been over tonight
1st time since it has been worked on/repaired/sanitised.
and i have got to say it is fantastic.
a job well done on what was becoming a ruined track.

good jod, whoever did it………… 8)

I think it's got everything particularly with the North America loop and the descent to Slippery Stones – fast, technical in places, and with the potential to hurt, and most importantly all rideable. The lower section back to Langsett (from Mickleden to the woods) was a bit pedestrian for a while but with passing traffic and weather playing a part it's starting to take on some character. Love it.

I agree.

And it will be even better when it's scrubbed in a bit.

Rode it for the first time on Sunday, thought it was really very good 🙂

other good bits of sanitisation:
Mickle Moss above Staveley
Mosedale from Skiddaw House going east
Flank of Pen-y-Ghent

in each case a floundering bog rendered rideable but still interesting 🙂

Sorry, but underwhelmed by the whole of Cut Gate to be honest.

Lowey likes Nan Bield
Sfb likes Cut Gate

Cut Gate is a very good example of 'sanitisation' that works. I like.

Agree, its excellent work and given some real character to it rather than just laying down a 2m wide hardpark 'road'.

It's better than some of the hideous bowdlerisation of Peak tracks elsewhere and it's fun to ride, but it has changed the essential character of the route. You can still ride the original line through the rocks where the yellow trail centre stuff is, but it's psychologically hard to do when you know there's a smoother option ten feet to the right.

It's growing on me, I guess, but it's changed it.

I know the chap who did it (I can hint that he may occasionally browse and even post on here) and he'll be chuffed with the positive comments, I'll send him a link.

Lowey likes Nan Bield

he's not right!

Better now its had some rain and made it loose

Can feel another visit before Verbier

Tracey

another positive vote here – i know lots of people on here enjoy a challenge but somewhere the erosion has to end and the track is still good fun and doesn't look like a sustrans route to a tesco

Is it reideable in the wet then?

Right thats it, my week off planned for end of August is being spent in the Peaks. Who wants a moustache ride?

jimmy, i will make a cutgate/doctors gate ride in???

well more rideable in the wet than used to be but still some sections of bogfest that might be considered unpleasant and a tad anti-social to those who like to leave no marks

The North America part still gets quite boggy in the wet, our last ride there 2 weeks ago was the first time Ive seen it fully dry in years

Tracey

How technical is it now? Still crazy hard, or worth mere mortals having a go?

Joe

not technical, just very fast and very very good fun.

did the cutgate ride from langstaff last night and it's still a great ride. didn't know it before sanitisation so can't really compare but the descents both ways off the top are both amazing and don't really seem sanitised (apart from the slabs heading down towards derwent). the descent back to lagsett is just the nuts! very fast & very fun 😀

were you in a large group going up whan a smaller group were coming down peachos??

Still crazy hard, or worth mere mortals having a go?

it never was crazy hard – just interesting 🙂

simonfbarnes – Member

Still crazy hard, or worth mere mortals having a go?

it never was crazy hard – just interesting

bit like nan bield………………soft lad 😉

technical? less so than other Peak routes i can't do – more like just a lot of it and if you easily get fed up with a bit of dabbing and pushing if you pick the wrong line then can be a bit dispiriting – but the location and easier bits more than make up for it

@lowey

Sorry, but underwhelmed by the whole of Cut Gate to be honest.

Glad I'm not the only one. I have to say I feel the same way about much of the Dark Peak, I rode most of the 'big' routes round there in the 90s and never really got very excited by it all.

Still prefer the southern end's switchbacks 🙂

Once folowed a friend down there and looked arround to work out where he'd got to?????? Turns out he's missed the switchback and sailed straight over the cliff, somehow riding it out!!!! Brave idiot, i'd have bricked myself at the first realisation i'd missed the corner and ditched into a hedge.

I have to say I feel the same way about much of the Dark Peak,

so that's it ? Dark Peak: nothing to see here folks ??
Actually The Lakes are dead boring too, just some hills and stuff 🙁

Ton – Cutgate + Moontrail (Ladybower Inn) + Win Hill + Beast + the descent back down to Ladybower (by the outdoor pursuits centre) + Cutgate return.

Thats being done, along with Jacobs Ladder another day. *quiver* I can't wait.

Never got on with Doctor's gate (just once). Feel free to enlighten me on that one, though.

DoctorRad – Member

@lowey

Sorry, but underwhelmed by the whole of Cut Gate to be honest.

Glad I'm not the only one. I have to say I feel the same way about much of the Dark Peak, I rode most of the 'big' routes round there in the 90s and never really got very excited by it all.

Wow. Its the best riding in the country IMHO.

@jimmy

Wow. Its the best riding in the country IMHO.

IMHO, in terms of rideability, variety and sheer volume of trails, Calderdale whips the Dark Peak's ass. That said, the Dark Peak is better in a group than solo, it's bleak on your own.

Each to their own I suppose…

jimmy, let me know when and where…………. 😀

How technical is it now? Still crazy hard, or worth mere mortals having a go?

I never rode it pre erosion works, but nowhere on it I would have considered technical. Couple of drops on the steep bit to Howden, but nothing to get concerned about, and I'm a hopeless rider on rocky stuff.

I think my problem was that I was expecting the Holy Grail of trails after hearing so much about it. IN reality its a nice out and back, but nothing outstanding.

I liked the remote feel, it was nice on a solo ride, alone with your thoughts.

15 years ago it was bad erosion wise and that includes the bogs
i suppose in the inrerests of keeping it usable something was needed eventually..god forbid if a rambler fell over on a non paved walk in the great outdoors

however back then was when it really was a good ride and it was as good as anything else out there in the peaks…now…in my opinion its been tamed down so much itdoesn't quite make the B list

far more interesting stuff a bit further down the road if you can find it

Had been thinking of asking same question as original post.

For those who havent ridden Cut Gate pre-work the sections that changed were (South to North). From just before where you enter the river bed to the second set of pitching at the North end of Mickleden Edge. The wall at the south end of Mickleden Edge to the bridge at the reservoir. Coronation St on the otherside was part of work by Yorkshire Water. Dont know who did the stone slabs on the Derwent Valley side.

The contractor who did the work was Terra-Firma, same guys who did the bulk of Lee Quarry and just done new build pennine bridleway north of Gorple Road. Hadnt ridden any of it pre-work but quite like the hairpins / pitching / drainage bars near the North End. Although its prob needs 12months to settle.

Right, after reading this Im doing Cut Gate instead of the Kinder Circuit on Saturday 🙂