A few of us are staying in Edale next weekend for a night and having done the Ladybower classic ride a couple of times (which we really enjoyed on our hardtails) we fancy doing a different ride in the same area. Was thinking of trying either the cut gate ride or maybe Edale/Hayfield loop? Less sure of the second option with hardtails on Jacobs Ladder etc. though 😕

What do you think local experts? Which would be a decent ride for hardtails in current conditions? Feel free to suggest an alternative in the same area, maybe something from Hope?

Cheers 🙂

Maybe try outside of hope as there is some decent riding to be about.

try Justgoride.co.uk

from Edale do Jacobs to Hayfield to Rushup Edge to Mam Tor to Castleton up Broken Rd and back down to Edale. c.40 – 45km, great ride.

How rideable is Jacobs Ladder on a hardtail? I’m sure we would get down but is it much harder than say Haggs Farm descent?

Easier. Much easier. The very top of Jacobs is the only technical bit and it’s not that bad. The rest of it is a not very technical at all descent (unless you’re doing it as climb, in which case it’s a lot of walking).

Jacobs ladder is a walker fest at the weekend mind

Jacobs is good and fairly weather proof, and can be done either way round. 15 miles and 3000ft climb without any extensions, can easily be made longer though by going off past Hayfield or doing Cavedale/Pindale for example.

Jacobs down to Eadale is a fun descent on a hardtail, over all too quickly unfortunately. As a “climb” it would be a walk.

@Poon sent me a great 20+k loop Eadale to Hollins Cross to Mam Tor, Rushap Edge, South Head via Penine Bridleway, Jacobs, Eadale (took me 4+ hrs). We did another ride which included the descent into Castleton down gorge from Limestone Way which was excellent.

” Much easier. The very top of Jacobs is the only technical bit and it’s not that bad. The rest of it is a not very technical at all descent “
Okay if thats your viewpoint (I think there a load of other techy bits to it, though maybe they can be avoided and I cant remember), but if so, how is hagg farm not easier?
Jacobs has more technical going on than Hagg?
And is steeper, and longer, and a bit narrower

Jacobs is alright on a hardtail. Its not going to be easy on your calves but it can be done. Can be done with your saddle all the way up, but you’re not likely to be going as fast if you do.

If you wanted to add in more on the hayfield side, since they levelled chapel gate, thats now a rideable up, so you can cut out mam tor/rushop edge

Jacob’s Ladder is fine on a hardtail. Here’s a vid of me (OK, so I’m on a full sus) with 2 mates on hardtails going down Jacob’s http://vimeo.com/35457265 Had the hills to ourselves that day due to horrendous weather 🙂

If the Hagg Farm track is the descent from Hope Cross , I’m very definitely sticking with my own opinion that in comparison, it is way more difficult to ride than Jacobs Ladder.

Are people confusing hagg farm and the beast here?
Anyway, down Jacobs or the beast or hagg farm are all fine on a ht.

Sorry to sound like a coc*but I’ve just watched the video and it doesn’t look remotely technical?

It isn’t that technical at all. It is very rough though.

Monksie You are thinking of the beast (fluffy kittens as I believe it was re-named)
Hagg Farm is the opp side of the valley to Hope Cross its the one with the berms at the top of it

Anyway OP, they are all good routes and can be ridden on whatever you have. The Edale loop is a classic but be aware if it is a nice weekend the top of Jacobs Ladder where it meets the pennine way can be really busy with walkers.

@nickswolves

I’ve sent you a GPS of a route I’ve done that has the Ladder up & down and all the best bits around Hayfield.

It’s 50k with some hard climbing but some great rewards. Thankfully the Ladder is climbed at the beginning, not at the end !

Give us a shout if you have any questions.

OP you can ride them all on a hardtail.
Ridden all of them on a rigid, you just need to ride accordingly.
Jacobs will be a pain if the weather is good as it will be packed with walkers after about 10am.
The limestone gorge (if off road) could have been Cave Dale or Pindale which are both rubble strewn limestone – great in the dry but horrible in the wet.

Staying in Edale i would say, ride up to Hollins Cross, along the edge past Mam Tor then up along Rushop Edge before a great descent into Roych Clough. Climb out of Roych Clough up around Mt Famine and then down the other side. That will drop you out at the bottom of the BW climb back up towards Kinder Scout and Jacobs Ladder. Finally, down Jacobs Ladder back into Edale with a big grin on your face and tired legs 🙂

There are some who say it is better the other way round but personally i think why push up Jacobs when you can ride the other way? The descent from Rushop Edge to Roych Clough is a far, far better descent than it is a climb thats for sure, we did this ride yesterday starting/finishing in Hayfield.

I love how people who haven’t ridden down Jacobs say it isn’t technical – i rode it/video’d it yesterday and now i KNOW how much vid footage flattens out a descent! The bit at the very top can be a pain as it’s very steep and has some tight little turns plus a nice ‘blind’ drop at the very top.

Thanks for the correction Martyn. I always refer to The Beast (I hate the silly names) as Hagg farm from Hope Cross.
Who doesn’t ride it (Jacob’s Ladder) and says it isn’t technical? I do, quite often and apart from the top section which requires some commitment and momentum, it isn’t.

Ah the perennial “which way is better” Jacobs Ladder debate…

It’s actually not much as a descent. Bit technical up the top, the rest of it is just a boulder field rubble run. I’ve done it (very slowly) on a CX bike but I much prefer it as a climb and the rest of the route is better that way round as well.

However from Edale I’d go up Jaggers Clough to Hope Cross then do a loop round Hagg Farm, Fairholmes, Ladybower, Whinstone Lee Tor and back via a big loop round to Bradwell, down Cavedale up and over Mam Tor and drop back to Edale. Long day out but you can cut it short at Bradwell/Hope if necessary.

Staying in Edale i would say, ride up to Hollins Cross, along the edge past Mam Tor then up along Rushop Edge before a great descent into Roych Clough. Climb out of Roych Clough up around Mt Famine and then down the other side. That will drop you out at the bottom of the BW climb back up towards Kinder Scout and Jacobs Ladder. Finally, down Jacobs Ladder back into Edale with a big grin on your face and tired legs

This one is a classic.

Wow thanks for all the replies lads. Not managed to log on since my last post and was surprised to see so many responses. Plenty of food for thought and thanks to the 2 lads that emailed their routes for viewing, much appreciated. Will take a proper look shortly and see what they’re about 🙂

I quite fancy the Edale loop with Jacobs descent that’s mentioned several times above. No mention of Cut Gate above, is that ride not quite as good?

Cheers

cutgate will just be a 5 mile bog at the minute

**btw it is “Going TO THE Peak next week”

Ok, will probably avoid Cutgate then, especially as there’s more rain forecast this week.

I think there are two peaks in the peak district actually. Thorpe Cloud and Win hill I think. Therefore peakS. 😉

Rushup Edge will provide ample bog if its been wet ! I went “down the mine” and over the bars and just lay in the peat/mud laughing and glad no one had seen the dismount – Peaks 1 Southerner 0. Just sent you a suggested additnonal loop/section, the national trust have a cafe in Eadale and make sure to call in at 18bikes in Hope too in courtyard opposite the pub.

Joat – its nowt to do with hills

The Dark Ages and Medieval period
The Peak District actually gets its name from the Dark Age, Saxon settlers of the area. The name of the tribe which occupied the Peak 1,000 years ago was the Pecsaetan – the dwellers of the pecs or hills. The name seems to have been first used around 700 AD, to distinguish the hill-dwellers from the Mercians from the surrounding lowlands of the Midland shires.

Kinder Circuit ridden Edale-Mam with the descent back to Edale would be my choice.

As for walkers- You’ll only see them on the top section of the Jacobs descent. Literally NOWHERE else on the ride past Mam Tor. Plus they are friendly, clued-up types of walkers.

hora – Member
As for walkers- You’ll only see them on the top section of the Jacobs descent.

What’s this lot then, Peaks Mist?

You notice the footpath to the right? They go that way and we comedown the path to the left.

In general unless you ride in the afternoon you wont see many (in your way, or even near your way). As I said, only on the top first section of Jacobs.

Thanks all. I think we will give the Edale loop a try in a clockwise direction so we head back down the Jacobs Ladder descent to Edale. Makes sense as we will be camping in Edale

muddydwarf – Member
Staying in Edale i would say, ride up to Hollins Cross, along the edge past Mam Tor then up along Rushop Edge before a great descent into Roych Clough. Climb out of Roych Clough up around Mt Famine and then down the other side. That will drop you out at the bottom of the BW climb back up towards Kinder Scout and Jacobs Ladder. Finally, down Jacobs Ladder back into Edale with a big grin on your face and tired legs

We did this yesterday starting from Edale and extending a wee bit down the campsite descent into Hayfield. Mostly dry apart from Rushup Edge and Broad Clough back up to the top of Kinder Scout. Ace ride, and it seems daft to do anything else if you’re in Edale already.

Looking forward to it, just hope the weather holds up although it sounds reasonably rideable whatever the conditions.

Oh – meant to say, I was on my Hemlock yesterday, but I’ve done that loop plenty of times on a hardtail. Hard work, but still cracking fun.

In the peaks i have only ever rode round ladybower which i found was wonderful.
Lovely scenery all the way round this reservoir and the riding was quite pleasing indeed.i would highly recommend this to anyone as a lovely jaunt,a nice picnic half way round is a must for everyone.

fairhurst its really easy to climb up either side and figure of 8 around and over Ladybower. Plenty of descents to be found easily there.

On a Summers evening after work its awesome. Sorry, it is. That word only really fits in when you sit above Cut Throat/Derwent looking down across the reservoir.

That’s one of my favourite views in the Peak 😀

i haven’t had the experience as of yet of the Peaks,but found the ride round Ladybower very lovely indeed some beautiful views to take in.

I know. Its even better when two Chinooks fly the length of it BELOW you as you sit there

We loved the Ladybower classic loop and the views heading across to Whinstone Lee Tor were awesome. If the Edale loop is anywhere near as good as this circuit I think we will be sitting back in the Old Nags Head pub with some big grins on our faces, oh and probably a celebratory pint!