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Plotted a route for this weekend to include 4 descents and ending with a nice gentle downhill back to Hathersage. Picked to go up Stanage plantation and down the causeway as this would seem the best route as then rolling on to Bamford Clough. Then round to Hope cross to descend the Beast and then Gores farm. Not looking to extend it but any cheeky tips to make it shorter welcomed but bear in mind we will be doing it saturday afternoon. Was considering going from bamford to Aston and then up Hope Brink to meet the roman road but figured it would be quicker going on tarmac.
Many thanks.
https://www.justgoride.co.uk/routes/11228
Awesummmms.... got pretty much all the best bits of the Peak in a nice little bundle.
I'm sure you know that the Plantation will be a carry, unless you are very strong. I'd do a loop so you ride up the surfaced Causeway and down the Plantation and back round to Bamford.
And last time I looked, which was months ago, Bamford Clough was closed. Hopefully someone will have some more up to date info for you.
Yeah I did think it would be a carry up the plantation, it looks mercifully short on the map.
From info on the web it looks like Bamford clough was set to be reopened april 2015 (which is now, hooray) so could do with info from anyone who's been there recently. But there's closed and there's closed 😉 It looks like it can easily be replaced with hurst clough though.
edit: closed?
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You've got a lot of road in there, which isn't usually necessary in the Dark Peak. I'd also definitely echo the comments about Stanage - you'll be carrying up a cracking (albeit possibly busy) technical descent and rattling down a cleanable climb. Of course, if you're after a big tour of different areas and don't want anything too tech, then go for it - but you're inclusion of the Beast suggests not.
Do you need to start from Hathersage? You could start nearer to the Beast and loop over to Winstoneleetor after Ladybower. And then head over to Shatton Moor and Castleton on the way back, thus keeping the length similar.
I would very much swap your Stanage options round. The Plantation is a carry up and a lot of fun down. The Causeway is an easy grind up and a dull as ditchwater sanitised descent.
Bamford clough is officially closed, but practically perfectly rideable, however it's not a great use of height - straight down the hill and some big concrete patches that have very little grip on them - especially now the MXers aren't using it at as it's now getting green and slimy.
My choice of loop would be to go from Yorkshire Bridge up New Road and round to the end of the causeway. Up the Causeway and down the packhorse trail (plantation). Then there's a permissive bridleway that drops down behind the toilets through North Leas onto Birley Lane. Turn R and up to Coggers Lane. R. again and then drop down Hurstclough Lane
(filthy but quite good fun) into Bamford (comes out at the top of Saltergate Lane)
From Bamford you can also take Water Lane, then head up through Thornhill to Aston and then up the b/way onto Win Hill that joins into the Roaman Road not far from the Beast. A bit quieter than the main road.
Essentially that puts the Stanage loop at the end of the ride rather than the beginning, but it'll be all the more fun for it.
definitely should be going up the causeway (it's been resurfaced in the last year and is now smooth - you may have seen different with some older guides online).
going down through plantation is much more fun.
Bamford Clough is still very closed - like barricaded off closed.
Climbing New Road will be a right boring slog on an mtb. Hurstclough Lane is rideable going up (if you're fit).
If you do decide to do Bamford Clough, its easy enough to get round the fence at the top (follow all the footprints). Watch out for the fence at the bottom though as stopping is not so easy...!
(Has anybody actually seen the legendary "exposed cables" that are the reason it's been shut for 18 months now? I've not - despite looking fairly carefully. Can't help feeling if it was electricity cables the 'leccy board would have sorted it PDQ as being a proper hazard and if was internet/phone, then there would have been uproar at the concept of no Facebook in Bamford and so it would have been sorted through customer pressure.)
Thanks Guys & Jon you're advice is always excellent. I think I will take your suggestion and put Stanage at the end & then finish with hurst clough, maybe park in Bamford. Any good pubs recommendations? 🙂
There's also this bridleway down from the reservior:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf?X=419662&Y=384412&A=Y&Z=115&lm=1
Nothing brilliantly exciting but it's not road.
I think I saw the cables on Bamford clough. Near the bottom, just before I said "oh shit, there's a fence"