I'm trying to plot a route that will get me on to the bridleway section of the Cown Edge Way south east of Robins Hood Picking Rods.
I can see the way as far as Shiloh Rd via Pole Lane or Primrose Lane just beyond Cobden Edge. A couple of bridleways further up go off on one but if they're cack, I might as well stay on Shiloh Rd rather than link up disjointed bridleways.
Is the footpath section(s) of Cown Edge Way fair biking game up there? It's very close to the National Park at that point. I just about get away with round here.
Any help gratefully received.

I *think* I understand

From the end of Pole Lane, I'd head to this point – http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=399477&Y=388810&A=Y&Z=115

easiest to head along Shiloh road and take a left. Follow it through to Mellor Hall
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=398444&Y=388962&A=Y&Z=115

and out at Hollywood End,
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=399006&Y=389487&A=Y&Z=115

then drop through Smithy Lane
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=399131&Y=389964&A=Y&Z=115

which is the bridleway you want to reach, yes?

If not, stick up (or mail me) a map link of where you;re trying to get from and too and I'll see if I know the tracks 😉

Partial answer – I've never had any issues with walkers riding up there. The stuff along the edge then dropping down the Coach Road into Charlesworth is nice btw, in a singletracky way – Try not to ride off the edge.. Also at least one nice techy descent down to the Monk's Road. Shiloh Road/Gunn Road are quiet and nice enough. If there are spectacularly interesting bridleways around there, I've not found them yet. You can kind of thread your way over from Mellor way but there's not much interesting and a fair bit of tarmac.

As for the rest, I can't find my 1:25,000 map, so mostly I have no idea what you're on about 🙂

Doh, never mind. What NBT said basically. It's all quite mellow. I haven't ridden that footpath section you're on about, maybe I should go and have a look at it later, normally go straight down Smithy Lane. If you carry on to the next left along, Gird Lane, I think, there's a section of amusing bed rock steppy stuff in the middle of it.

Gird Lane, not Grid Lane. Did that on Sunday for the first time in about five years. Had forgotten how nice it is

Yeah, it's okay isn't it. Doesn't really go anywhere, but mildly entertaining.

I've also never had issues riding Cown Edge, including taking largeish groups when farmer was in the field. I do a route from Charlesworth to Chinley and back again. We tend to stick close to the edge on the way out (interesting on a very windy day) and cut across the field (NNE from SK014910) on the way back.

Thanks for the replies. I've not got a map to hand now but I'm trying to link something up from Mellor Cross to the Picking Rods by as much bridleway as possible but not adding on huge pointless miles or tracks that are as dull as dishwater. I might as well stay on the lanes until I get to the bridleway near the Picking Rods if that's the case.
I think I'll go for a ride up there tonight with the map.

Smithy Lane's a nice enough descent, worth doing for sure. Might be easier to do Gibb Lane from the top of Linnet's Clough and straight up to Mellor church

"on to the bridleway section of the Cown Edge Way south east west of Robins Hood Picking Rods."
Whoopsie- I was holding the map upside down :-}

I knew what you meant, since there isn't a bridleway section of the cown edge way south east of RHPR 🙂

I went over again from work last night past the Picking Rods and into Mellor. I've found some really nice bridleways and a couple of very worthwhile singletrack footpaths.
A word of warning though, the farmer whose field backs on to Mellor church REALLY doesn't like cyclists. It was a race between me getting up the gert steep hill and through the churchyard and him getting into his house and back out again with his shotgun and pack salt.
I was mightily impressed with my climbing ability on the back of a 33 mile ride at that point that also included going up Chunal. I didn't realise I had the ability :-}
He may not have meant what he said but I believed him. Miserable arse!

😯 ❗

I know the track you mean, we've considered it in the past. He's the one who keep old army vehicles in his yard?

In all seriousness, it's worth dropping a line to the ROW officer @ stockport. Even if it's "only" a footpath, that classification is "without prejudice to higher rights", and threatening to shoot you is behaviour the police will be interested in – to the point where they may remove his shotgun and licence

That's the bugger! I'm going to snitch on him.

If you do, make sure you stress that you genuinely belived he was going to shoot you. Even if he was just threatening, the fact that you you believed him means it's an offence