COBDEN CYCLING 19th July 2003 |
Cobden Cycling I looked down the road to the tip and railway station and could have turned back. It was 10am and despite having had several excuses lined up to get out of going, I still found myself on the Cobden bike ride. The route was as usual, if you read this report each year skip the next couple of lines, rest of you: we always start at the beginning of Middlewood way and always end up at Lyme Park by hook or by crook. Whether by canal, road, paths, river, mountain or molehill the result is inevitably the same. So on this sunnyish Saturday 5 scouts had turned up to go on the journey of a life time. We motored on a quietish Middlewood way all the way to what used to be Higher Poynton station with no trouble. As usual, the scouts didn't miss the opportunity to invest in the current sweet market, and the leaders thought it wise to buy some dinner. Following the "Corbishley Detour" last year, we headed as usual into Lyme park via the back entrance. By the time I reached the gate, several scouts had already lifted their bikes over the gate, not knowing that it was open. Needless to say, I didn't struggle hoisting my bike 4 foot in the air. We played on the "offroad area" of the park and tried to cycle up to the pepperpot house. However, the scouts couldn't cycle up the hill and we weren't allowed to cycle up anyway. We walked up, had a look round and then descended "au pied" back to the top car park. Bit miserable really. However the highlight of the event came now. 3 scouts plundered down a steep bobbly downhill section as the scoutleaders watched from a distance - wincing: the first one made it okay, the second took a jarring shock, wobbled, but stayed on and survived, the third put his front wheel in a divot and was sent head over heels - rather mercilessly to much raucous laughter. Pies comments at this time were irrepeatable but summed up the moment. The lad was okay apart from a sore stomach. The party moved on to the teashop and lake for dinner. Free time followed in which the scouts were told off twice - once for trying to build a dam, and once for cycling downhill on the grass. Miserable National Trust jobsworths. I also learnt that there are in fact only two roads you are allowed to cycle on in Lyme Park. For bikes it is a bad place to go. For the return leg to Marple we utilised the canal and stopped off en route at High lane skatepark. Two dumb scouts rode off the front of the peloton and travelled all the way back to Marple before noticing that no one was behind them. They got a shouting at when we caught up. We returned to Middlewood way's beginning at about 3pm ish and the scouts gradually dissappeared home. Another rain free scout event had passed with success - although next year we must go somewhere different. A few entertaining memories will stay with me, and hopefully the scouts had a good day out too. Top Men: John Jay Pie Dawson Andy Togs The Motley Crew: James Sandoe Carl Binks Alex Moloko Chris Greevy Andy Statham |
