Youlgrave to Ashbourne
DAY SIXTEEN: Youlgrave to Ashbourne (23 June 2021)
Distance: 22 km (14 miles)
Ascent: 420 m
Legs: It is a rest day and I get to stroll around Youlgrave before a short ride
Ascent: 420 m
Legs: It is a rest day and I get to stroll around Youlgrave before a short ride
Waking to blue skies I remember I am meeting someone tonight and this is all the excuse I need to forget the Monsal trail and make the most of my designated rest day. This doesn't stop me rising at 6 am, breakfast of sausage 'n' beans with added broccoli. Then leaving my tent to dry in the emerging sun I walk into Youlgrave, along the River Bradford and to its cafe for an 8:00 am coffee.
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| View from the foot of Youlgrave |
In common with other Derbyshire rivers the Bradford has been dammed to provide fishing pools which was the practice in the days of the large estates.
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| River Bradford below Youlgrave |
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| River Bradford |
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| River Bradford |
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| Youlgrave has an annual well dressing for a reason |
As I leave the village walking downhill for another short river walk I pass two women coming in the opposite direction up hill. It is already getting hot at 9 am and whilst everyone else is in shorts and short sleeved shirts the women are wearing bobble hats and big coats. They are surely not so cold that they need to wear winter coats all year round. Their overall styling, if you can call it that, is charity shop meets TKMAX bargain bin. The faces and demeanour of the women paint a different picture; the faces say confident, intelligent women who know who they are and what they are doing. It takes me some time to identify them as wild swimmers, but where they were swimming remains a puzzle. I imagine them sprawled in the river rolling over to achieve full water coverage; the River Bradford is four inches deep and six feet wide, the fish pools are silted up and the river bed is full of weed.
Getting back to the campsite I get to pack a dry tent for once before the climb up to Rainslow Scrins.
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| Climbing away from Youlgrave |
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| Rainslow Scrins |
ME: Dusted off my 24 year old bike and headed out for the open road with a tent after not cycling for the last 12 years.
HE: By his own confession only suffers from "First World" problems. It is his job - that doesn't take much of his time - that I suspect is the cause of these problems. For one, covid has meant he does not have access to his holiday home in the French Alps where he likes to cycle over the snow-free summer months. Being locked in the UK he has just bought a new custom built carbon fibre bike that isn't to his liking so that's another problem.
After listing a few of his exploits such as the amateur stages of the Tour de France he says he admires what I am doing as he wouldn't be adventurous enough for such a challenge. I think he is trying to make me feel better though in my ancient cycle top I feel more like a character from Last of the Summer Wine.
Moving on, and as it is my rest day I console myself with a rare lunchtime beer, kick off my cycle shoes and relax. It is with some embarrassment that I have to report that the outside edge of my cycle shoes are actually showing signs of moderate wear. This is because I naturally under-pronate and it is something I expect from any walking boot or running shoe but definitely not from a cycling shoe. As you may have already surmised I have been doing a fair bit of uphill walking. I can lay half of the blame on the bike's gear ratios which are designed for fast (lightweight) touring but not for the heavy camping tour I am on. I'll have to pick up the blame for the other 50% as I am just not strong enough.
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| Rainslow Scrins |
The evening includes a two mile walk (then back) to the nearest village for a pub meal with family and I am grateful for both the gentle walk and the company.
