It's the Saab/salomon Mountain Mayhem 24hr event this weekend so I thought some night riding
practise was in order. So,9:00 saw me picking up a mate (John E) and setting off for another mates
(John H) who lives near Warncliffe Woods.
For those that don't know: the river Don runs through a deep steep-sided valley before plunging into
the old industrial heart of Sheffield. This valley is green, lush and heavily forested on the NE
side. These woods, stretching 7 miles along the valley and extending to about two miles wide, are
Warncliffe woods. (Incidental Steve Peat lives nearby and apparently uses the woods for training -
and judging from some of the precipitous tracks I saw I can see why!)
So, nine o'clock has us driving up the wrong (SW) side of the valley to John H's house in Worrall.
It was steep & long and I was dreading having to ride back up here later. Pulled up at the house,
unloaded bikes & stuff, had a cup of tea (well we're British!). Then outside and play at getting all
the lights set-up and working.
Of we went, swooping down the smooth tarmac to the bottom of the valley, eyes streaming and speedo
hitting 37 mph. Then over the Don and up a never ending tarmac cliff for about a mile. We must have
presented quite a sight with head torches strapped to our helmets inching out r way up the hill
judging from the astounded noises and shouts from the garden of the Pub we passed!
We stopped for a breathe at the turn-off and looked back over the valley and realised that what we
had just done was about two thirds of what we would have to do to get back to the car. To cheer
ourselves up we pulled off into the woods and started to wind our way up the rest of the hill on
nice wide, but loose, firetrack.
The climb was interspersed with little rattling descents and on one I spotted a sliver of single
track climbing off the side and with a yell pulled onto it. this was more like it: Trees jumping out
of the dark, unseen rocks knocking me out of my clips and mysterious shadowy patches which could be
slight undulations or wheel swallowing Holes! It all seemed very quiet behind me so I stopped and
looked, no lights. I guessed the others had missed the turn. Oh well I wasn't going back and felt
sure I'd link to the fireroad soon. Five minutes later I wasn't too sure and the fact that John H
was the only one of us that knew these woods started to bother me a bit ;-) But one last sweep and
there they were waiting patiently for me (Thanks guys).
More fire road, and a stop to look over the edge at one of the downhill routes. Very scary! Not the
steepness as such, in the little bit of wasteground near home I've done at least as steep, but the
lack of run out. Right at the bottom of the bit we could see you have to dodge a few trees and do a
sharp turn. Not for us we decided and carried on up.
On to the next bit of single track which was marked with a little black arrow. We all saw it this
time and plunged into the woods. Now John E has done this sort of thing before, but it was a first
for John H. I'm not sure he actually enjoyed it, but he at least survived it! I cheered him up by
saying that I'd been told that there is nothing as technical at sandwell Park.
More fire track and a last diversion into the woods (we were getting the hang of this and were
looking out for the little black arrows). Down we shot "Pin your ears back" I shouted, then hit a
rock too hard and ended up in the undergrowth. Serves me right for being too cocky. On and on,
this was wonderful: Rocks, roots, trees, mud, in fact everything that you might want from
technical single track. There were a few bits I couldn't ride, but I'm sure that in day light it
would be easier to pick a line. The others were having more trouble on their rigid bikes and had
to push quite a bit. Then we missed a fork and it got really nasty, I was off a few times and the
Johns had to push for a hundred yards or so till we got back to the track. Then a last suicidal
descent to the road.
What can I say about the climb back up to Johns? It was long, it was steep and it was horrible. But
tea and toast and a quiet drive home where I got told off for waking my wife up!
All in all eight and a bit miles and 1374ft of ascent great fun I'll do it again.
We also worked out that if, by the weekend, we can merge John H's climbing speed with my downhill
speed we might do well in the Mountain mayhem!
Phil