This afternoons blatt started, effectively, at Rowsley a few miles north of Matlock.
I turned right off the A6 onto the B6012 Chatsworth Road and followed that through Chatsworth Estate, past Mr & Mrs Devvo's hut and on through to Baslow where I turned left onto the A619 for a few miles then I hung a right onto the A625 through Froggat and on towards Hathersage on the A6187.
After a few miles I turned Right onto the A6013 which runs past Ladybower Resevior and terminates at the A57 Sheffield to Glossop road - Snake Pbutt :D
I paused to take a few photos and adjust my trousers. Next stop - Glossop and I didn't intend to hang about. Thankfully, the traffic was extremely light and the two overtaking moves I had to make werefasteasy, and safe.
On reaching the top I paused to get out, stop sweating and take a few photos. One car I'd overtaken arrived some 5 mins later ;-) I would have hung around for a bit but the wind was a howlin' and the snow was outrageous, to paraphrase Bob Dylan. There were piles of snow 2' deep and the wind wasicy-. It was one thing wearing a Berghaus Choktoi fleece, but my hands couldn't work the camera after about 2 mins, it wasthatcold.
Driving Technique 1710Far from it - it would much more be an exercise of "active dumbing-down" IMHO. Generally, I choose my own speed and tend to treat limit signs as indicating hazard...
I pulled over just inside Glossop to glance at the map as I decided to change route mid drive and wanted to re-programme my GPS. Next destination - Macclesfield via Hayfield, New Mills and Whaley Bridge. I had a right laugh on the B5470 and almost witnessed a serious accident as yet another crap driver couldn't apex a bend without putting their OSF wheel over the white line, into the oncoming traffic. Not a good idea when there's a10+ ton tipper coming towards them, fully laden with aggregate.
Jink left doesn't cover what the driver of the Audi A4 had to do to avoid a collision and I feel for the truck drivers wife, what with having to do the washing and all :D
The B5470 terminates at the A57 and I managed to turn left onto it about 100yds before a coach - yay me ! Cue probably the fastest blatt I've ever had on the mainland, all within the speed limits, natch ;-) I even managed to chicken a rear leg on one bend :o)
Driving Technique 1711Brimstone do you have a job ? how many. exactly ? see question 1 *marvellous* ! one question answered, several to go. make...
The smell of clutch and brake dust demanded a mechanically sympathetic break, a pint and a pee, in that order, at the Cat & Fiddle on top of the Derbyshire Peaks 3:45pm inbrightwintery sunshine and mbuttive fluffy clouds on every horizon.
*marvellous*
Having had a pint, it was time to take it easy. Well, easier than I had been ;-) so I kept it smooth and within the limits, mindful of the fact that schools out and the school run mums are out and about. Through Buxton, Bakewell and on down to Rowsley where the real fun had begun.
All in I did a total of 125 miles having left the house at 1pm and walked back in the door at 5:55pm, allowing an hour for fueling up, taking a few photos and the rest stop at the Cat & Fiddle I averaged 31 mph and spent about £15 on fuel.
How was your afternoon ?
cracks beer, phones take away ....
p.s. frivolous
1. Unworthy of serious attention (negative start to an ambiguous comment)
