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One of the other MTB magazines has a Hayfield loop route in it this month. Looking for something different to our usual Ladybower loop and wondered if this one was worth a try?
Looking at the map, the route goes...
Hayfield > Birch Vale (past a quarry) > Shedyard Farm > Peep o Day > Coldwell Clough > Broad Clough > Farlands Booth > Middle Moor > Plainsteads > Matley Moor > Brookhouses > Lantern Pike > Hayfield
Will this give us as much winch/plummet bang for our buck as Ladybower or is it more of an old school XC slog?
It's only 24km or so, so is it worth extending up and over Jacob's Ladder and back via Roych Clough and Mount Famine?
Cheers in advance.
Yes, I think you will find that a bit old school compared to Ladybower. Climbs are quite steep so depends how fit you are if thinking of extending
Definitely worth it - the descent down Middlemoor is great! And you could extend as suggested but it's a good ride by itself.
A Hayfield / Jacobs / Hope / Hollins Cross / Mam Tor / Rushup Edge / Roych Clough / Hayfield loop is a common one. If you want extra distance and are feeling good from Mam Tor drop down to Limestone Way / Cavedale / Castleton / Broken Road / Mam Tor
Edale not Hope above - sorry
I don't dare ride the loop jambalaya has highlighted above because I don't want to see how much DCC have ruined Rushup Edge. 🙁
It's a nice ride, not as technical - mostly - as Ladybower, but with some really good bits and lots of potential for adding more if you know where you're going.
If you do decide to do it, do yourselves a favour and consider using the permissive footpath that leads up from the bottom of Middle Moor to the road junction with the Monks Road higher up. It may not be legit, but it cuts out a nasty section of road climbing starting with a blind, uphill, lefthand bend and with not really enough room to pass a bike into oncoming traffic, though some idiots still try it.
And yes, the Middle Moor section makes a nice extension to a Roych/Jacob's Ladder loop.