REMEMBERANCE SUNDAY RIDE

"These mist covered mountains,
Are a home now for me.
But my home is the lowlands,
And always will be.
Some day you'll return to,
Your valleys and your farms,
And you'll no longer burn to be brothers in arms " *





ANDY AND STU AT THE WATERFALL , LEADMINES.

Not like we need an excuse to go out riding on the hills on a damp November morn or anything ,but today is rememberance Sunday.
For the last few years now I've been trying to make the visit up here for the Bolton Mountain Rescue/ Horwich Rotary service at the war memorial at Leadmines Clough .
I've been to a few over the last couple of years ,and whilst not overtly religious,thank God ,it is , for me at least , a fairly moving thing . Maybe the location adds a certain spiritual element to the proceedings , I dont know , but it does tend to aid my reflections on the day .

So today ,on the way to the main event ,as it were , we meandered up to the Pike , chatting with Matt on his magic singlespeed on the way , and then dropped down the ice Cream Run ,(me on my semi-vintage Fisher with 1.5 tyres . Tasty ) before heading down to Alance Bridge into Leadmines Clough . We were just a little bit early ,so we rode up out of leadmines,a tough climb/push, and then across the field to the head of Leadmines to the waterfall. Much nicer conditions than last week , I'd say.

Me , top of Leadmines . Holding onto 4X2 for dear life . That bridge is slippy as.




THE SERVICE AT LEADMINES CLOUGH.

Bolton Mountain Rescue do their own write up on the day and it's specifics,and obviously there is a lot more to read about what they do HERE .
If I was young and hip , about now I'd say 'big shout out ' or something . Well done guys . Thanks .
Dont take this the wrong way , but I really hope I never have to call you.

A short video that I took at the service is here :



* Dire Straits . You knew that , I suppose.