To answer all your questions:- Yes it was bloody cold & wet Yes I fell off ...lots Yes we stupidly rode the river that is Cave Dale & No I didnt put new brake pads in before the ride...doh! We had a bloody good laugh though.
Got some vid of the track from the cross roads bac down to the bridge on the hope road & it is quite a sandy track at the top which is covered in a couple of inch of water for about 100yds, looks quite sureal like a sheet of glass!