How does a 2.6mile piece of road get to be classed as an A-road? I thought A-roads were classed as trunk roads, big hulking roads that got swathes of people from the midlands to the seaside and back before motorways were a common thing. This piece of road network infrastructure I’m talking about is the A5270 just outside of Buxton in the Peak District.
As you can see in the picture above, this A-road is tiny (hence why I am calling it cheeky) but why label the road as an A-road? The road was unclassified for many years but in the 1980’s it got the A-road status to move traffic between the A515 and A6. So motorists didn’t have to battle through the back lanes of Cowdale and Flagg. I suppose you can call it a bypass. And what a bypass it is! Elevation changes, cambered corners and flowing bends. Sounds like the ideal road to ride on a motorbike but there are a few issues; HGVs, farm vehicles, day trippers and the compulsory 50mph Derbyshire speed limit. Those issues aside the road is really fun even at 50mph, one sharp bend is like riding a roller coaster, its great fun but get on the road early if you can.
I decided to add this road to my route on an early Saturday morning jaunt into the Peak District. The weather was brilliant for late August. I got to the A5270 from the A6 side just after 9:00am, so there was not that much traffic. The road starts with steady bends and an uphill section that's more fun going down the other way because the bend at the top of the hill is blind. Once at the top of the hill you can take in the scenery of the Peak District then start descending through steady curves to the fun part of the road.
To my surprise the truck I was following turned off, just at the most interesting section of the road, the start of four tightening bends, all within 0.3miles.
The first bend rounds to the left and slightly up hill which levels off into a right hand bend that's tighter than it looks (watch out for emerging vans from the side road). After, the road leads into a gentle left that tightens and drops down hill into a right hander at the bottom of the hill, again tightening. This last corner has positive camber so holding a line is easy to do, hence why I am calling it the roller coaster corner, as its close to being a 90 degree bend that shoots you up hill into a nice gentle left bend bringing you toward the last section of the road and the junction onto the A515.
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| View into "Roller Coaster Corner" |
This road can take almost 5 mins to ride but that won't do for me. So I turned around, went back in the opposite direction to do it all again, then did the same at the A6 end, turned around and had another go. The tourists at the only bus stop on the road must of taken this as normal behaviour in the Peak District for motorcyclists. I did consider waving but thought better of it. 😆
After I had my fill of the A5270 twists and turns I decided to head towards home, as in my excitement to get out on my new 390 Duke I forgot to have breakfast, so food was calling and the EWC from Le Mans was starting also.
A great morning out on a great little road. What a find!
Does
anyone else find a road/route they like and just keep riding up and
down it? I’ve seen motorcyclists in Japan doing this on their
mountain passes, riding sections of the road up and down, then moving
to another section and doing the same. I never hear people talk about
doing it in the UK, perhaps its seen as boring or unproductive. I’ve
found it enjoyable, plus you get to know the road better! I think I’m
going to do the same on other roads from now on.
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Ride safe & eat cake
Lardy🧈
