The Wee Yin and Bigman headed out on a clear and crisp November day intent on exploring the off road route between the North Face of Col du Cleish and Mont VeKnockhill.
Folklore has is said that a road runs through the 'enchanted' forest and comes out just south of the summit of Mont VeKnockhill. A night cycle was being planned and it seemed a goo idea to explore in daylight.
It was a cracking day with no wind and brilliant sunshine. The climb up and over Cleish was a joy with superb views over the carpet of fields below. In areas where the sun had not climbed high enough to wipe away shadows the frost still lay white from overnight.
At the appropriate forest entrance the adventurous duo turned right off the tarmac road and immediately on to a hilll climb that felt like cycling through treacle as if the gravel was hugging the tyres holding the riders back as if warning against going deeper into the forest.
It quickly became clear this forest road had Forestry Commission monster trucks travelling this route. The gouges in the track were three feet wide and at least two feet deep.
The duo persisted and climbed the hill before the road started to drop. The pair could have been forgiven for thinking this must be the route out of the forest. It was not to be. Instead there was one of the finest turning points ever created in the middle of a forest
At this point, an un-named party who had spread malicious rumours about a 'fine cycle' through the forest was being considered in an ungracious way! There was nothing else to do but re-climb the hill through the 'ravines' of tractor trails. The journey back to the the road was 'quiet' in that sort of mutual understanding sort of way!
The climb up the North Face was indeed straight forward compared to the recent experience.
It will be some time before we return to that 'fine cycle'!
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