The step-throughs hit the road again!

Malc (Yamaha T80 Townmate), Tony (another Townmate), Steve (Honda C90 Cub), and me (on my Cub) set out this afternoon for a ride. Out through Macclesfield the step-throughs were great fun on the twisty Cat & Fiddle. And no chance of being done for speeding, either!

A bit chilly up at the 'Cat'; Malcolm, Steve, and Tony with the bikes (mine is second from the left)

Onwards from the Cat we headed over Axe Edge Moor on the minor road to the main Leek to Buxton road, which we followed for a mile or so before turning left on the 'B' road to Longnor. The Dragon's Back Hills were to our left as we turned south through Longnor village, enjoying the wonderful White Peak countryside.

Down the lovely road through Warslow and Onecote until we dropped down off the Peak at the crossroads with the Leek / Ashbourne road. This we crossed and continued south over the single track railway to Cauldon Lowe, through Ipstones, to the Churnet Valley Railway southern terminus at Frogall.

The step-throughs at Frogall; Steve, Tony, and Malcolm

Another Frogall view. My bike is second from left again.

There were no steam trains running today on the Churnet Valley Railway, only a class 33 diesel and a diesel railcar. The unique stephenson valve-geared Black Five steam locomotive has boiler problems, and the big S160 steam loco isn't ready for service yet.

After a cup of tea and snack (and a warm!) in the Frogall tea room we retraced our tracks as far as the Leek road where we turned for that town. After Leek we rode north through Rushton Spencer to Fools Nook, then onto the lanes to join the A34 at Redesmere, and home via the Alderley bypass.

These step-throughs  with their limited power but extreme 'chuckability' are a different experience to riding 'big bikes'. And not only are they super fun, they do about 130 miles to the gallon so the thrills come cheaply!


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