More Spring Classics

While the road pros rode their early spring classics I took the opportunity to ride a couple of my own. I had a weekend to play with and wet ground meant a careful choice of route was needed. I was not about to repeat the clay-clogged nightmare of the Hertfordshire fields.

First-up a blast at Swinley.

You’ll notice I missed a large chunk. This was due to a diversion in place because of forestry work, and I have a feeling I shot onto the trail early rather than sticking the diversion out. I joined a t point 11 which might explain my good (for me) performance on the later sections of the route I’ve ridden many times before. The sandy base soil drains brilliantly and the ride is fun and fast in wet weather as much as it is in the summer.

On Sunday I went for the Mendips, hoping the mud would be restricted to small areas. It really wasn’t as bad as I feared, even as my heart sank heading onto Blackdown through a deep mud section. The ride was a pretty standard loop that I’ve done before many times. Looping round, climbing on fireroad, dropping through the semi legal bits, and then climbing again. This time I went further and dropped into Cheddar on a track I’ve not gone down for years. It was worth it with a rocky blast all the way to the bottom of the gorge. The payoff is either a road slog, or a brutal climb on a bridleway onto the edge of the cliffs opposite and I elected for the latter. Pushing for far too long became worth it as the descent back to the road was another technical challenge.

A long road slog put me back on top of Blackdown and then it was the rollercoaster favourite back to the car.

Want an idea of the best bits? I think this covers it.

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