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Travel StoriesA Successful Winter's Break
It's A Good Start
Ride Date 7 March 2025
By Ren Withnell
Sharon and I don't buy each other Christmas or birthday gifts. "You tight GIT!" I hear you cry - and you'd be right. But not because I don't buy Sharon gifts (nor does she buy me gifts). We've come to the conclusion if either of us requires something we can afford, we habitually buy said thing ourselves rather than waiting for a birthday or Christmas. In which case gifts end up just being tat that you buy because feel you should. We already have enough tat thank you.
I mean really? Who needs this kinda thing in their life?
We agreed quite some time ago the money will be much better spent doing something we enjoy. And that is going on holiday, usually a short break. It's time for another short break.
Where? Well we'll be travelling in March which is the end of winter and the start of spring. The weather could be anywhere between snow and ice through to just fine and dandy. We're looking for somewhere far enough away to feel like it's worth the effort versus not so far away that getting there in bad weather would be a right old chore.
I don't know where Sharon plucked "Ashbourne" from, but she did. A look on Google maps tells me it's 70 miles from Sharon's place - far enough to not feel like we're going to our back yard, not so far it'll take all day to get there. Check. It's not a big sprawling town but it has a few shops and pubs and a chippy. Check. It looks pretty enough and there's countryside around too. Check. Well done Sharon.
This map clearly shows the challenge of our forthcoming undertaking.
She finds a few hotels. I see the price, go dizzy, cling to my wallet, then faint. Eventually she finds one where I merely feel queasy when I see the cost. It takes me quite some time to work out where the parking is via Google maps but once assured there is reasonably secure parking Sharon makes the booking. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night - we book Friday and Monday off work.
The British weather is a cruel beast. It will promise warmth but deliver cold, it will promise sunshine but deliver a deluge, and it will change it's mind as often as a cat wondering whether to go out or go back to bed. As departure date approaches we have a storm and rain and sun and frost and everything in-between.
And yet here we are on Friday morning loading the bikes in the dry. Yes there's cloud about, it's nippy too, all things considered though for this time of year this is "Blummin marvellous wevver!"
I'm glad we've booked the whole day off work. It's a slow start, but it doesn't matter. We're dawdling getting ready, but it doesn't matter. We set off around 1130, we can't book into till 1500, we have 3.5 hours to cover 70 miles. You know what? That feels great!
We meander through Runcorn, into Cheshire, dawdle through Northwich, intentionally take a wrong turn to Middlewich and saunter into Holmes Chapel. We stop in a pub we know for a glass of pop and some cheesy nachos to share. We mosey through Congleton, a little blast of speed sees us into Leek then a bimble across the countryside and we're in Ashbourne! Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
We knew not to expect too much from the hotel. Firstly we have to ride across a pedestrian area to get to the parking - this is what had confused me in finding the parking on Google maps. Once we get over that the parking is fine. I initially wanted to say the hotel feels unprofessional, but that's wrong. This place is not corporate big business hotels, this is an aging couple running a hotel. It's old and dated too with creaky floorboards. Not to worry as the bed is freshly made, the room is clean and everything is just fine.
There's a Sainsburys behind our hotel, we walk across and get a meal-deal apiece. We eat our snacks in the room then Sharon reports there's a leak in the bathroom. Oh for goodness sake! It has all been going so well. I nervously report this to our hosts. We are transferred to another room with many apologies and this is just fine. They are kind and professional and helpful and understanding but I sense a great deal of tension - more bloody hassle, more expense. Running a hotel can't be easy and they're rather tired of it now.
As the darkness draws in we take a walk around Ashbourne. Yes, I think I rather like Ashbourne. In my opinion it is a comfortable balance of shops and pubs and eateries and liveliness without the chaos of a bustling city. There are buildings old and new, a quiet pub and one with karaoke, a smart restaurant and a chippy, and all in easy walking distance.
Ashbourne features a - WORKING - public phone box!
There is also a Sharon sized doorway! (She is just under 5 feet tall)
Chippy tea after the meal deal.
It's been a good start so far. It's getting nippy outside as we settle in for the night. I wonder what tomorrow will bring?
Advertise here - contact ren@bikesandtravels.com
It's A Good Start
After justifying why he's mean to Sharon The Dynamic Muppets take on an arduous and testing journey to deepest darkest Derbyshire. This is a true tale of epic adventure through the harshest conditions... ish.
Reader's Comments
Bogger said :-
Chippy tea, outside, in the cold evening! You properly know how to spoil a good woman Ren.
There's not even a fish, or a pie, nor gravy in sight either. Good God man spend some money.
Bogger
28/04/2025 22:42:10 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
The evening was cool not cold... We'd already had a meal deal we only got the chips because I spoil that woman... Spend money? Get a grip man.
29/04/2025 07:59:53 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ashbourne you say.
Blummin lovely innit?
I'm a little surprised you didn't know it already Ed'ster. It's a regular motorcycle draw in the warmer wevver.
I used to cover the area in a previous life, right down to Hanging Bridge at the bottom of Swinscoe. It's only a mile from Ashbourne. Just thinking about it makes me shiver, I've dug my fair share of lorries and cars out of the snow on Swinscoe. It can be wild up there.
Upt.
Oh yes, you're tighter than a camels arris in a sandstorm.
29/04/2025 12:40:24 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
I'm not tight - I'm prudent!
I'm sure we've been to Ashbourne before but as like as not we'll have merely passed through it rather than stopping to look around. Being there gives us romantic notions of moving there - and then you go and spoil it by telling me we would be snowed in from December to March!
30/04/2025 07:35:55 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Ashbourne is a bit like Buxton or Leek, they have a fearsome reputation for snow in the winter months but it's not the towns but the high roads in and out.
As long as you're happy to let the snow melt and stay at home they're no worse than anywhere else.
My brother lives about 10 miles East of Ashbourne and higher up, I've experienced more snow there in the last dozen years than I have at home in Wonderful Wooler. Although "The BeaST from the East", would be an exception to that rule.
Talking of weather, it's a nice day for a Borders ride. Peebles anyone?
Upt.
30/04/2025 09:29:06 UTC
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Travel StoriesA Successful Winter's Break