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I know there's lots of threads on this, but I've lost myself with information overload
I'd like to head to the peaks with a mate for a bit of bikepacking with some classic peaks riding thrown in (I've not ridden there before)
Lots of names get thrown up - cut gate, potato alley, jacobs ladder etc. However, if we were to head up this weekend I'm wondering how wet/muddy some of it would be. Don't want a sludge fest, nor to ruin any sections. I've done a fair bit of walking in the area but that was years ago, from memory it's a mixture of rocky bits and boggy bits, former is good, latter is less so
We'd also be on loaded bikes and my mate isn't riding much at the moment so fitness is quite low. Don't mind a small bit of hike a bike but the less the better, worth it for a cracking descent though. If a descent is too technical it'll probably be walked down
Not a huge distance, it'll be a day of riding with an extension into the night, so maybe 30-40 miles? (Noting weather might slow things down)
Are there any particularly good loops that would be worth a look? We'll be driving up and need safe parking somewhere. Pub is handy but not a requirement, we can carry food and water
so fitness is quite low... so maybe 30-40 miles?
Does not compute.
Cut gate is always wet, ride it mid summer or mid winter is usually the recommendation.
Kinder loop would be good as would any of the Derwent / Ladybower loops.
OK, maybe 30 miles... Over a day and a bit of riding that should be doable no? I don't know how slow/hard the riding is though. Fitness is low but existent, bikepacking kit is what might slow my mate down a bit
Kinder loop might be too big. I'll give cut gate a miss
Re Derwent and Ladybower Loops - a google throws up many variants, presumably there's no hard and fast killer version
All-weather Kinder route available [url= https://www.v-publishing.co.uk/files/downloads/VP-Kinder-All-Weather-MTB-Download.pdf ]here[/url], though not sure I'd fancy going up Jacob's or Chapel gate with a pack-laden bike if fitness is an issue. Easy enough to extend up and over to Ladybower if you link in from Edale on this [url= http://flattyres-mtb.co.uk/route-guides/peak-district-mtb-routes/ladybower-loop-medium/ ]loop.[/url].
The riding will probably be slow, I'd allow 5-8 hours for 30 miles.
Edit - follow koftp on Twitter for condition updates, very handy!
I'm heading up there this weekend. Riding from Edale each day. Saturday looks like it'll be a wet one!
Ben are you on BB too? Pm me an email address there and I’ll send some gpx files.
OK, maybe 30 miles... Over a day and a bit of riding that should be doable no?
It might be doable, or it might be an absolute killer, especially loaded. A lot of the Peak's trails are covered in potato sized rock (hence one having the name potato alley) which is really difficult to climb on even without camping kit.
30-40 miles in the Peak will be hard work even if you're fit, although the geography tends to mean you end up doing a lot of road miles so it could well be that it's 15 miles on road but the 15 off road will tire you out.
There aren't many routes I can think of that wouldn't be utterly purgatory carrying kit though, it's often very steep and rocky. Best trails for that sort of thing would be:
Castleton up the broken road up mam torr, across to hollins cross, down to Greenlands/Edale.
Then east on the road all the way back to Hope, (you could go upto clough farm and jaggers clough but it would be painful on a loaded bike and involves a stream crossing) the roman road up out of hope, straight on down to upper ashop (potato alley) up rowlee farm, down to fairholmes via the lockerbrook descent, then you can do the entire circuit of derwent/ladybower on the brideway (bit dull, but flat and a nice spin to give your legs a rest).
Once back at the A57, go south towards Bamford and take the road on the left after you pass the dam, and climb upto Stanage Edge via the causeway which will have options for bivi'ing.
Then in the morning ride ovr to redmires resevoirs, follow the road to lady cannings plantation (mini trail center), then take the track over Houndkirk moor to the Fox House Inn for lunch, then a ride back to castleton.
You could do the Bradwell clough and Cavedale loops on the way back, but either would be wasted fully loaded. My advice would be ride back to the car, dump kit and do the cavedale loop. Dead easy to navigate, head SE out of castleton towards what's labled pindale on the map, but take the road up to the top instead unless you fancy a rocky track climb, right onto dirtlow rake, and right again onto the limestone way (ironicaly at this point the only bit of the track not surfaced) which descends back past peveril castle into castleton.
There's more to the Peak District than the Dark....
Remember to pack new legs and oxygen for that stretch.Once back at the A57, go south towards Bamford and take the road on the left after you pass the dam, and climb upto Stanage Edge via the causeway which will have options for bivi'ing.
And yes, you could probably get more out of your ride if you did White peak.
Remember to pack new legs and oxygen for that stretch.
There's a reason I made the previous bit a very flat lap of Ladybower!
And yes, you could probably get more out of your ride if you did White peak.
Yup, although I only know the dark peak and that route should be do-able with enough gears, there's no climbs that would be too technical for a loaded bike.
I've no idea how many miles that is, but I'd guess less than 30, and still enough to leave you with sore legs.
Dunno if you know about the twitter site @KoftheP, for up to date trail conditions.
Could you do a section of the Pennine Bridleway maybe? It's not as technical as some of the stuff, particularly the southern end and has bike-packing potential. Sludgeness abounds right now, though the rockier the terrain, the less mud, the more liquid grit you'll find...
It is a slop fest out there at the mo!
So I went up to the Peak District and had an absolutely belting time. Route off here from a very kind member
Chinley to Rushup Edge - Mam Tor - Hollins Cross - absolutely brilliant. Roman road and potato alley next. The my mate was completely done at that point for so back along reservoir to the pub for a big feed
Next day met lots of MTBers up on top of Whinstone Lee Tor, cracking descent from there, then back along some very tame direct bits to get back to the car.
Great weekend, what a fantastic area for riding. I shall be back