Hi,

Can anyone suggest a dry route from Hayfield/Birch Vale for this weekend? I’ve been off the bike for 6 months so fitness is pretty poor, but looking for a couple of hours worth. I was thinking of Chinley Churn and New Allotments but the last time I was up there it was a bog.

Thanks

Oaken Clough / Jacob’s ladder / CHapel Gate / Roych clough will be your best bet at the moment if you want to avoid boggy surfaces

I was thinking of Chinley Churn and New Allotments but the last time I was up there it was a bog.

Still is and it’s chucking it down at the moment.
About the only suitable rocky route round there is the Hayfield Classic loop:
Hayfield, Mt Famine/South Head, Roych Clough, Rushup Edge (some rocky, some will be boggy although some of the worst of it got resurfaced earlier this year), Mam Tor (again, choose your route carefully, that can be a bogfest in places), Jacobs Ladder, Coldwell Clough.

My normal add on, turning off right on the descent down to Coldwell Clough and going across Broad Clough will also be hub deep in places.

Surprisingly, Middle Moor descent (Shooting Cabins) actually isn’t too bad although there are some big gritty puddles!

The Hayfield/Edale loop might be quite a testing one after 6 months off, might not be..

Might be worth thinking about Going from Hayfield out to Marple way and back.. It dosn’t get to boggy round that way

Yep, like Martyn says, the Marple/Mellor side of things is a bit more wet weather friendly and if you’re been off your bike for six months, a bit less hilly. Some of those Middle Moor puddles are surprisingly deep btw and the bridleway that runs up from Aspenshaw Hall is closed due to water damage and not rideable anyway, unless you’re some sort of mega-being.

The Fox Inn bridleway descent is closed too, but you can ride it without any problems, access via the pub car park.