'Fingerpost' Direction Signs...

[ekjdm14]

Have you done the "killer mile" AKA Mow Cop near Congleton, Cheshire Jim? If you're into climbing there's some good little hills in this part of the world. I too used to ride quite a bit in my youth and can safely say the killer mile nearly killed me. I made the mistake of stopping to tighten a strap a few hundred yards in & found it almost impossible to get moving again (think I was in a 42/28 bottom gear).

Also we have the A537 "Cat & Fiddle" road, popular with motorbikes too but a good challenge for a roadie and there's loads of other up 'n' downy stuff surrounding the area. Another ride we did took in the village of Flash, with apparently the highest (in altitude!!!) pub in the country to boast.

Not quite the amount of nice old signposts as you seem to have there, but there must be something good about is as they're starting the "Milk Race" (rather, the Tour of Britain) from Congleton this year... Hope nobody gets eaten by a Bear (or a Wild Boar, if the route takes in that particular clough)

[CitroJim]

So far I've not ventured anywhere beyond Northampton going north on my bike but have plans...

The Cat and Fiddle is famous in roadie circles as is Mow Cop... Another one is Buttertubs Pass... All on my to-do list

Cycling Weekly feature a weekly 'Killer Climb' which is always a good source of inspiration...

Much better hills down here than at home - 'better' in this context means longer and steeper

I maybe ought to swap my green jersey for a KoM (King of the Mountains) one...

[RichardW]

Belach na ba in the NW Highlands - drop down the other side into Applecross:



I've driven over it...

The 'struggle' up to Kirkstone pass in the Lake district is quite interesting.... I've ridden down it!

[CitroJim]

Tasty

[CitroJim]

My latest spot.. This time nearer home. I caught a glimpse of it on my way home yesterday in the car when I took a detour to avoid a traffic jam.

I cycled over to it today...

Keen eyes may spot 'Great Horwood' on it... The next village from Little Horwood and venue for many rallies, not least the Chevrons later in the year...



Close inspection shows it's just a reproduction one

Fingerposts in North Bucks are very rare indeed, if not totally extinct but I keep my eyes open...

[NewcastleFalcon]

...and the most notable part of Stony Stratford 3

Two of its pubs...


Regards Neil

PS Struggled to find anything remotely interesting about Beauchampton apart from "CitroJim woz 'ere July 2016!"

[CitroJim]

The origin of the 'Cock and Bull Story'. A tall tale told in the Cock was then told in the Bull whereupon it got even taller.... Or so they say

I stayed in the Cock Hotel on my very first visit to these parts when I was just 15 and attending my first interview for the job I still do to this day... I forgot an alarm clock and had to buy a wind-up Wesclox from the jewellers across the road...

That was my first solo trip on the train from Yeovil Junction to Wolverton via the Northern Line! It was a heck of an adventure

[myglaren]

The origin of the 'Cock and Bull Story'. A tall tale told in the Cock was then told in the Bull whereupon it got even taller.... Or so they say

So, the origin of the "Cock & Bull" story then?

[CitroJim]

The origin of the 'Cock and Bull Story'. A tall tale told in the Cock was then told in the Bull whereupon it got even taller.... Or so they say

So, the origin of the "Cock & Bull" story then?

Well maybe; it could just be a load of old bull... best to ask about it in the Cock

[white exec]

Belach na ba in the NW Highlands - drop down the other side into Applecross:

A specially good photo of it, Richard. Have also driven up and over it a few times.


"...or Caravans"
At least guaranteed to be Clarkson-free, then.

[NewcastleFalcon]

I stayed in the Cock Hotel on my very first visit to these parts when I was just 15 and attending my first interview for the job I still do to this day... I forgot an alarm clock and had to buy a wind-up Wesclox from the jewellers across the road...

That was my first solo trip on the train from Yeovil Junction to Wolverton via the Northern Line! It was a heck of an adventure

Genuine magic of randomness there, love it! Here's a Wesclox travel alarm, which is what I imagine you would have bought!



I hope it had luminous hands!

Regrds Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Of course if you were a connoisseur Wesclox alarm clocks as a young man, you may have invested in a Big Ben or Baby Ben, maybe even in avocado!



Regards Neil

[CitroJim]

It did have luminous hands Neil and very much like the little travel one above

Smiths were the other famous brand of wind-up alarm clocks but Wesclox was far more stylish as I recall. Those above really prove it

Never needed any batteries It lasted a while too and I clearly remember it did a few overseas trips with me; its big plus-point was its reliability and simplicity...

It was only surpassed when I got one of these for overseas trips:



It included an alarm function and would wake me up to the BBC World Service

I still have it in my vintage wireless collection and it still works as well as ever It gets used most days... I have a selection of wirelesses tuned to R4 and another selection tuned to Classic FM. Depending on what I want to listen to and where determines which wireless gets used...

I too absolutely love the magic of randomness in these threads, may it long continue and go from strength to strength

[CitroJim]

"...or Caravans"
At least guaranteed to be Clarkson-free, then.

OK for bikes then

I believe they're prohibited on some extreme hills such as Porlock...

[Peter.N.]

Been to Applecross, lovely part, there are old telephone poles with about 30 pairs of wires, no longer used I don't think but preserved by the dry cold air, the poles are bleached white by the weather - or at least they were when we went, a few years ago now.

For a real challenge try the A9 at Berridale, long steep and two hairpins. One or two lorries been lost there.

Peter