MTB Derbyshire: Cutgate Summer Solstice '26, Stunning!

What a great way to celebrate the Summer Solstice....with a classic run over Cutgate to Langsett and back. Certainly better than my solstice ride last year when I broke my wrist and thumb :) This is an epic route so I have it the full treatment. 27 minutes is a long video but ths place is worth it. So I met up with Paul early doors with the plan of getting to Ladybower bridge parking for about 8:30am. Normally this would be fine but it gets busier earlier now and so it seems 8:00am is the new required time for guaranteed free parking. So, forced to park in Fairholmes and pay for the privilege (well Paul volunteered) at least this made the route about 5 miles shorter, which was, in this heat,very welcome at the end. This route is the full route over the tops around Langsett and back past North America. It rejoins the original route on Mickledon Edge and you return over the tops to the final stunning descent into Cranberry Clough. This is fast, rough and exhaustingly long. By the time you reach the more technical part my legs were burning. So I stopped on the last bend and turned to see Paul mid tilt on a spectacular OTB. Thankfully he landed in the ferns which have really thickened up over the last couple of weeks. Both Paul and myself had a couple of daft moments. We will blame the heat. This really is a physical route, not for a beginner or anyone not feeling fairly fit. the amount of sweat on the lens gives you a clue 🤣 The route: https://www.komoot.com/tour/305482518...