We arrived in good time at Little Stretton to register for the Time Trial. Mike was convinced it was All Stretton, but as he didn't know where either villages were, that didnt seem to matter much :)
There was none of this 'register at the back of the car' nonsense as in past TTs - we went into the (tiny) Village Hall, handed over some (tiny) cash and in return got a (tiny) electronic dibber. Yahoo! TT ...in the space age.
Mike had all kit packed and ready. Waterproof, drinks, phone, entrenching tool, glasses, emergency rations etc. I felt very unprepared by comparison, but I did have a map, a strawberry chewit bar and a yearning for the great outdoors.
We got an early start time as Mike had to be back in time to go and "get his eyes tested". So, sadly... no pub. Gutted :(
We dibbed in ..and started off. All was going well, we passed the cottage - now restored and looking lovely after years of neglect - and passed the Yearlet (glad we're not going up there!) and then picked up a sheep trail. Biiiig mistake - we should have kept to the stream bed. Though it went the right way, the trail was narrow and I fell off it and down towards the stream, some 30 ft below. Aaaaagh.. thank goodness for a tree to hang on to!!
We ended up to the right-hand side of Long Synaulds and went straight up and over, following a couple of people. Mike didn't like this very much, I dont think he really likes hills. Well, not 'proper' hills, with rocks and stuff on. I was loving it, but was slightly concerned as to where we were going to come out...
...which proved to be a valid concern. We came out on the road, but for some reason instead of picking up the road on the right to Bridges we went left towards top of Pole Bank . We were only about 150m out, but I forgot how featureless it was and there was no-one else around.. We followed a path up side of Pole bank and started to descend, then we saw the traffic in the distance and I realised where we were. We'd probably taken about a 10 min detour, my fault for not concentrating but nothing in the great scheme of "We are Lost East Devon Style". Mike wanted to take the direct route back to the road rather than the path I suggested, but it would have been a hands & knees climb, he didn't see the contours. Must be the eyes...
Anyway, on to the road, then straight off the road at Shooting Box and all was going well. We detoured through the woods as usual at Bridges, and then just after the pub picked up the road towards the Hollies, where we met some runners who had gone the other way at Ratlinghope. At this time, Mike began to suffer with the climbs and so had a little walk. That was fine, it was a lovely day. We did more of a walk-run all the way up to the farm and yet more walking once we were out on the Stiperstones. It was a bit muddy , Mike was quite apologetic about keeping me waiting but I didn't mind - it was such a lovely morning, you could see for miles. We followed it with a nice & tidy - if slightly slippery - descent into Stiperstones and a steady finish. We dibbed in about 2 hours and Mike was disappointed at that but we would have comfortably beaten that if we hadn't had to detour, even though there was some walking. I did think at the time that I quite fancied making my way back to the start ON FOOT but as my car was at Stiperstones, that being surely madness of the highest order. Maybe next year :)
