Swiss hill and all that...Sundays ride was a ride I was really looking forward to, we had decided to throw in a little challenge along the way and that challenge was to ride up a hill in Alderley Edge called Swiss Hill.
Swiss Hill isn't particularly long and it isn't that steep (mostly) I would say about 12-14% at the most but what makes Swiss Hill a real challenge is all to do with what the surface is made up of - Cobbles - big, uneven, rutted and mossy.
Now I have travelled Swiss Hill before this ride, not by bike but by car and even in the car it looked treacherous enough, the only opportunity I have had to actually ride it by bike was in the 2009 Cheshire Cat but I gave it a miss, I decided to wimp out after walking up most of the hills prior to Swiss Hill due to the fact I had the legs and will power of a custard tart.....
So as i said I was really looking forward to having a bash at this technically challenging hill. Here's a picture I have found that shows the start of Swiss Hill, it shows the cobbles, the worn areas, the moss centre, the mud and the wet leaves. What is doesn't show very well is the steepness - in this shot it looks like a gradual incline but in reality it's a bit more than that. Also on the day we as a club are to ride it, it was certain to be wet from the overnight rain so potentially very slippery indeed.Setting off as usual from Stretton we arrived at Swiss Hill after 18 miles. We came to a halt just before the hill climb and it's here that as individuals we needed to make the decision of either carrying on and having a go or miss it and meet up around the corner. A bit of umming and arring but all eight of us decided to go for it. So off we set and I thought I'd be clever here by going up as one of the last - my reasoning being that because one member of the club, Andy, had ridden this hill before he knew what line to take amongst the wet uneven cobbles and I was going to watch and learn, O yes watch and learn...
So we all start the climb, I position myself as planned near the back but Andy's well ahead as I come around the bottom corner to start the climb. I see where he's positioned himself but I'm on a different tack, Andy's up ahead in the left rut and I'm on the right, no way am I going to attempt to cross over the mossy centre ridge - never mind I just need to concentrate on not putting any sudden bursts of power through the back wheel and keeping everything nicely smooth and slow. I'm in my lowest gear looking ahead for my line trying not to but not always succeeding in keeping my wheel from sliding into the large joins between the cobbles, every things going OK, a little slide here a bit of wheel spin there but it's all going fine then what a bugger - there's a bloody 4x4 coming down the single track hill. He's not waiting so I have to follow the only option available and just like everyone else - dismount. What a *@#^, he could have at the very least waited for us to go past him but didn't so that's that - climb ruined for most of us.
So now because of this situation most are having to walk to get passed the car, some managed to get back on and carry on and one guy managed to get past Mr4x4 and ride up Swiss Hill I think without stopping. I'm stopped at a steep part now and don't fancy my chances of successfully remounting and clipping in without immediately falling over so I walk a few yards and think bugger it, I've not come all this way for nothing and manage to get back on, clip in and carry on. Didn't last long though I only managed 10 yards or so by the flats you can see near the bend in the shot before my back wheel slid out sideways from under me but a very quick unclip allowed me to get a foot down before I fell down. I decided that there was no point trying again I would probably just fall off again and walked to the first bend before getting back on the bike and riding the not as difficult last few hundred yards of tarmac and cobbles...
Looking back, the hill itself is not that difficult an incline but because of the wet mossy cobbles and the flippin locals it was made more difficult than needs be on the day, this hill is really one for the dry weather not for a wet December day but we had to try it......
Ah well until next time....
My Stats
47.5 miles, 3hrs 22min, Av Sp 14.1mph, 1301 ft climbing
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