Ashby Winter Descending May 2026

The climb warms the legs, but the descent is the ritual. As the group reaches the summit, the leader—usually a 60-year-old former racer named Clive who has not owned a car since 1998—simply nods. The group spreads out, 20 seconds apart.

Because climbing is work, but descending is the reward. And in an Ashby winter, that reward is hard-won. It requires respect for the weather, discipline with the brakes, and the courage to let go.

In the Ashby area, the surrounding hills create "shaded corridors"—roads that never see direct sunlight in the winter months (such as the lane through Gelsmoor or the descent into Staunton Harold). While the main road is dry, these shaded corners remain at -2°C. You will feel optimistic, you will accelerate, and then you will hit the "shadow ice." Always assume the shady corner is frozen until you roll through it and feel the traction. Every year on the Saturday closest to the Winter Solstice, a loose group of 20 to 30 riders gathers at the Bath Yard in Ashby. They call themselves the "The Descender's Guild." There are no jerseys, no sponsorship, just a shared understanding. ashby winter descending

Hesitation kills. If you feather your brakes halfway down a steep, frosty gradient, your wheels will lock, your tires will skid, and you will find yourself intimately acquainted with a drystone wall. Veteran riders speak of the "Ashby Shiver"—that specific moment at the crest of a hill where you feel the wind cut through your jacket, see your breath fog your sunglasses, and make the conscious decision to let gravity take over.

To master is to understand that cycling is not just a fair-weather friend. It is a year-round relationship. The cold bites, the roads are treacherous, and the visibility is poor. But when you reach the bottom of that hill—alive, warm, and grinning—you have earned something that no summer rider ever will: the knowledge that you are tougher than the season. The climb warms the legs, but the descent is the ritual

It is not a formal competition. There is no trophy, no leader’s jersey, and no finish line tape. Yet, for the dedicated audax rider, the gritty commuter, and the weekend warrior who refuses to surrender to the indoor trainer, the descent routes around the Ashby-de-la-Zouch area represent the ultimate test of nerve, skill, and thermal regulation.

The most notorious routes—the run down from the Cloud Trail, the sweeping bends of Ticknall, and the notorious straight-line plunge into Moira—are not alpine passes. They are British B-roads. This means they come with a unique set of winter hazards: gravel washed across the tarmac by rain, patches of black ice hidden in the shade of ancient hedgerows, and the ever-present film of wet leaves that turns a 45mph straightaway into a skating rink. Because climbing is work, but descending is the reward

Stay safe, stay warm, and keep the rubber side down.