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Decided to have a Bank Holiday off roading in the Peak District, during the day we noticed intense interest from the Police helicopters. This was both the South Yorkshire and East Midlands helicopters which appeared eleven times during our day in Dark Peak and White Peak.
Leaving Houndkirk Moor we saw two motorcyclists arrested, and a Range Rover driver arrested at Bamford. Don't know the reason for their arrest, but were told of another arrest of a vehicle driver near Hathersage.
Due to such interest from the Police i would advise any visitors to the area to ensure their vehicles are safe and legal.
Theres usually some kind of
Theres usually some kind of police presence in the peak district usually targeting speeding drivers and motorcyclists on the long straight roads over the top, espeically on the A537 Cat and Fiddle road near macclesfield/buxton. I read in the local newspaper (i live in macclesfield) that they have just got a new police helicopter so maybe they were trying it out! Whats houndkirk moor like? watched a video of it on youtube and it looks good! although not that i can go yet as im still saving up for my first fourtrak
Its easily accessed and quite
Its easily accessed and quite a sedate route, ideal for beginners to off roading or predominantly road going vehicles.
During the summer it is reasonable enough for the Shogun to remain in 2WD, but on a nice day the views are stunning.
Many off roaders go along this route as it is reasonably long and close to other more challenging routes. Although there have been problems with idiots leaving the route and churning parts of it up, evidence is still there to see.
The loss of freedoms.
Back in the '70s, I loved the A537, Cat and Fiddle pass between Buxton and Macclesfield.
I used to commute from Chesterfield to Runcorn every week on my Norton 750 to ICI where I worked mon-fri and returned to my mum's for the weekend.
There were no speed cameras, no Noddy 40 mph speed limits out in the countryside because Nanny knows best. You just rode within the capability of the bike, the road and the rider. Yes, there were straight bits uphill where you could hit the loud handle and wind it up to 80, shut off, look across the other side of the valley to see if anything was coming (which there generally wasn't) and know that you could go the wrong side of the double white lines to, to some extent, straighten out the hairpin before you wound her up again.
There were a few times I did the whole journey in bottom gear though .... 6 inches of snow sees to that !
I had one of the defining moments in my life on the Cat and Fiddle. One Autumn morning, I rounded the bend as you come off the tops and you get your first view of the Cheshire Plain. The plain was covered in a thin layer of mist. Nothing showed ...... except Jodrell Bank radio telescope poking through the mist. As an Electronic Engineer, that picture is still as vivid in my mind as it was that day. In awe, I stopped my bike, got off, and just stared for a while.
OK, for some that might be nothing, but for me, it was what life was about. I doubt I will have another moment quite like it with Big Brother staring over my shoulder.
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Sorry if I sound like an old fart reminisceing about the good old days. IMHO, we old farts need to write these things down to show the younger people how life has changed for, some might say, the worse.
Know the road well, great
Know the road well, great piece of road.
Funnily i passed it in the snow in my company car on the way to Macclesfield to a project site, on my return i was stopped by the Police. They politely informed me it was closed, i simply asked why i had passed through at 04.30 that morning, and just returned over it at 10.00.
Company car, two wheel drive, it must be down to the nimbys who assume none of us can drive.
I hate it when the sheep escape though.