Today was really lovely. We had sunshine and no rain a very rare combination here!
I rode from the yard up a lane and picked up the pennine bridle path. I could look back across the valley and see Manchester spreading out into the distance and beyond it as it was such a clear day.
The route I took ran from the top of the lane along a very very old packhorse trail then dropped down to a new but very pretty housing estate, all stone clad cottage style at Carbrook. Rode through the top of the village and then back onto the pennine bridle path. This bit of the route it incredibly old being the roman road that replaced a neolithic one! It passes by Bucton Vale castle an iron age hill fort sadly dominated by a modern quarry.
The track then waggles around the hillside high above the villages of Millbrook, Mossley (where I live) and Greenfields. There was a few steep drops and climbs which was worrying as the bits still in the shadow of the hill were quite icy. met two other riders heading the opposite way to me when pony disgraced hismelf by napping to them and then having a bit of a buck.
Last time I rode this way I was moving yards and climbed up to the path from a packhorse lane. This time going away from new yard I rode past the pack horse lane and continued along with the most stunning views of Saddleworth and the moors in the distance and various peaks. Dropped down a lane and then off the bridle path onto another lane which I guessed would lead to Dovestone resevoir. The panaramic views were fab. Met some nice walkers and had a quick chat. The lane finally petered out into a steep drop on a grass foot path. As I didnt have an OS map and worried that we might get stuck down an icy slope I opted to turn around and we headed back home.
For return leg of journey read above back to front! It took 2 hrs to get to turning point and 1 hour to get back!!
Sorry its long, but cant get over the fact that this time last year I was worrying about riding up a farm track for 10 mins to cross a main A road for the dubious pleasure of riding around a very very busy red brick housing estate. Now I can ride for 3 hours and only met one car (strangley a taxi picking up some fell runners halfway up a hillside...made me giggle a bit!)
I rode from the yard up a lane and picked up the pennine bridle path. I could look back across the valley and see Manchester spreading out into the distance and beyond it as it was such a clear day.
The route I took ran from the top of the lane along a very very old packhorse trail then dropped down to a new but very pretty housing estate, all stone clad cottage style at Carbrook. Rode through the top of the village and then back onto the pennine bridle path. This bit of the route it incredibly old being the roman road that replaced a neolithic one! It passes by Bucton Vale castle an iron age hill fort sadly dominated by a modern quarry.
The track then waggles around the hillside high above the villages of Millbrook, Mossley (where I live) and Greenfields. There was a few steep drops and climbs which was worrying as the bits still in the shadow of the hill were quite icy. met two other riders heading the opposite way to me when pony disgraced hismelf by napping to them and then having a bit of a buck.
Last time I rode this way I was moving yards and climbed up to the path from a packhorse lane. This time going away from new yard I rode past the pack horse lane and continued along with the most stunning views of Saddleworth and the moors in the distance and various peaks. Dropped down a lane and then off the bridle path onto another lane which I guessed would lead to Dovestone resevoir. The panaramic views were fab. Met some nice walkers and had a quick chat. The lane finally petered out into a steep drop on a grass foot path. As I didnt have an OS map and worried that we might get stuck down an icy slope I opted to turn around and we headed back home.
For return leg of journey read above back to front! It took 2 hrs to get to turning point and 1 hour to get back!!
Sorry its long, but cant get over the fact that this time last year I was worrying about riding up a farm track for 10 mins to cross a main A road for the dubious pleasure of riding around a very very busy red brick housing estate. Now I can ride for 3 hours and only met one car (strangley a taxi picking up some fell runners halfway up a hillside...made me giggle a bit!)
Attachments
Last edited:
