[Closed] Peak District: Dr's Gate and Cut Gate Pass - Worth it?

You can do a proper biggish day taking in Cut Gate and the Roych or Jacob's Ladder which avoids the whole Doctor's Gate/A57 scenario and, if you know what you're doing, also avoid the Woodhead by cutting over from Langsett and using the disused railway line - part of the TPT to Dunford Bridge then up to the Longdendale Trail. It's a bit over 40 miles, but if you're reasonably fit it's a very doable day ride. I don't have a GPX but I'm sure you could create one on an online route planning site.

As for 'worth it', I love Cut Gate, it's a brilliant bit of rocky, techy trail with a bit of a wilderness feel, but I'm sure someone will be along in a minute to tell you that it's over-rated garbage. Not a fan of Doctor's Gate, though again some folk love it.

cutgate is really good, have heard very mixed reports of doctors. Normally do CG as an out and back with some stuff around ladybower, might have a look at bwd's route tho for future.

Or you could do a Cut Gate "lollipop" from Langsett - out over Cutgate to Howden Reservoir, then fireroad down the reservoir to Whinstone Lee Tor, up to the Roman Road, down the Beast or Blackley Hey, up Rowlee Farm, down Lockerbrook then follow the res back up to Slippery Stones and back across Cut Gate.

no GPX I'm afraid, but that should be close to 40 miles, with close to bugger all road too.

I did it last year. Doubt I'll be doing it again. Dr's Gate has a lot of unrideable bits, which although quite short are spread regularly along the trail which make it quite frustrating as you're always off and on the bike. And if you're not confident on steep techy rocks and boulders with high consequence off-potential it'll be more like a long walk. The road feels bad but isn't that long, about 3 miles and being an A-road the cars speed past so you need to be ok with that.

For a long route taking in Cut Gate what about: Edale - Jaggers Clough - Hope Cross - The beast - Hagg Fm - Lockerbrook - along the west side of Derwent Resevoir - Cut Gate out - Langsett - Cut Gate back (via the North America Bridleway) - down the east side of Derwent - Whinstone Lee Tor - Across Ladybower dam to Hope - Pindale - Across to Mam Tor - Descend back to Edale.

Lots of variations you can do on that above to make it easier/harder as required, and it save Jacob's for Sunday still. Sorry don't have a tracklog for that precise route but will try to dig out some strava logs with most of it.... (back in a bit)

Edit: just for clarity, Dr's Gate is the bit I wouldn't do again, Cut Gate is brilliant and I'd do it every week if I lived near it.

Both Dr's & Cut Gate are great trails in their own right, but I'm not a fan of the "official" loop.

Dr's Gate is definitely a "need to be in the right frame of mind" trail. I've not met anubody who's claimed to have ridden the entire thing clean, although as a group, I did it once where everything got ridden by somebody. The Snake Pass climb is fine, a bit dull, but it deosn't take *too* long. The crap bit is the return from Glossop to Langsett. The snow road (not ridden it in years) is ****ing awful.

I tend to do it (maybe once a year) from Edale. Jaggers Clough, Roman Road down to the Snake, up to Dr's Gate, down into Glossop, then up the side of the golf club (quiet road) and head towards the A624, up to the top, over Middle Moor to the shooting cabins, then down to Kinder Res. Then you can either go into Hayfield and onto the usual climb up to JL, or up towards Broad Clough, and join the Oaken Clough climb half way up, down JL back to Edale.

Cut Gate, you can do as a there and back (both ways are good climbs and good descents), quite easily from Fairholmes (take the turn for N. America as you head north, then do an anti clock loop into Langsett and back over. Or if you want to make a decent day of it, do it from Hope.

ill go for neither is worth it and there is much better stuff,

Dr's gate is pretty unrideable at times, and cut gate going north is such a drag

i like edale loop followed by jaggers, then down the beast, up past hagg farm, down to derwent, round the reservoir, pie and peas in the cafe, up slab climb, along the top, down to ladybower inn, have a pint, up win hill (awful) back down jaggers to edale, then loop in reverse or home depending on the legs

Cut Gate is a supurb bit of trail, and best ridden in both directions to appreciate it fully. Why not start Saturday at Langsett, over Cut Gate in the morning and then there's plenty to link to around Ladybower (Derwent Moor, The Beast, Hagg Farm, Hope Cross etc, etc) before the return leg back over Cut Gate? Sun you could do Mam Tor, Rushup edge, Hayfield and Jacobs Ladder.

Wouldn't bother with Doctors Gate. Slogged up the A57 once to ride it and was quite dissapointed. Photo's in the guide looked promising but in reality it felt quite broken and just didn't seem to flow as a trail at all.

this recent thread has some good feedback and advice

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/peaks-route-advice-is-this-a-tad-ambitious

Yeah doctors gate isn't worth bothering with. What about a loop round hayfield instead?

Cut gate is a classic especially in this weather, fast as ****! If you don't do it now wait till its frozen!

Thanks for all the help everyone 🙂 After consultation we've decided to ditch doctors gate, primarily to avoid those road miles.

I'm just in the process of marking out a new gpx route in line with dazh's advice above

For a long route taking in Cut Gate what about: Edale - Jaggers Clough - Hope Cross - The beast - Hagg Fm - Lockerbrook - along the west side of Derwent Resevoir - Cut Gate out - Langsett - Cut Gate back (via the North America Bridleway) - down the east side of Derwent - Whinstone Lee Tor - Across Ladybower dam to Hope - Pindale - Across to Mam Tor - Descend back to Edale.

I'm a bit confused at cut gate path where it splits into two just before the north america bridleway.

So, could anyone shed any light on which way is best to go?

If I take the fork right (the eastern side) It looks like I have a fairly gentle descent which steepens towards the bottom at the building. It then looks like theres a longer but more gentle climb back to the fork before I start heading back towards Derwent Resevoir.

If I take the fork left (the western side) It looks like I have a much longer descent (which is less steep) but a bitch of a climb from the building back up to the fork.

This google map shows the part in question - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Langsett/@53.490003,-1.7043039,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x487bd64ef21ad973:0x1eb023998ae0a568

Although 'best' way round is likely to be quite a subjective measure, I'd like to avoid that feeling you get when you realise you've gone the wrong way round something and missed out on some seriously fun bits!

Thanks in advance folks.

p.s.

nbt - Member
this recent thread has some good feedback and advice

http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/peaks-route-advice-is-this-a-tad-ambitious

Thanks for this link - I was a bit too specific in my forum and goog searches and missed this thread.

Just seen JohnEdwards comments about both being good and a little additional searching online seems to say that heading right at the fork is better.

Let me know if i've made a stupid decision though...

Firstly enjoy, the Peak has some fabulous riding. Make sure you stop in at 18 Bikes in Hope, if nothing else to buy a guide book or look at their ride options.

If you are there you should do a loop taking in Derwent views usually involving Winston Lee Tor and add in the Beast or something similar. That could be your short(ish) day.

My favourite long loop is Eadale, Hollins Cross, Mam Tor, cut down to Limestone Way, Cave Dale descent, land-slipped road back up to Mam Tor, Rushup Edge, Roych Clough, Jacobs Ladder, Eadale.

The fact is there is tons of good riding and loop options. That's the beauty of it. Cut gate is a classic ride which I have yet to do.

[quote=singletrackstinker dijo]
I'm a bit confused at cut gate path where it splits into two just before the north america bridleway.
So, could anyone shed any light on which way is best to go?
If I take the fork right (the eastern side) It looks like I have a fairly gentle descent which steepens towards the bottom at the building. It then looks like theres a longer but more gentle climb back to the fork before I start heading back towards Derwent Resevoir.
If I take the fork left (the western side) It looks like I have a much longer descent (which is less steep) but a bitch of a climb from the building back up to the fork.
This google map shows the part in question - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Langsett/@53.490003,-1.7043039,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x487bd64ef21ad973:0x1eb023998ae0a568
Although 'best' way round is likely to be quite a subjective measure, I'd like to avoid that feeling you get when you realise you've gone the wrong way round something and missed out on some seriously fun bits!
Thanks in advance folks.

Personally i'd take the left (western) fork on the way out (heading north) and climb back up the right fork (eastern) on the way back (heading south). CLockwise, if you will. Recently tried the right hand fork as a descent for the first time and it was ok, but I prefer the other as the descent

Just seen JohnEdwards comments about both being good and a little additional searching online seems to say that heading right at the fork is better.

I don't think there's a right or a wrong way. Personally I'd say that the righthand option - watch out, it's easy to blast past it, but quite obvious on the ground - via North America is a better climb and a more interesting descent as long as it's dry, but equally the other way's fine in either direction too albeit a bit less nadgery going up.

But really, there's no wrong or right way, just a good excuse to come back next time and try the other option.

Thanks again.

This is the track I'm planning on taking - http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=fwrtinovsakqfigk - It's about the distance we're looking to cover. Any thoughts?

I'm also trying to work whether I've made best use of the beginning of the trail - Edale to Jaggers Clough - Should I have followed the road? Or should I take the path to Ollerbrook Booth then on to Nether Booth and Nether Moor?

Also not convinced by Ladybower Dam to Hope to Mam Tor - This seems like quite a long road section. Am I missing something obvious?

Looks like a great route.

Just follow the road from Edale to Jaggers clough - no compelling reason to get on the footpaths on that part of the route.

Ladybower to Mam Tor is a decent stretch on tarmac, true, although the broken road ascent up to Mam Tor is unique. You could plan an option here depending on how you were all feeling - pindale bridleway climb (brutal), dirtlow rake then over to cavedale back down to Castleton. Cavedale is a celebrated descent - starts easy but gets v difficult. If you can ride that clean, on sight, then you've got some skills.

Thanks Garry.

I've included a variation with Cavedale but I'm not sure whether we'll end up including it as it pushes us to just under 6k feet climbed in one day.

Loads of great advice in this thread... Thanks all!

So, could anyone shed any light on which way is best to go?

Wow! Someone's using a route I suggested 😯

Definitely take the left fork (clockwise as nbt said). It's a fantastic fast flowy downhill which is much longer that North America Bridleway, which is more rutted and cut up. Also there's a steep rocky section at the end to take you down to Langsett which wouldn't be much fun as a climb if you do it the other way.

Enjoy. The trails round there are amazing. When you get to the top of Dirtlow Rake after Pindale, and if you've plenty energy left and fancy a technical challenge, turn right and go down Cavedale. There'll be lots of walkers on it but they'll stare in amazement that people are riding down it on bikes 🙂 There's a fantastic chippy in Castleton too as a reward.

Also not convinced by Ladybower Dam to Hope to Mam Tor - This seems like quite a long road section. Am I missing something obvious?

There's a way to avoid the road but it adds in two more hills. When you get to the Laydbower Inn after Whintsone Lee Tor, carry on along the A57 across the reservoir then turn right towards Derwent. After about a mile turn left next to a carpark and climb steeply up to Open Hagg. Follow it and then descend the Zig-zags to Hagg Farm (another fantastic descent BTW). Trace the route back toward The Beast, but carry on past the bottom of it alongside the reservoir. After about 1km turn right steeply up a track, at the top turn right and go through the trees (slightly cheeky this bit) at Wooler Knoll which takes you back onto the ridge above Hope. From there you can carry on down to Hope (via a very nice bit of cheeky singletrack) and pick up the road to Castleton, or turn right and retrace your route back to Edale.

[url= http://www.strava.com/activities/57319394 ]This route[/url] has the route described above on it.

tips on that route

I see you've chose to do "Fluffy Kittens"* after Jaggers Clough. While you *can* corss the A57 and push up the Hagg Farm switchbacks, it's entirely likely that you will indeed push up the Hagg Farm switchbacks. You can consider {cough} *pushing* {cough} your bikes along the trail which starts towards the bottom of the descent (around 53.392506,-1.758390) and follows the river Ashop northwards. This leads you out at the bottom of the much easier concrete switchbacks climb.

After the Whinstone Lee Torr climb and descent, when you cut due east just below the dam at yorkshire bridge you can get on the old railway for a while (marked as Thornhill trail) - it cuts off to your right as you cycle along

From Mam nick, you can (and should) take the bridleway that goes off to your left and down to Greenlands to meet up with the dogleg route you suggest via Hollins Cross. It's known as the Toboggan Run and is a much betterdescent

*the trail formerly known as The Beast

BTW the climb that DazH describes is a pretty good alternative to going round the outside of Win Hill - it's a permissive bridleway so nothing cheeky about it at all, AFAIK

@singletrack - you are right to ask advice re-timing etc as in my experience riding in the Peak is tough, everything takes effort (in a very good way). The climbs are often loose and technical or so steep you end up pushing. The descents likewise. All excellent fun but it seems like nothing is flat ! I did a 20k-ish Jacobs loop and it took me 4+ hours (basically the ride I listed but without the Cavedale section - adding that for me means its a 6 hour ride)