Maybe too much vin rouge last night meant a lazy start to the day, which was overcast & windy!
Finally kitted up for the cooler windy weather, I set off shortly after 10.00am & it quickly became apparent just how windy it was. My plan was to head off for a big loop to the East to take in Harby Hill & return over Beacon Hill. After half an hour I was feeling chilly & the wind was relentless so I started review my planned route.
Instead of heading so far out into the wind, probably about 2hrs, even with the thought of a tailwind run home I decided to swing left & head out towards Melbourne with Robinsons Hill. From there I could cut for home if I wasn’t feeling much better & keep the ride to a couple of hours. At the top of Robinsons Hill I was feeling O.K. So turned right to extend my ride to about 65km. Dropping down & over the historic Swarkstone Causeway I swung left to take the tailwind & the pan flat section towards Willington where a left follows a route back towards Burton from where a nice mile long 8% drag leaves me near to home. But!
Willington came in no time so I opted to steam on with the wind towards Hilton, Hatton & then Tutbury. Again from Tutbury I could cut for home, na’, that didn’t happen. Onwards then & up the bank out the back of Tutbury & on to Draycott-in-the Clay where I turn & take the climb up the bank & yep, I skipped another option to turn for home & continued towards Newborough. A right turn, a few banks & a comfort stop take me on to Abbotts Bromley & a shop stop for more water.
Abbots Bromley was the final point I decided I could turn for home from, but I didn’t, I committed to continue & take in a full loop of Cannock Chase. That meant I continued from Abbotts Bromley then turned to drop down & cross over Blithfield Reservoir, with the tail wind I was pushing 60kph, albeit briefly, as I crossed the reservoir. Still with a tail wind I passed through Little Hayfield & Tixall before reaching Milford where the climbing begins. It’s not mad to Brocton, but a left turn takes you to the top rapidly at gradients of up to 16%.
Once through the treeline the gradient eases & you can push on through the Chase on the narrow lane, inevitably dotted with many mountain bikers.
Once through this section it’s left onto the main road & left again where after a little more climbing there’s a long descent back into Rugeley where my route joins the A513 for 14miles. This can be a busy road at times but it’s wide, pan flat & normally has a tail wind, but not today, it wasn’t as bad as I’d expected though & was mostly a cross wind. After passing through Armitage & Handsacre, Kings Bromley then Alrewas I leave the A513 just after Elford. Rejoining country lanes I roll up & down through the small villages of Harlaston & Haunton before passing through Clifton Campville & starting the steady drag up to No Mans Heath, which is starting to hurt the legs now, with 130+ km behind me. Joining the Tamworth road for barely a 100 metres & another left & it’s down into a blustery crosswind to Chilcote & Netherseal. Crossing the A444 & through what’s just the hamlet of Acresford, then left for the final climb back into the village. I normally ride this in the big ring but my tired legs & the strong headwind forced me into the little ring to keep spinning for the last few minutes.
Well that wasn’t the ride I planned but I was happy to ride for 5hours with just a couple of brief stops. I managed to miss the Royal Wedding but there was more traffic than I expected, never mind, a great ride out.
