Round 2 of the Dark and White Summer evening series was centred on Chapel en Le Frith in the North of the Peak District. Another area I know reasonably well, adjacent to Castleton and Mam Tor. I had forgotten though quite how deceptive some of the smaller looking climbs immediately around Chapel are and I was soon out of the saddle working hard.
Although there was a pretty obvious route around most of the controls there was a section which brought some pondering.
In the end I picked a daft route through 8,12 and 17 going right around via the top of Winnats pass in an attempt to save some climb but it was simply just too far out of my way and I lost at least 7-9 mins on those who just in and outed 12. I lost a bit more time, as others did, just after number 16 trying to find the top of the bridleway down to Malcoff. I was nervous at committing to a fast decent down through a field full of sheep with no obvious path on the ground but in the end did pick the correct gate, though judging by tyre marks at other gates a few others went the wrong way.
I nailed the route in from my last control through Chapel and finished a couple of minutes late but well down in 12th position, my dodgy route choice having cost me big time.
Results available at http://www.darkandwhite.co.uk/results/2011SummerLeagueRound2overallplaces.html