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Me and a few mates are off to the Peak District this Saturday for a ride. We're looking for a short sharp route with some fun reasonably technical descents.
My V Publishing guide book has a nice figure of 8 loop which starts off in Castleton and takes in Mam tor and Rushup edge but I've seen some threads to suggest that Rushup edge has been turned into a feature less track.
So I've modified the route slightly to start and finish in Edale and go up and down Mam Tor a few times taking in multiple descents from Hollins Cross. Route is about 15km with 450m of climbing.
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Would this route work fine? Or are there any alterations you can suggest?
Many thanks
Plenty of info around that route here: http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/peaks-riding-not-done-a-lot-but
I would avoid climbing Greelands up to Hollins Cross twice replacing the first ascent with a climb up Chapel Gate and then down Rushup to Mam Nick and then along the top to Hollins Cross - it adds a few miles but means you vastly reduce the amount of trail you repeat and shouldn't add too much extra time.
The descent from 4 to 1 isn't worth it- it's been "improved" and is just gravel, so I would take the Bridleway to Hollins Cross from 4. It's more exciting as a descent.
Also unsure of the climb from S to 1 but it's probably worth a go.
Are you riding in the area as a 1 off? There are better short than this in the vicinity but if you have done most of them and fancy a change this is an OK route.
That was my post - we started from Castleton in the end, and did the same climb / descent to Greenlands / ascent to Hollins and back to Edale. We then did Chapelgate / Rushup Edge to get back to Mam Tor and then over to Cavedale to descend back to Castleton
Great days riding - four hours all in, including breaks / waiting for walkers etc but we weren't racing
Think it's about 15 miles / 2500 ft climbing but if you shorten it by leaving out Cavedale and Chapelgate /Rushup edge you'll be done a lot quicker
Lower half of 4-1 is ok. Still techy but there's a bit of gravel at the start
I'd probably try the upper bridleway over to Hollins next time as it cuts out the climb back from Greenlands
I would avoid climbing Greelands up to Hollins Cross twice replacing the first ascent with a climb up Chapel Gate and then down Rushup to Mam Nick and then along the top to Hollins Cross - it adds a few miles but means you vastly reduce the amount of trail you repeat and shouldn't add too much extra time.
I thought Rushup was a smooth path from some of the other threads on here, hence modifying the route. Is it still worth riding? If so I'll stick to figure of 8 loop in the guide book.
We don't mind repeating climbs we're just trying to get as many fun descents into a short ride.
There are better short than this in the vicinity but if you have done most of them and fancy a change this is an OK route.
Yep we've done some of the other shorter routes in that area (I have the V publishing book) so fancy something different. My route is a mish mash of some of the other routes combined together. I've really enjoyed the all the descents from Mam Tor / Hollins Cross in the past so through I'd try and incorporate them all.
Think it's about 15 miles / 2500 ft climbing but if you shorten it by leaving out Cavedale and Chapelgate /Rushup edge you'll be done a lot quicker
thanks for this but I tried plotting the shorter route and it ends up being 11km which is a bit short and 15 mile = 24 km which I think is bit much for our group as we're starting late. Will keep it in mind for when we are back and have more time.
The bit of Rushup's that been obliterated is the sunken track that runs from the intersection of the track up Chapel Gate to the one along the top of Rushup Edge down towards the road and the junction with the Roych track, The rest of it is mostly untouched and fine, fun in parts.
I'd just go and ride. It's all good and you'll learn which bits you don't get on with.
Looks pretty good fun to me, that's the sort of thing I quite often do when I want fun descents rather than a big loop.
OP the best technical riding in that area is Cavedale into Castleton (acess via Oxlow House / Limestone way at bottom of your map). The descent from Rushup Edge to Roych Clough used to be excellent (not as technical but can be ridden faster than Cavedale) but that's the one now flattened. I have not done the two descents from Hollins you have listed, I have done the climb (push 🙁 ).
Having mulled it over, BadlyWiredDog's idea isn't bad, and would avoid the flattened bit of Rushup. If you've done most other stuff in the area and are keen to stick to Mam Tor then this is what I'd do. It's 12.5 miles, easily done in a couple of hours.
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thanks all for the help, I'll have a think about some of the suggestions and modify the route.