could be fun.
The roads to get there involved the A52, B5053 & B5054. The A52 isn't anything to write home about it starts in Newcaslte-Under-Lyme and ends in Skegness and I've only done the Newcastle-Under-Lyme to the M1 part (which is a big chunk) and cant get enthusiastic about it, well the bit dropping into Ashbourne has a nice view on a Sunny day.
After getting off the A52 at Froghall I went along the B5053. Which leads from Froghall to all the way to Buxton but I was getting off this road just after Warslow. The first part of the road you have uphill hairpins which was a bit tricky on the SV, was it a 1st gear hairpin or 2nd gear hairpin, 1st was working so i stuck with that but the snatchy throttle didn't make it easy. After which the road opened to national speed limit but was then cut short once i hit Ipstones. You go in and out of speed limits a lot in the Peak District. The stretch between Onecote and Warslow was particularly fun when a series of down hill bends turned up (see below).
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| Weeeeee! |
Once out of Warslow it was onto the B5054 to Hartington. It was a nice steady plod into Hartington but i noticed an odd vintage car coming passed, i thought nothing of it until a couple of seconds later another went passed, then another after that, spider senses were tingling, "am i turning up in a vintage car meet?" i asked myself but alas no, Hartington was quiet, a part from me braaaping into town and waking everyone up at just after 10am. "Yes, the tourist from the city is here".
I parked up near what looked like the local duck pond and noticed the Old Cheese Shop. The shop had to be done, the wife loves cheese so it was a no brainer. Hartington is known for its Hartington Stilton cheese or Hartington Blue as I've always known it. The creamery closed in 2009 so i don't known if the stuff i bought was the real deal or not but i was doing the tourist thing! I got a sense that Hartington is a tea room and hiking crowd kind of venue and i was right. No more than 5 mins of faffing with photos, gloves and helmet, i went to walk the 30m to the cheese shop but just as i did four cars turned up in convoy which halted me, i couldn't believe with how quiet Hartington was (after i switched the SV off!) that rush hour traffic turned up to halt me getting to the cheese shop and low and behold they were all hikers. I began chuckling to myself, just my luck, i only have to walk 30m and get stopped by a line of traffic in the middle of nowhere.
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| From the bike to the shop, that was the distance to cover and had to wait for traffic. |
I purchased cheese whilst some other hikers came in, sampled cheese, then left without buying anything. I know there is hiking trails around the area so i bet the ladies in the cheese shop are used to people coming in eating some samples and f*****g off but they got £6 out of me so they were winning today. I bought Hartington Bomber cheese and Hartington Stilton. After i stuffed cheese into whatever pocket i could, i went over to the water pump and noticed yet another vintage car with the owners standing next to the pump and writing something down on a clip board. "Are you doing a Rally?" i asked to which the answer was "yes, we are", i then proceeded to ask what car they were driving. It was a 1915 Ford Model T, it sounded good and was very tidy, i was surprised with how big it was compared to the modern cars around it.
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| Duck Pond |
Then again, to make me chuckle, after the Model T disappeared a rattly old Vauxhall Astra Mk3 diesel chugged passed followed by a (seen better years) camper van. "Yep, we're in the sticks" i said to myself, as i noticed one bloke checking out the SV. There were a few motorbikes around (there's one next to the cheese shop sign in the photo above, well camouflaged though) so one must of been his as he then watched me fire the SV up and leave, he must of been bored. I shall return to Hartington as some point, maybe sooner if the cheese is up to scratch.
And so i carry on down the B5054. The section from Hartington to the A515 was brilliant but just after you get into the groove it ends and your then on the 50mph road of the A515. I hate this road, its 50mph from Ashbourne to Buxton but that's like a lot of roads in the Derbyshire Dales. So after the shortest of blats on the A515 it was onto the B5012 which was national speed limit. The B5012 is a good road, i remembered if you carry on through Grangemill it becomes the Via Gallia Road which is a cracking bit of tarmac, when the weathers been good.
From Grangemill back to the A515 is the B5056. Wow, how have i never been on this road, its one of the best roads I've ridden for a while. It has a really nice flow to it but it does follow the valley bottom. The road starts with riding past the quarry which covers the bike with damp lime dust, the road is OK but you just have to watch it in the corners as there can be some water left from the trucks turning out of the quarry but after that its pure dry lefting and righting, with a small straight towards the end but by the time your back at the A515 you'll have a smile on your face about a mile wide. I thought the B5053 & B5054 were going to be the roads i most enjoyed but the B5056 was the surprise winner it just kept on giving! I will have to do that road the other way next time.
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| Another angle of Hartington |
On to Ashbourne down the dreaded A515 but not for long. I realised in Ashbourne that my backside gets very warm sitting in traffic but it might have something to do with a cylinder being in close proximity. I only notice it when the engine temp goes off towards 100C. Out of Ashbourne i take the B5032 to Cheadle but miss the turning for Cheadle and carry on the B5030 to Uttoxeter. Yes you have to turn off the B5032 to carry on the B5032. I missed the turning because the bushes lining the road had not been cut back so the sign was hidden amongst the foliage, i usually spot the big white local route signs but this time mother nature was playing mean girl.
After a decent and nice view of JCB HQ (lovely lake) i committed to going Uttoxeter way, thought i might pick up the B5013, which is one of the best biking roads in England but i missed the tuning for the A518 in Uttoxeter town centre and ended up on the B5027 towards Stone. At first i though it was going to be a 30mph jobby for most of the route but then it went to national speed limit and became a nice road, it had a few uphill right handers which i cocked up on with the gears. I've been trying some advanced riding techniques plus Ive just got back on a bike after a year off, so i might concentrate on riding before going overboard with the advanced stuff but what advanced stuff i did apply i was pleased with the outcome.
I made a turn for Hilderstone on the B5066 as i was getting hungry and needed the toilet, so home was the only option as most of the pubs on the B5027 & B5066 weren't open or closed years ago. Once under the A50 and having a little braaap and a "I know where that road is moment", i was back on familiar roads and headed back home but not before the fuel anxiety light came on at the bottom of a hill descending into Cheadle. It couldn't make its mind up until i was out of Cheadle whether it was going to stay on. A stop off at the petrol station confirmed it was time for home as my backside was putting in a grievance.
So that was my trip to Hartington via a unplanned way back, overall it was good fun. Im going to do the B5013 while im off so hope to give feedback on that route soon.
Heres the best effort of the route i took.
Heres the best effort of the route i took.