Just five of us out tonight: Hackness Mike, Russ the Pliers, Big Keith, No Longer Langdale Richard, and me. We met up at the sadly closed Everley. (No pint at the end of the ride .) To warm up - and how - we set off up Wrench Green. We picked up the outside track and rode that to where the forest machinery has been in felling trees and making monster truck sized wheel tracks. 

They'd felled so much that we had to carry our bikes a bit, walking over a tangled carpet of cut trees and sticks. 'It wasn't as bad as this the other day,' said Mike. (And not for the last time.) 'Still, it's a nice view over to the castle, look.' Fallen trees were a bit of a theme as we followed seldom used trails through Wycombe. The first suggestion for the name of the ride was 'Out in the sticks with Hackness Mike.' Others were 'Mike's Mystery Tour' and 'Countryfile'. 

We did get to see the kind of stuff only walkers walking quietly get to see. A hare running across a field. A fox, in a different field, looking right at us. Bluebells. 'Some interesting bracken.' Then we headed over to the old Pace downhill track and rode that. There wasn't very much air to be had by us lot, but then again there weren't any falls either. 

Riding down into Troutsdale, we crossed over to the Langdale valley using that 'unsuitable for motors' track - a bridleway. Despite the lack of rain, that tributary to the Derwent was still pretty deep at the ford. Was it rideable? Go Keith! He got about half way across before stalling and standing in the river. Russ had a go and found an even deeper bit, unclipping just in time. Richard, Mike and me rode over to the stepping stones and got across that way. Over the other side, Keith saw a huge black cat running away (domestic, not panther). 

We climbed up to Broxa and planned to ride downhill and pick up the Blue Man trail. But we were losing light, so we rode over powdery trails and part of the 'Debbie's Challenge Route' to the downhill to Low Dales. On the way, Russ had a clipped in fall riding around a log. But it was okay: I don't think anyone saw.

Great descent down to Low Dales, then along the road, getting colder and colder, until we emerged at Hackness, where we had a last dash back to the pub. Which was shut.

A good ride and 'a good upper body workout that one,' Mike said, because of the bike carrying. 'Next week bums and tums!'

I don't know how far we went because I left the Garmin I've borrowed at home, but we were out for a little over two and a half hours. Nice night too. Thanks to Mike and Russ for (ahem) directions.

Sounds a good one. Will be recovering next tuesday but will be out to annoy you all the following one.