The weekend of the 9th and 10th of September saw 20 cyclists from around SW’s network of offices complete the 2021 SW charity cycle ride – which this year comprised 125 miles through the Peak District National Park and some parts of the adjacent Cheshire Plains and involved a very impressive 10,000ft of climbing over the two days.
About The Ride:
Day 1 saw the team head out of their Buxton base up the infamous ‘Cat and Fiddle’ climb, down into Macclesfield Forest and on through to Siddington before enjoying a few flatter miles on the Plains and a welcome lunch stop at the fantastic ‘Apus Peak’ cycle café in Knutsford. After the pit-stop lunch, the riders set-off back east to and through the villages of Nether Alderley, Over Alderley and Prestbury before ending the day with three lung busting climbs – the ‘Brickworks’, ‘Windgather’ and then a particularly steep route out of the ‘Goyt Valley’ before descending back down to Buxton for a well-earned cup of tea.
The second day was more of the same, with plenty of hills throughout the day broken up by cycling through some of the White Peak’s most picturesque villages. Of particular highlights were a trip through the Chatsworth estate, sampling a couple of tarts in Bakewell and the climbs between Hartington and Longnor.
The Charity:
This year the SW team were proud to be supporting Sue Ryder, and in particular the Manorlands Hospice in West Yorkshire, after the incredibly sad passing of Sanderson Weatherall colleague David Chary last year. Manorlands Hospice looked after David and his family so well in his final weeks and continue to help people with life-limiting conditions to live the best they possibly can. The fantastic staff support people through the most difficult times of their lives, with expert care and compassion from doctors, Sue Ryder Nurses and carers.
The team’s fantastic efforts have already raised over £2,500. It is not too late to donate and you can do so via the Team’s JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sw-bike-ride-2021
Stuart Avery (Organiser of this year’s trip) commented ”After postponing last year’s charity cycle ride due to the Covid restrictions, it was great to get the team back in the saddle. However, this year’s riding was amongst the toughest that we have done – with a lot of elevation gained over the two days. I am delighted that, as a group, everyone completed the route and, on behalf of them all, I’d like to thank everybody that has donated – it really does it make worthwhile, especially for a cause that was close to a lot of people at SW.”
