PEAK DISTRICT RUN 2 – CAT AND FIDDLE PASS
- SUNDAY 17th OCTOBER 2004
It started with one innocent question at J.A.E. Billing,
“Have you ever tried the Cat and Fiddle Pass?” That’s all I said! So how I
agreed to plan the route and organise the run I don’t know. (Was it that glass
of Doris’s home made wine!!!) So to the start Meir Park, Tesco (A50 near Stoke)
so nice of you to start your runs almost on my door step it’s a full 1.1 mile
trek for me. Six cars made it for the start, Fred Sanderson (Helios Blue) Doris
Sanderson (Newly acquired Black 1A Dasher!) Geoff and Lois Cordon (Helios Blue)
Lauren Blighton and Mark Nias (White Trackday car) Mark Dalton and Hazel Porter
(Red T Bar) and Me and Barbara (White ) not forgetting Kyle the dog also. Mark
and Michelle Elliot (Helios Blue) joined the run later at Leek. So off we went
on the first leg, 14 miles stopping at the Yew Tree Pub at Cauldon, taking in
the villages of Caverswall, Kingsley, Froghall, and Whiston on the way. We
arrived at the pub earlier than planned and had to get the landlord out of bed,
my mother always said I’d end up no good! After a short stay at the Yew Tree,
this is an excellent pub full of curios old things (it was once we got there
anyway!!) well worth a visit if you’re in the area, we set off towards Leek to
meet with car number7 of Mark and Michelle who came all the way from Sheffield.
At Leek Lauren took over the lead as we were now in her territory and I could
tell she needed to give it some! Oh yes give it some she did - up onto the A54
then the A537 stopping at the Cat and Fiddle Pub. The drive up this section
needless to say was fast very fast no one could keep up with Lauren though we
tried but I couldn’t shake Fred from my rear bumper and he had Doris glued to
his rear bumper! I think everyone enjoyed this section, grins all round! Praise
and thanks must go to Lauren here for inspiring us all to drive like teenage
nutters, especially those who are mature enough to know better (Yes Doris, I
mean you) After lunch and a chat it was down the A537 to Macclesfield then turn
around and back up to the Cat and Fiddle, mad but so much fun. To quote Lauren
“I’ll go slow now keeping it below 80”. At this point Mark and Hazel, Mark and
Michelle also Lauren and Mark set off for home leaving four cars to complete the
run. Section three took us up towards Buxton then on to the A53 Axe Edge Pass
past the Winking Man rock formation part of the Roaches. Then towards Blackshaw
Moor then left towards Thorncliffe, Warslow and onto Hartington, twisty but very
quiet across the moors with Doris now glued to my bumper. After a stop in
Hartington it was the short run to Ashbourne and journeys end. Thanks to
everyone who came on the run. Special thanks to Lauren for changes to the route
and turning us all into hooligans for a while! Great day, great roads, good
company. Same again next year? You bet!!!
KEVIN TOOTH
Tesco car park
Waking the landlord at the Yew Tree
Cat and fiddle
Hartington duck pond
Since the Peak District run in May we have been looking
forward to the run in October and hoping that with it being late in the year
the weather would be kind to us.
The forecast was not too bad and so by 10.30 we were at Mier Park
all ready for whatever the day was going to throw at us. We had six cars
at the outset, our run organisers Kevin and Barbara with Kyle (four legs)
in a white car, Geoff in his Helios blue with Lois, Mark and Hazel in
their red, Lauren and Mark in their white and Doris in a black MR2
which Geoff and I have just bought and was on it's first serious run and
finally my helios blue. We had one more member booked on the run, Mark with
his wife Mellanie again in a helios blue car who we were meeting in Leek.
We left Meir Park at 11.00 and headed for Cauldon where we planned to make a stop
at a very interesting little pub for a short break, the Yew Tree Inn, it has to
be seen to be believed time has stood still and there are so many unusual items
to look at, another visit is certainly on the cards. The run to Cauldon was very
good along very interesting country roads, just right for the MR2.
A quick drive to Leek where we met Mark and Mellanie and we were on our way to
the exciting part of the run, the Cat and Fiddle pass. We were fortunate to
have Lauren and Mark with us as they know the area very well so they led
the way from there on. We turned off the A523 onto the A54 and so started a
breathtaking run up to the Cat and Fiddle pub and restaurant. Lauren took off
and was soon lost in the distance followed by Kevin then myself with Doris
stuck to my tail pipe with the rest somewhere behind. It was one of the most
exciting runs I have done with tight bends and alpine like curves, daren't tell
you how fast we were going, I will let you work that one out, we were
following Lauren. We reached the Cat and Fiddle full of enthusiasm for the next
part of the run.
We all had a meal and a good natter and we were off again down the road into
Macclesfield on an equally fast and interesting road only to turn round and do
it all again in the opposite direction, what a buzz, all you lot that don't
turn out for the club runs missed one of the best ones yet, maybe this report
might shift some of you next year, WILL IT? We left the Cat and Fiddle pass and
headed to Hartington where we had a good walk round in the evening sun a lovely
climax to a great day out.
Goodbyes were said and we all drifted of home happy and tired, and planning in
our minds the next exciting run to who knows where, my next run will be the
Santa run with the North East gang, that will be good too, I am sure.
FRED AND DORIS SANDERSON
