Feature: Trail Swapping Part 2

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The irony of having to concentrate so hard on trails with scant line choices was certainly different from the south where you’re tired from too many choices sometimes.

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It was Faye’s idea to swap her and Ross’ riding lives with Dave and Sharon. First with a visit of the northerners to Bristol and now the payback – visiting Yorkshire for the return leg. Would it show that UK riding is basically the same? Or that there are deeper divides than we think?

Mission III - The North Location: Oxenhope, Yorkshire’s South Pennies Date: 23rd September Weather: Misty fog, Cloudy, Sunny, Windy.

We awoke in Warrington our overnight stop, hometown of my other half’s parents, to discover thick grey fog. We hoped it would fade once the sun arrived and we set off heading towards the Pennines. As we drove, my northern partner pointed out one of Yorkshire’s best-known landmarks, not the birthplace of David Hockney or even the Bronte sisters, but the farm that sits right in the middle of the M62 near Scammonden. How splendid that it stands at a symbolic midway point on the M62, shortly after you see a sign saying ‘Highest motorway in England’. The classic northern industrial landscape of old textile mills, redundant chimneys and rows

of terraced housing started to appear. Then we spotted the rural sign - Oxenhope, the village of Dave and Sharon and straightaway we recognised Dave’s van and at the same time we saw Sharon hanging laundry on the washing line. So there we were, ready for the adventure. Dave and Sharon warmly welcomed us and introduced us to Simon, another Singletrack friend, and their dog, Pip. As they served coffee and tea with biscuits before the big ride, Dave and Simon recounted numerous stories. There was a definite role reversal from guest to host and it felt good that I was not in a charge for the weekend; I was going to enjoy the riding. We unpacked the bikes, changed and got my SPDs ready for action while Dave and Sharon waited – no change there then. We set off and pedalled along roads, lanes and pathways, often lined by mature trees and interspersed with stone-built houses and farms. Quickly the males were leaping forward so I decided to stay with Sharon who began leading me to the gentle hill ahead. Halfway up, Sharon stopped to point out the buildings visible in the valley and introduced me to Oxenhope spreading out below us. It’s a small Pennine valley community, centred on a Victorian mill village, including many smaller