The Three Shires

“Sixteen miles, about half off road, should take a couple of hours”. Four hours and bit later we returned to the car. Are we really that slow?

Steep track above Hillhead quarry on three Shire Heads ride


A casual dismount to get photograph taken or preparing to headbut the photographer?
I have to admit that cycling in the wet, cold and the mud at the weekend is usually a pleasant contrast to teaching over a thousand students in an inapproriatly designed building in December. Other people have different opinions.

Lynne suggested after we had completed about three quarters of the ride that it was too cold, too far and too bumpy and she would like to go home. The cat and fiddle provided a mince pie with cream and a hot chocolate. Our marriage is still, I believe, intact, await further announcements.

Lynne also suggested that the countryside was unsightly, one has to agree that Harpur hill with its stock car racing old mines and quarrying is pretty tatty and I supose you could say that the track across the moor to the cat and fiddle is a bit bleak but the rest is fabulous. Well the old railway lines, though not pretty, are at least flat even if they are not natural country side. I happen to like the moor and Harpur hill quarry has provided a lot of climbing training over the years.

In our mid twenties we thought of emigrating to New Zealand, just sometimes one feels it might have been a good idea.

The view towards The Roaches and Ramshaw Rocks with potential divine intervention from the sky.

Judy enjoying the cool air

Track down to Three Shire Heads – Derbshire, Cheshire and Staffordshire