Finally.......a hill!

Its only been 8 months but finally we've discovered some decent hills in this country.Its taken a trip to the aptly named Peak District to the country village of Matlock in Derbyshire.

Now thats the boring stuff out of the way and Santa says, letzzzzzzzz rolllllllllll.

Trail: Mostly X-Country
Terrain: Very hilly and muddy
Weather: Sunny and 3deg

Nearest Station: Cromford

Leisurely rolled out of bed at 11am and downstairs for brekkie. Slammed down a glass water and some left over pork (it was Boxing day). After a brief chat with the lads about the overnight cricket in Oz and 3 swift Bloody Mary's to keep up the xmas cheer I was ready to roll solo.

No map, no, GPS and certainly not sober I set off. The first 3 km or so was a leisurely down hill roll at which time I wondered weather I was in fact attired correctly as my nuts were about to freeze off.

First offroad took me onto the High Peaks trail. The uphill was very muddy resulting in some walking stints but the downhill though the forest certainly made up for it. After this I took on the steep incline to the top of Black Rocks which itself has magnificent views.

From here full x-country ensued. At times rocks, at times shin deep mud, a fair dose of blackberries and their muddafarka cuts and some serious fun. As these are shared tracks with horses and plenty bushwalkers or 'trampers' it could be slow going on the tight single tracks but I was all the better for increased bike control.

Toward the end my decision not to take a map was almost my downfall when a wrong turn left me at the end of a dead end trail surrounded both side by blackberries. With no proper warmth for the near freezing conditions and light rapidly fading I took the boring option of retracing my ride on foot as a puncture from the berry bushes was seemed an unattractive option.

Finally free of the spiky hell I rolled on home finishing with the always unenviable task of the uphill climb. in all sweet roll, with plenty more out there to discover, one to come back too for sure.