[Closed] How long would this Jacobs Ladder loop take?

The typical Jacobs loop can easily be done under 3hrs for average rider

It would take me most of the day

It would take me most of the day

Reading the Sunday Times on the way?!

Yup, easily under 3hrs.

We ride that route as a night ride, but as we start in a Hayfield it begins with a climb up Coldwell Clough and on up to then descend Jacobs, miss out the Hollins Cross section, but climb the road to Mam Nick, Rushup etc... Back towards Hayfield, campsite descent and we finish with 20 trees as a climb then Middle Moor. Depending on mechanicals it's either road back to the cars or we chuck in Lantern Pike

Hayfield, Highgate, Roych, Rushup, Chapel Gate, Edale, Jacobs, Campsite descent, Hayfield.

Well under 2 hrs is my best. Though I'd consider 2 1/2 a pleasant pace.

Edit: Your original route - (The bit from the res. via Broad Clough towards Edale Cross especially in the direction mentioned is rubbish this time of year)

simondbarnes - Member
It would take me most of the day

3 hrs about right as a benchmark for average rider who gets out most weeks. That's for the shorter one carlos and rich posted - climbing up to Hollins cross not a go-er in current conditions.

3 hrs not right for less enthusiastic average rider. It's a short-ish route in mileage but the climbing packs a fair wallop.

Good choice if it's been wet - the core route is very weather-proof.

Im doing it this morning. Will let you know 😀

banks - Member 
The typical Jacobs loop can easily be done under 3hrs for average rider

Tried it once. It took me 4 😳

I did start from New Mills, but I'm sure that shouldn't add an hour

What richpips said ^^

And on your link, the start bit up to Mam Tor and then the bit between 7 and 8 on the map will both be a horrible push/slog at this time of year.
Personally, I'd do the route the other way round.

Timings wise, depends how many people, how much faffing. I can do it on my own in 2hrs, as a large mixed ability group it could easily take 6hrs... It'll be very muddy in places now which will probably add an hour.

Mrs soap and I will be doing this one later today,hopefully not to much pushing

I've never ridden that route in under four hours - especially if you go to hollins rather than up chapel gate, and if you go up snake path out of hayfield. For me, those two bits (especially the climb towards kinderlow end) always add a lot of time.

Again, will be doing that exact route in a couple of weeks, but I will be doing it as a [u]day[/u] out rather than a half day blast.

If you can ride that full route in under three hours remind me never to ride with you!

This time of year it could be easily all day, including the café in Edale for lunch 🙂 Plus parts on top can be very muddy.

I'm wi the lads on the back on this one. 4 hours and a bit of pushing in places for me. 2 lads I ride with could achieve 3 hours I think, quite easily. If i can lose the target of 1 & 1/2 stone this year though I'd like to think I could nearly be joining them by Aug/Sept. Great route.

Tried it once. It took me 4

I did start from New Mills, but I'm sure that shouldn't add an hour

: ) did it in 2 hrs 11 mins on sat - I've lost just over a stone recently & its made the world of difference to me riding.

Bit annoyed we finished so early as it meant we were back at the sportsman for 11ish for a pint whilst everyone else was still having breakfasts.

What richpips said ^^

Yeah, but neither of you guys are remotely average riders... it took us just over four hours the other week via Hollins Cross and including a 15-minute break while we chatted with a lass with a space blanket on Rushup Edge. I'd have been a little quicker on my own, but it depends on conditions, exact route, what your idea of an 'average rider' is etc.

Climbing up to Hollins Cross is fine in the current conditions btw. The grassy bit after the footpath/bridleway split is much better than you'd think and the left-hand descent from Hollins Cross while not exactly dry and dusty, is/was also far more amenable than you'd think. Stuff dries quite fast round here when the wind gets on it ime etc.

I am, of course, an average rider 🙂

I always work on 1 hour per climb in the Peak (I let the descents and flats sort themselves out).
It usually overestimates but is for me a good rule of thumb.
That route has 4 big climbs and I'd call Rushup half a climb especially as it will be soggy up there at the mo.
So it would take me around 4.5 hours. So I guess I am way below average. 🙂

That loop took me 4 hours, I am not fast 😳 I did stop to enjoy views (rest) and check directions. I had also driven 3.5 hours to get there before setting off. If you add a loop from Mam Tor to Limstone Way and Cavedale descent then land slipped road climb back to Rushup Edge it's a 6 hour ride and one of my Peak favourites.

Enjoy

Edit I pushed up 2/3rds to Hollins cross and was off bike for a bit up to Jacobs plus a couple of comedy otb in the peat on Rushup 🙂 I would definitely recommend Jacobs as the descent.

Managed to clean most of the jacobs climb, which almost killed me. The repair jobs has been a long time coming, i can't believe some people are whinging about how it's ruined a good dh. Wtf in their right mind goes up jacobs ladder and descends the farm track to hayield :-0

Colin T has it right there. In the dark peak around Edale or Ladybower or cut gate, I would reckon on each climb and associated descent being an hour. That's a decent ballpark way of gauging a ride around there for me.

Anyway, each to their own, I'm not interested in beasting myself if I've got a day pass for the peaks. I'd much rather enjoy it and save a bit for the descents.

I did the loop today. Lots of stops and a shortcut..

Did the Vp route today with the Mrs(4hours)
What a stunning day and great if you like rocks,gates and riding on the beach..
Can't wait to be "Sorrelled" next weekend 😉

Wtf in their right mind goes up jacobs ladder and descends the farm track to hayield :-0

Me 🙂

Wtf in their right mind goes up jacobs ladder and descends the farm track to hayield :-0

Yep, me too. The rest of the loop is generally better anticlockwise. Also, turn off right and you can do the Broad Clough descent instead of the farm track back to Hayfield. Broad Clough then means you can add in the Shooting Cabins to finish off.

Anticlockwise gives more/better options for descending Mam Nick into Edale too. But hey, each to their own!

I was surprised at how well drained most of the Shooting Cabins descent is now. Still a few massive puddles and boggy patches but mostly riding quite well, I came down it this evening.

Oh, as an aside, I'd always recommend starting this route in hayfield (if going clockwise as is best IMO). That way you get to descend the ladder whilst fresh ish and a nice fast run down coldwell cough to finish. Sweet.

I appreciate all the comments, I will take whats been said on board before my next venture out,
In response to my OP, We managed to get round in about 3 hours however we did make a short-cut, offered to us from a local which got us to the top of Jacobs Ladder much sooner, Many Thanks to that chap 😉

My first ride in the Peaks taught me a few things,
1. Despite having lived in Wales for the first two years of my mountain biking ventures,
The skill sets I thought I owned were simply a mirage, I am in fact just a small boy with small balls.
2. I'm rather unfit.
3. I know how to roll when bailing, something I did many times today (grateful to my orange belt in Mantis style!)
4. Today my legs ache and my gouche is sore.
5. I'll be going back again for more 😀

[url= http://www.strava.com/activities/119140311 ]My strava from the day.[/url]

tacopowell - was that me? Edit: Nay It was two lads from Stoke I spoke to.

Wtf in their right mind goes up jacobs ladder and descends the farm track to hayield :-0

A great alternative start place is Hayfield campsite upto Jacobs descend, round then do the Hayfields campsite woods section as the final descent.

Heres my pics from yesterday:

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

@hora, are you in Australia 🙂

Yesterdays weather was mint. Started at 8am and thought as per usual I'd be alone out there- lots of other bikers though out. I also had to shut every single gate from Rushops edge right past Roych Clough. Someone had propped them all open.

Just looking at your map on Strava. Looks like you turned right near to the top of South Head shortly after Beet Lane. Is that a right of way? It's a black dashed line on the 1:50 OS map, which I think is a 'path'?

There's quite a shortcut and would probably have accounted for another 45mins ish on the ride I suspect.

I'm 3 hours for the loop that cuts out the Hayfield element, ie drop into the valley and then turn right to Jacob's climb, as opposed to left to Hayfield. So that's probably 3.5 hours all told. In awe of anyone who can do that whole loop in 2 hours. That equals not only near suicidal speed on the downhills, but also completing the climbs almost as quickly.

So, based on absolutely no evidence whatsoever, I am of the opinion that one stone equates to a half hour of riding time. So lose 2 stone and I can get an hour off that to an eminently respectable 2.5 hours (I wish). Of course, given that I weight 16.5 stone, if I can knock 7 stone off I'll be finished before I've even started... 😉

OP ride I'd reckon on 3.5hours minimum at fast (for mere mortals) pace in summer conditions, with the time going up for each other rider you take along. Taking it easy having a chat and maybe a bite to eat along the way you could get upto 5hours and beyond.

That's a hell of a shortcut you took, what was it like?

Its not a great shortcut- its a real horrible boggy slog. Like pushing Hagg farm instead of riding up the next climb. It probably brings you out at a similar time in the end. Trust me- you can ride the first half- its a ankle deep wheel grabbing bog.

Is that a right of way?

That's a hell of a shortcut you took, what was it like?

The guy said strictly speaking it was a footpath and bikes weren't allowed but as a local he'd known it was used,

But it took around mile or two of Bog before we reached the slabs, Once on the slabs it was an easy ride to the top of Jacobs Ladder,

that said I've a feeling from what the guy and another guy said is we missed out on a sweet decent down to Hayfield?

All new to me but had an awesome time!

Deleted

Very true, i usually do all the bw stuff from the sportsman to rush up edge as a night ride - rarely bother with Jacobs but now as they've fixed the climb I'll be riding it a bit more often : )

The decent from South Head to Hayfield is ok. You take a right down Coldwell Clough which is reasonably interesting before beginning the long slog up Edale road to the top of Jacob's Ladder.

Out of interest, Am I the only one that has to get of my bike a push up some sections?

Nope, it's been a while since I've done the full loop but I remember a whole load of hike a bike. But then I'm a middle aged fat knacker and I'm cool with that.

@taco, not at all see my post earlier

Hora - where is that second photo? Is it the footpath above the Rushups Edge BW??

That black dotted line is a good way to cut out a pretty ordinary part of the loop. Boggy first part but the slabby climb is quite good fun.......The relaid first third of the climb to Jacobs was fresh when I last did it and the bike just sunk into it. Not rideable for me.

I do like the 'natural' climb up otherwise but the first part makes it worth cutting out IMHO.

Hora - where is that second photo? Is it the footpath above the Rushups Edge BW??

No, it's this path [url= http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=408030&y=385225&z=120&sv=408030,385225&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=823&ax=408030&ay=385225&lm=0 ]here[/url]

Listed on the ground as a footpath. The half over towards Jacobs is new-ish packhorse trail style stone slabbing, the half of it over the South Head side is just open moorland and mostly quite boggy.

Horas 2nd piccy does not look like it is at that South Head BW/path juntion.......but hey ho.

The black dotted line indicates path and not footpath though, right? So as it is not a red dotted line it goes under 'fair game' in my glossary of terms....

The black dotted line indicates path and not footpath though, right? So as it is not a red dotted line it goes under 'fair game' in my glossary of terms...

If anything, it means you have even less right to be there than on a footpath. Kind of like saying, "I'm not committing GBH" while murdering someone. and yes I know that's a massively over simplification.

Hah - simplification? Or just a bad analogy? 😀 😉

both

Obviously the Peaks is a massive area and I only rode a tiny bit. Where are the flowing trails or is it mainly smashing through Rocks?

Where are the flowing trails or is it mainly smashing through Rocks?

One of the limitations with the Peak District - and possibly anywhere at this time of year - is that the only trails that haven't been ruined by weeks of rain are the rocky ones. There are nice fast, flowy trails but you'd be hard-pressed to find them under inches of mud. Also, the legal trails - the bridleways, byways and BOATS - are all generally quite wide and straight.

Maybe this sunshine will dry some of the faster, less rocky, trails out.

Or just don't come if you don't like it??

Or just don't come if you don't like it??

Thats always an option,
I've really ever known fast flowing trail centres,
The Peaks was a massive wake up call to me and has made me question everything I thought I knew about my riding,
Its technically harder than most things I've ridden but just because it's harder doesn't mean it's not as enjoyable, just means you have to earn your enjoyment a little more.

I did a variation on that loop today on the CX bike. Comfortably under an hour to get from Hayfield to Edale via South Head, Mount Famine, Roych and Rushup although once I got to Rushup I took the road as the crosswind on the ridge would have been horrendous. I reckon doing the ridge run would have made it more or less bang on an hour to get to the Penny Pot Café.

Once up on Mam Nick I took the First Descent route off (by the bus stop) down to Edale. Most of the route was amazingly dry although the bottom of Mam Nick descent had a 30m section of totally unrideable quagmire.

Came back up Jacobs Ladder then may have accidently strayed onto some FP after that... The headwind on the way home was awful. Could barely stand at the summit of Jacobs.

Doing it on a mountain bike would make the descents a lot quicker but the climbs a bit slower, not sure how that would balance out over the course of the whole ride. I was surprised at how well some of it has dried out though - Broad Clough usually turns into a hub deep mudbath at the first hint of any moisture but it was all riding well today. The extra stone packing further up Roych Clough is all holding up well too - have they actually banned 4x4s along this section now?