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I plan to ride this pretty classic loop on Saturday morning before heading to Leeds for the Let's Ride Event. I've ridden it in the past, but probably not for close to 15 years. Which way would you go round it? Up Jacob's Ladder or the other way and come down JL?
I'd ride it clockwise so Edale - Hollins Cross - Mam Tor - Rushup Edge - Roych Clough - Hayfield - Edale Cross - down Jacob's Ladder - Edale.
Agree with whitestone. That way you get the achievable challenge of riding up the easier side of Jacobs and riding down the hard side.
Definitely clockwise. The other way around only really makes sense if you want to try Jacobs as a climb - which unless you are a riding god is utterly soul-destroying.
A good extension is to go out of Hayfield on Snake Path onto Middle Moor then descend off the 'right hand side' before going around/over Kinderlow End, but if you're using it for a morning ride, this adds 4 miles and a fair climb/descent.
Incidentally, I did once ride the route in the 'classic' anticlockwise direction (believed some things I read even though I'd ridden it clockwise several times) - it is nowhere near as good!
I actually prefer it anti-clockwise with some strategic detours on the descent into Hayfield plus the addition of the campsite descent and Middle Moor. The descent on the Edale side is no great shakes really and the Rushup Edge trough has been DCC'd and the clockwise climb on the Roych is loose and unpleasant. I really like the line along Rushup in the anti-clockwise orientation and then from Mam Nick you have the choice of the Greenlands descent or the lefthand one from Hollins Cross.
I don't honestly think there's a right or wrong way tbh, it's mostly subjective and good either way round, but whichever way you go, I'd detour using the track that comes up from the bottom of the cobbles near Kinder Res rather than the direct one up from Coldwell Clough which was relaid with horrible rubbly stuff by the NT a few years ago and is unpleasant in both directions, but particularly up.
I'd also agree that clockwise would be better. I'd also suggest starting near Castleton or Hope instead to climb up the broken road to start then extend it at the end by climbing to Hope cross and down brinks or Roman Road..
BWD speaketh the truth ^^.
It's actually better anticlockwise because of the variations you can include on the way into Hayfield from Edale Cross. Yes you have to walk up Jacobs Ladder but to be honest it's a pretty crap descent too. Also the climb up to Edale Cross from Coldwell Clough is soul-destroyingly long, steep and loose so you'll end up walking a lot of that as a climb if you're doing it clockwaise. You could of course come in over the (whisper it) footpath from Brown Knoll but none of you would ever do anything as bad as that now would you...?
The options for descent from Mam Tor to Edale are much more varied that way too, you could carry on up a bit to the summit (Hollins Cross) and drop off that via a couple of options or come down the Greenlands / Small Clough route. Edale Cross, your only way down is Jacobs Ladder.
And Roych Clough is better going from South Head to Rushup Edge, the climb out is shorter and much more stable.
So yeah, anticlockwise.
Gotta be clockwise if you enjoy your downhills. Rushup is a nice bit of singletrack if you ride on the banking on the left, then the descent of Roych, then from South Head, then Jacobs as a grand finale, got to be the fun way to ride it. The anticlockwise option used to be the recommended route in the 90s when it was all about tech climbs, then bikes got good
I did anticlockwise a while back. On my CX bike. That was a day to remember!
Edale Cross from Coldwell Clough is soul-destroyingly long, steep and loose so you’ll end up walking a lot of that
Pah. Speak for yourself 😁
Hmmmmm I think clockwise might be winning.
Yes you have to walk up Jacobs Ladder but to be honest it’s a pretty crap descent too. Also the climb up to Edale Cross from Coldwell Clough is soul-destroyingly long, steep and loose so you’ll end up walking a lot of that as a climb
Wrong
LOL.
Thing is if you do it anti cw you've got all rushup edge as an ascent but its a much better descent.
Yes you have to walk up Jacobs Ladder but to be honest it’s a pretty crap descent too.
Get behind thee, Satan!
Thing is if you do it anti cw you’ve got all rushup edge as an ascent but its a much better descent.
Realistically all the climbs on that route on either direction - bar the one from Mam Nick up towards Hollins Cross - are much better descents.... I think that's just mountain biking for ya.