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There's clearly no shortage of good B'ways coming off Hollins Cross in the Peak, but don't seem to see any mention of this one. And in the vertebrate guide I think this one gets ignored completely wheras the Greenlands one is in no less than six routes.
I've only done Backton Farm to Hollins as an ascent, and it was indeed generally too steep to ride up, but it looked like it should be an excellent descent.
Any of you been down it... Any good?
I prefer it than the drop to greenlands. The first bit is a narrow rock path (unless you go wide on the grass but where is the challange in that).
The advantage is it cuts out a fair bit of road when heading towards jaggers. Come to think of it i prefer to climb that way than from greenlands as its not consistant erroded gulleys.
The drop the other side of Hollins cross straight into castelton is also a path less well travelled.
Backton Farm
You mean Backtor Farm ofcourse?
I tend to climb from Barber Booth via Greenland to Hollins, just to go down to Backtor Bridge and then carry on towards Jaggers, Potato Alley and further to Ladybower.
Nice descent, even if it costed me massive off on the ruts before 1st gate and 9 weeks off the bike with inflatable boot on heavily sprained ankle.
Going up is challange in it's own right...
Cheers!
I.
You mean Backtor Farm ofcourse
Oh FFS, I even went into the other room with a pen and paper to consult the map and ensure I got it right and wrote it down.
I am the eppy tome of a useless tube.
Don't tell me you managed to cycle UP the damn thing as well?
Leave me some vestige of dignity, please.
I suck at writing two syllable words and cycling up hills.
You’re right, it’s definitely underrated.
A real top quality descent with a good mix of terrain. The rocky chute after the gate is just awesome.
Going up Hollins Cross from Backtor Bridge for me is probably about 75-80% rideable uphill.
Hence I prefer going up via Greenlands, as that one is 95-100% rideable.
After that just downhill hoot ]:->
And on the subject of BW into Castleton, the one I believe is pointed with an arrow:
Is that really a case? Never tried it before, Google Earth pictures seems to be showing something but not too definitive, rather dificult to distinguish...
Cheers!
I.
I think that has been part of the routes I've done for years up there, some big steps/drops above the farm?
Ruts at the top have also done for me - while the group of scouts watched on
Yeah the one through the gateposts, it's pretty decent.
The one down the front to Castleton (on the map above). Love the last bit after the gate and the biggish rock drop, on the right hand side, easily missed out and ridden past just before the gate!
Down the footpath to Edale, Ramblers Inn, is nice to finish off!! Off the top of Back Tor is good for a laugh on a group ride!
Another victim of the ruts here 🙁
Ruts at the top have also done for me – while the group of scouts watched on
All my best comedy dismounts have been in front of a laughing audience.
And yes, the ruts claimed another victim in me some time ago. I prefer the Greenlands descent...
Backtor is my preferred choice of descent from Hollins Cross, ideal if the gates are held open and you get a continuous run all the way to the farm (never happened to me mind). Easily leads onto Jaggers and cuts a chunk of road out if you've come from Mam Tor or down Jacobs
The descent has a bit of everything, grassy ruts, rocky collapsed wall, rocky ruts, rocky chute, couple of drops to (try and) style it up off and a little grass to let the brakes off on. Always finish it with a smile.
I think I've only ever descended left from Hollins Cross a couple of times and that was when it was a rutty mess. I was okay but not very challenging so tend to ride up it as its a 1/2 decent climb. Heading off the South Side to Castleton is pretty good, but leads to a fair bit of road to wherever your heading next, be it Hope, Pindale or Broken Road.
My favourite route around Hollins Cross is up the broken road then the road to near the top of Mam Tor, down to Greenlands, back up to Hollins and down to Backtor, then over to Ladybower (or back to Ladybower, depending where I've started). I love the Backtor Farm descent, bit of everything, especially when it's dry.
Hollins Cross from Backtor Bridge for me is probably about 75-80% rideable uphill.
Phew. That sounds about right. I thought from your first post that you'd cleaned it or something.
Will tack 'up Greenlands, down BlacktoR ' onto my next ride and try these ruts.
🙂
I've only been down greenlands once, some years ago. It was a bit boring really. The descent to Bactor Farm I've ridden quite a few times and like it. As mentioned above as well, cuts out a load of road if heading to Jaggers Clough
For reference, are we calling the Greenlands descent down from Hollins Cross or down from the road by Mam Tor? 'Cos they're quite different.
Greenlands for me = Descend from Mam Tor bus stop
Yep that's what I think of it as too.
So what's the diagonal descent from Hollins to Greenlands called?
I just choose depending on where I'm going next. If it's up Jaggers, I head right. If I'm off towards Jacob's / Chapel Gate / Edale, I go left. We've always called them the Hollins Cross left and righthand descents respectively for obvious reasons. That chute is brilliant with the right snow...
Has fond memories for me as one of the first trails I rode after thing re-opened post foot and mouth, which seems a while ago now. I don't think it's particularly neglected to be honest.
The one with red arrow I always personally refered as Cold Side descent. That is the one starting from the bus stop at Mam Tor.
One with green arrow if much better option to go up, than slog on tarmac directly from Barber Booth.
Not sure if it has any name as map is not returning anything in particular.
Backtor descent is much more enjoyable than Cold Side/Greenland imo...
eading off the South Side to Castleton is pretty good, but leads to a fair bit of road to wherever your heading next, be it Hope, Pindale or Broken Road.
Will need to try it as some point even if for experience sake only.
Cheers!
I.
It's the option I choose 99% of the time.
Is that descent back to Casleton any good? It might be a useful bail out option for a ride I'm planning this weekend.
Mam Tor to Castleton is ok, there are some good bits but a lot of it is quite grassy (possibly boggy at the moment) and indistinct, tracks on the ground don't particularly match up with the OS map iirc.
Some of the footpaths are allegedly fun, but I've never tried them.
The horse riders include the Backtor descent on their Kinder Loop route. I guess it's particularly important for them to avoid traffic.
It might be a useful bail out option for a ride I’m planning this weekend.
Whatcha up to?
Need any company? (On a "if I fall behind then leave me " sort of basis)
I'm vaguely thinking of doing the Killer Loop this weekend, or indeed any long ride round that area, but would be good to cycle with someone else for at least part of it.
thegeneralist - it's a get together of some old pals so while I'd normally welcome the company, we'd rather keep to our own company.
I think part of the problem with the Backtor descent is that at this time of year and after this much rain a lot of it is just deep sloppy puddles.
I don’t think I’ve ever ridden backtor so will definitely give it a whirl. I think of Greenland’s as the sunken ruts from the farm to hollins x. Better as a climb I agree. The right hand option back to Castleton is a hoot. High speed wet grass minimal grip cornering into ruts, a big rock drop and then a very narrow rocky gully to finish. What’s not to like?!
Is that descent back to Casleton any good? It might be a useful bail out option for a ride I’m planning this weekend.
It's mostly grassy in the upper stretches with a bit of steep ruttedness, lower down it can get really wet and sloppy then it goes through a narrow gate - or maybe even a stile - onto a narrow, very rocky path that's almost bouldery, but quite entertaining. It's not a classic by any means, but makes a change from the norm.
it’s a get together of some old pals
Righto, understood. Have a great ride. Cheers. 🙂
Mam Tor to Castelton is the easiest one of those descents to go wrong on! If you take the wrong path from the top or miss the right hand turn about half way down, you end up trudging through an absolute bog that goes through the farm!
You should go down the chute below, send it off the top rock step on the right hand side!
Then you end up here:
And yes it is slightly different to how it is shown on the OS map!
Well those image links to monkeyspoon don't work!
Here's a video instead.
ouch!
LOL!!!
Looks naughty in places, thanks for the vid. Now it is probably propper shitfest after the rain, but in dry will definitelly try it out.
Cheers!
I.