Derwent 100

On Friday morning it began to seem like everyone else except me was off work and riding. The sun was shinning and it looked like the start of a glorious day (although it did rain in the afternoon). Even though I love my job on Friday morning I was all set to ask for the day off just so that I could go riding!

I resisted asking for day off; but that didn't mean I could take my mind off where I was going to ride on Saturday. I fancied the peaks but I also fancied a road ride. In the end I decided upon a road ride out to the cafe at Derwent (Ladybower) taking in a fare few of the major climbs within the peaks.

The first climb of the day was the Cat and Fiddle. There's much better views to be had than this but I had to try and catch that car in the background. It looks like someone else has a roof rack / bikes on the roof of a mini! The Cat and Fiddle climb is not that steep but thanks to a length of 6.5 miles you certainly know you've just rode up it!
After a long descent down Long hill, which thanks to a viscous side wind had to be taken relatively slowly it was time to take on the rather big lumps and bumps through Hayfield onto Glossop. From Glossop it was time for the second big named climb of the day. Snake Pass. This is approximately 7% for 3.2 miles. The little town in the background of the above photo is Glossop (where I had just come from) and annoyingly this photo wasn't taken anywhere near the summit. Luckly I think the Cannondale wanted to reach the lunch stop just as much as I did and for the first time that day it stopped creaking on the hills and started to fly up them.
After descending to Ladybower reservoir, approximately 60 miles in, it was time for lunch. The diet was completely ignored and a bacon and sausage sandwich ordered. I still had two nearly full drinks bottles at this stage too!

After lunch it was time to take on Winnats. This is a viscous little climb, about a mile in length and 25% at the steepest section. I have a compact (36) chainring but only a 23 cassette. somehow I made it up the climb. Although my cadence was only about 10rpm. The computer showed I was doing just 7.8km/h !
Sadly I think this was a bit too much for the Cannondale and it's creak returned with vengense. It's so load now it's embarrasing. Something really has to be done about it!


Now all that remained was axe edge and then the Gunn to make the 100miles. My legs were feeling strong and I was averaging 25km/h up to this point. I thought I would be home in no time, although I was blissfully unaware that the sidewind that I had been struggling with most of the day was about to turn into an almighty headwind. I really struggled to get up Axe edge thanks to the wind. I was doing just 6km/h at one point. In fact I found getting up Axe Edge harder than Winnats. Across the top on the exposed sections I was close to getting off the bike and walking. I couldn't keep the bike under control against the wind. Even descending from the Winking man, normally a 50+mph descent I only clocked 25mph on. My average speed for the trip plummeted to just 22.5km/h.

All that was left was the Gunn, which now that I was out of that horrible head wind didn't seem too hard. Although it took some will power to resist just carrying straight on home.

102miles, just under 9000ft of climbing by bike route toaster at an average of 14mph.