A couple of mates and I are planning a trip up to the peaks next month and fancy doing the MBR Killer Loop of Dark Peak which is about 28 miles.
Anyone live near by, have any experience of the area, have you done the loop, is it worth doing or can you recommend an alternative?
Then on the Sunday we plan to do a second shorter ride in the area before going home what would you recommend?
Pictures of the area would be great.

Something in the back of my mind is saying that MBR rode it the wrong way around – much better in reverse of their description.

Might be wrong.

Rachel

there was the ladybower one in the mag the other month which they've only gone and done the right way around this time (in my opinion).

You really can't go that wrong around Ladybower Reservoir or Hope/Edale. Get your hands on the Vertebrate Publishing Dark Peak guide if you can or go in and talk nicely to the folks in 18Bikes in Hope.

Bear in mind the hills are steep and the area's pretty rocky so you won't cover the mileage you would in some other parts of the country.

I was there at the weekend and did the ladybower lite (20km) with the girlfriend from Jon Barton's route book. It was ace! There are plenty of longer routes in the book too and it was easy to follow, especially with an OS map as back-up. The times given seem accurate for an average MTBer which is handy if you don't have experience of the area

tommid – Drop me a mail with your address and I'll post out a couple of routes if you want. e-mail in profile

Carl

Is this the one you are referring to: http://www.mbr.co.uk/route_maps/northern/peak_district/MBR_Routes__Killer_Loops_article_123132.html

I did a section of this on Sunday without realising: "While Hingcliff Hill is scrubbed off fairly rapidly before a short drop. Save your breath, as the 500m-plus climb over Cut Gate Path is fast approaching. Thankfully the rewards are large: a descent going from flat-out to a rock-picking test of gradient and boulder-step nerve." I did it as a 50mile loop in training for Kielder. Out from north of Holmfirth, over the tops and then the easier B-roads on the return.

Hingcliff Hill was trying. A long singletrack ascent on loose rocks and difficult in parts to get traction. The Cut Gate Path was, for me, walking speed in parts. Mud, bogs, rocks, mud, water, and soft grass. Totally energy sapping and not something I could ride up/through with much momentum. Bloody hard work, but the top was reached before not too long then it is great descent down to the reservoirs. Some of it too steep / technical for me so it was walking time again.

We've had a LOT of rain here since Sunday, I'd not like to think what the tops would be like without a day or two to dry off.

The full loop via Doctors Gate looks like fun for another day.

Full loop via Dr Gate = not fun!! Really not into the whole 7+ uphill miles on the A57 or the long boring run back along the Trans Pennine before getting back on to the moors.
A fun day out for me = Cut Gate starting from near The Ladybower Pub and going up past Cutthroat Bridge over Whitstone Lee Tor and down to Fairholmes and then out and back over Cut Gate, be sure to take the route back from Slippery Stones down the opposite side of the reservior and up to Lockerbrook Farm, down past Hagg Farm, Right at the road and left and left again up Blackley Clough, finish with the Beast and a nice easy fire road back to the Dam.

AndrewBF that is the route, hadn't realised that it was partly on the A57, that changes things…

I did this a few years ago, when I didn't know any better, having just moved to the area. Its just the 'Round of Bleaklow', as described in Jon Barton's book.

Boring along to Woodhead, in fact pretty dull until Cut Gate, then goes the 'wrong way' over Cut Gate, as the long fast descent heading north is one of the best in the Peak IMO. Long dull section of wide track alongside the reservoirs, then A57 on a Bank Holiday weekend up to Snake Pass, followed by Doctor's Gate!

Make sure you do it with very good friends!

Miles better things to do in the Peak. Try heading along the Pennine Bridleway from Hayfield to Rushup Edge, part way up that, then hang left onto Chapel Gate, down that, up Jacob's Ladder to Edale Cross then across to Kinderlow End and Middle Moor. Back along the road to Hayfield.

Many, many other top options without riding a MTB up Snake Pass on August Bank Hol!

If you pop in and see us en-route then we have plenty of rides mapped on the shop ride board that you can have a look at…..we can also point you in a couple of other directions…..Jon's new edition is also a real help if you're around for a few days….good value really…

Not sure about up Jacobs ladder though!!

Scott

thebiketree

Yeah, Doctors Gate is a really one of those "do it once then never again" types, it's not all that rideable, the lower sections suffer badly in wet weather and it's a 7 mile climb on a busy A road to get to the start of it!

Loads of much better routes in the Peaks. It was reasonably dry on Sunday, a few boggy patches but holding up surprisngly well. Had a fair bit more rain since then mind. Hope, Edale or Hayfield are all good starting points for the common routes. Marple or New Mills for some of the lesser ridden stuff.

And Edale loop on Saturday with an out and back trip over Cut Gate on sunday seems a good option for you.

There are a million opinions on the best way to do each section of bridleway way but in reality you generally have to ascend on a cracking bit of trail you wished you were riding down and then you go down a similar bit the other side.

Dont worry about ascending or descending Jacobs ladder, although you may not be able to ride up it all most is rideable and it really isnt very long.

We've had a LOT of rain here since Sunday, I'd not like to think what the tops would be like without a day or two to dry off.

I drove up from Peterborough to do Cut Gate on Tuesday, did it for the first time a fortnight ago where unfortunately my Sheffield biker buddy broke his wrist….It was 'interesting' with the extra water. Both the swimming pools on the ground and driving horizontally in my face. Wasn't going to give up tho as had driven 2hrs dammit! 😉

Imagine its a even worse now now tho.

do the jacobs ladder route, don't know the name of all the climbs but its about 20 miles all in with some hard steep climbs but some awesome descents.