CARR BANK

OAKAMOOR, STAFFORDSHIRE

I found myself in this corner of Staffordshire – within earshot of the screams coming from the nearby Alton Towers theme park – to try out Star Bank, up the B4517. I was underwhelmed upon reaching the top, though, so I placed it on the ‘maybe’ list before ultimately moving it to the trash bin after riding Carr Bank. This one’s a belter. Start from the B4517 in the centre of Oakamoor, ride past the pub, over the stream, and get pedalling as it kicks up viciously through the houses. It’s almost 20% as it kinks left past the church, and then right to head out of the village. Once free of the houses, the slope eases and you head through farmland to a 90-degree left-hand bend, which is followed shortly after by a right. Picking your way past a few trees into a wood, the slope is still stiff in places but nowhere near as hard as it was down at the bottom. The final stretch is easier still, taking you to the summit just round a final left-hand bend.