…isn’t the Derwent Valley area. Over-rated descents (the Beast anyone?) and a real sense of not actually going anywhere. Is it just me?

Not a troll.

I enjoy the beast, but Jacobs ladder (south to north) not so.

It all gets better once you start getting over towards Kinder. I just find that the immediate area around Derwent/Ladybower feels like a badly designed trail centre rather than a good “out there” mountain bike ride. Some of it I love but whenever I do a ride there I finish feeling a little empty.

the best riding in the peak district isn’t on bridleways – which are mostly cack.

the beast is particularly dull. it’s about as rubbish a way to use up all that lovely height as i can imagine; too steep and rocky to ride brake-less, not steep or techy enough to be interesting, and 3 corners – so no points for swoopiness either.

woo.

similar grumbles can be directed at more or less every bridleway in the park. The footpaths however are just brilliant!

It’s bridleways around a reservoir in the heart of the busiest National Park in the world… I’m not sure you are ever gonna get ‘away from it’ in the Derwent Valley!

But what’s wrong with the Beast, or the Lockerbrook descents, or Blackley Clough, or Whinstonelee Tor to Cutthroat Bridge? They are all pretty good fun if you ask me! Then there’s the Cut Gate descent into the valley… which certainly had me clenching at times!

Maybe go for longer rides that go somewhere?

I’m not sure you are ever gonna get ‘away from it’ in the Derwent Valley!

Not quite the same as what I said or at least meant. I know I’m not going to have the place to myself and I know where to ride if that is what I’m after. It is the feeling of never actually being very far from where you start that bothers me. It all feels a bit “safe”. With the exception of maybe Cut Gate I can’t imagine being out of a ride and feeling a “long way from home”.

As for the descents, the Cut Gate one is great. I didn’t have Cut Gate on my mind when writing this. I’ve done the Beast on a variety of bikes from 6″ full sussers to 25 year old fully rigid steel jobbies. I’ve never got to the bottom thinking “Wow!” Same with Blackley Clough, which is little more than a “point and shoot”.

I’ve never truly got to the bottom of what I’ve got against this area and hoped someone might have felt the same and articulated it better for me 😀

What about the stuff you’ve done in Hope Valley dan?

Hi Chris, I thought you might pop up 😀

I do much prefer Hope Valley to Derwent, definitely. Rushop Edge, Chapel Gate, Hollins Cross and over to Hayfield are all ace as well as the stuff on the White Peak side (when’s the next pootle?). It is specifically the “up from the reservoir, down again, up again, down again” of Derwent that bugs me sometimes, although I do like the tomato soup at the Fairholmes cafe

Try Hayfield / Chinley / Kinder / Matley Moor for a change.

I’m pretty well versed in what else the Peak District has to offer, I just wondered if it was just me that had this possibly irrational dislike of a lot of Derwent. Mud, grit, axle deep puddles, loose rocks. What’s not to like? I think I’ve spent too much time riding in the sun on dry and solid trails 😆

I think it depends how you ride stuff. The Beast is fun. Not especially difficult to “get down”, but bloody hard work to ride properly quick, without making mistakes. Awhiles – you say

too steep and rocky to ride brake-less

.Well there’s a challenge in itself. To ride it brakeless. It’s easy enough to bimble along in your comfort zone, push outside that and it might start getting a bit more worthwhile. The same is true of most of the trails. You have to push yourself(whatever bike you’re on) to get the most out of them.

There’s enough legal variations in the area that you can do a selection of different rides. Add in the *koff* “less than legal” stuff and you’ve got a fantastic area to ride in. I agree it’s hardly the last wilderness, but in someways that’s part of it’s attraction. It’s also quite handy if your billy-no-mates and like riding on your own, as you’re never too far from civilsation.

i love the area, i did the beast for the first time last time i went, and found it to be pretty cool, its definitely quite technical getting down there at any speed, which is surely a good thing in itself?? i find and do a pretty much different ride everytime i head over that way, lots of different routes to do even if only in the same sort of area! i think its a bit ungrateful in a way to be honest, as there are riders that live in cambs/lincs etc that only have flat land and would love to have such niceties on there doorstep 🙂 why not go for a ride down cambs, come back up to the ladybower area and see if it doesnt give you a thrill 😆 not having a pop, we all get bored, but its possible up there to find new stuff on every ride 🙂 even if its not entirely legal 😉

will admit is slightly poop now the weathers turned wet and ming 🙁 it was so lovely going up there in the dry periods

and there are lots of places to tag on too, you could be out for anything from an hour to 9 hours if your legs can take it….

yes. its my favourite area to ride 🙂

as you’re never too far from civilsation.

I reckon this I think is exactly why it is not my favourite area to ride.

…

ride it brakeless

I think riding the Beast brakeless would need a spotter on each corner to make sure no horses/walkers/other bikers were in the way. Coming around one of those corners at speed and finding a horse coming the other way could be a recipe for disaster. Modern bikes are allowing “us” to go faster without necessarily requiring more skill. Having witnessed two riders hurtle down the Beast straight into our group of riders waiting by the gate at the bottom (not actually making contact might I add, but intimidating none-the-less) I can see accidents a-coming. That’s another topic entirely…

when its raining the views can be a bit poor i’ll give you that

Regarding the Beast. I see alot of folk trying to ride it faster but by going up the sides missing out the larger rocks.

Try riding the really hard bits in the middle of the track, and take your time to do it clean.

In answer to my OP, maybe it IS just me 😕

Horses on the Beast?? Are we talking about the same trail?

In all my years riding in that area (which is a lot) I’ve never seen horses on there. Plus there isn’t a gate at the bottom of what I call the Beast.

Where do you mean stilltortoise?

I thought the Beast was very difficult, I must be shite!
(in my defence I did do right down the middle of the path)

I thought the Beast was very difficult, I must be shite!

It’s difficult to ride WELL. Subtle difference! 😉
Most people can get down it with maybe a foot down here or there or an emergency handful of brake along the way but to ride it fast and smooth takes some doing.

i got down the beast, a mate went straight over the bars, no damage done fortunately, went down a few steepish drop offs on it too, not going lightening fast, but its pretty hard to go fast down that sort of terrain, if you can go down that at a mega speed then you are a pretty good rider imo…….i just enjoyed it as i found it quite technical rather than just plough on down through some rocks, there is a bit of thought and skill to get down it rather that some of the point and hope for the best type ones around there…i didnt dabble once mind, i got to the bottom at my own pace without coming off, not sure id be able to do it once it gets wet down there though, as i bet its slippy as hell on some of those rocks

horses/walkers/other bikers. It all amounts to the same potential hazard.

The Beast, at the end of the rockiest section, has a gate that takes you straight ahead onto an easy trail on the side of the reservoir, or doubles back on itself on much easier trail to the Snake road. If you’re headed for the Snake road you won’t actually pass thru’ the gate.

pretty much in the middle of here, just to the south of Haggwater Bridge

Ker-chung!

The penny has dropped, I know the gate you mean. We are talking about the same place. 🙂

if you all hate it and think its over rated go ride somewhere else

next pootle is Oct 9th I believe but i can’t go!

mmm, might struggle with that too 🙁

if you all hate it and think its over rated go ride somewhere else

Just ‘cos it is not my favourite riding does not mean I hate it. Maybe I just need to save it for long, dry summer days, *sigh*

Next pootle is indeed October 9th but is staying around the Marple, New Mills, Rowarth area. I think that the trails here are among the best in the Peak even if you don’t get the grandeur of the views.

Jon’s comments about the Beast are spot on (but then he can ride). The faster you ride something the more challenging it becomes. Last time down I remember offering to race a guy on an Enduro motor cross bike. I won!

There was a video posted on here a short while ago of someone taking in the most amazing, but not legal, drop down towards Fairholmes. It looked **** amazing.

Can anyone point out the video, or, dare I say, the path?

i think you’ve already said too much…

(not being arsey – but that’s a very ‘sensitive’ trail…)

I hear you ahwiles and no arseyness inferred.

geetee1972! maybe interested in this, do you have a potential route i can view please? not done anything that i know of around that area so would be cool to check out potential stuff see if rings a bell!

shush.

Geetee – *that* trail – I’ve now done it twice. First time bone dry. **** tough, but doable. I then tried it again when just slightly moist – really, really hairy, and not in a nice way. I really wouldn’t bother again in anything but a heatwave.

Didzy – you mean you’re interested in the peaks pootle on October 9th? NBT is going to plan the route but it will start around Roman Lakes and head over towards Rowarth Mill. Not sure what else he has planned but it will all be good stuff.

I then tried it again when just slightly moist – really, really hairy, and not in a nice way. I really wouldn’t bother again in anything but a heatwave.

Could you compare it to say something like Egypt at Gawton in the wet or say Mynydd Du or the steep techy stuff to the left of The Plenny run (do you know the area I mean?) They would be about the hardest things I’ve ridden in the wet.

GeeTee – have mailed you.

Not quite the same as what I said or at least meant. I know I’m not going to have the place to myself and I know where to ride if that is what I’m after. It is the feeling of never actually being very far from where you start that bothers me. It all feels a bit “safe”. With the exception of maybe Cut Gate I can’t imagine being out of a ride and feeling a “long way from home”.

Ace, I like the Peak because it pretty much is home. If you want to feel more exposed, go ride Cut Gate. At night. On your own. In the snow. Without your mobile phone. And then come back and tell us how near to everything you are. If you want to feel a long way from home, go ride in some wild corner of the Scottish highlands or mid-Wales or Alaska. Sounds like you’re the one with the problem, not the Peak District…Been spending too much time with Bear Grylls eh?

I guess what I’m trying to say is that you seem to be laying into the Derwent Valley area because your own expectations of it are skewed, which just seems unfair. It is what it is. I like it just for its warm familiarity, compactness, a lot of good memories and I don’t expect it to be anything else. 😉

My favourite bits are nearer to Hayfield. It doesn’t get so crowded, and is near to home.

I love the Peak/s

And the Peaks love you bunnyhop