I live near Hayfield so plenty of decent riding from my door but I’ve recently being craving a bit of forestry, swoopy less rock infested trails. Any one know if this exists in the Dark Peak? Manners Wood in Bakewell and Wharncliffe Woods are the only places that spring to mind but looking for something closer.

yes

Hopefully Rob can spill the beans because there’s nowt as far as I know. Many isolated patches of woodland that you can get a few minutes out of, but nothing where you could do a few miles under the boughs.

Go to Cannock it’s not far and will fulfill your swoops fast woody forestry type needs 🙂

That’s usually what we do when we want a break from the rocks

We mixed it up today by going to gisburn instead of Cannock, again just what your after and lots of fun

There are a few bits I know local to Hayfield, none of it more than a few minutes worth and none of it legal!

There are bits, few minutes worth but cannock, gisburn and degla are all 1hr is away.

Not been to Gisburn yet it’s defiantly on the list.
Wondered if there was anything in the woods around Fernlee Reservoir?

Wondered if there was anything in the woods around Fernlee Reservoir?

Bits and pieces yes. Only really worth doing when it’s dry – it’ll be a total quagmire now. Also really only for weekdays or crack of dawn. The annoying thing is that most of it spits you out onto the Derbyshire Bridge road so whatever you do you’re faced with a lot of tarmac work afterwards. And the wardens up there are very vigilant, there’s a ranger hut at the top of Derbyshire Bridge.

Ta for info crazy-legs

cannock, gisburn and degla are all 1hr is away

Cannock is more than an hour away – I’ve driven to Hayfield and round that way from Stafford a few times and it takes me 1hr 20mins at 6am on a Sunday – and Birches Valley is 15minutes from my house.

Macc forest is not far from you, Dark & White did a Trailquest there last winter season and I was surprised at how much there was. Nothing like Cannock/wharncliffe etc but certainly a morning’s worth. Other than that the only other bits I can think of are around the Derwent/Ladybower reservoirs. Northern flanks of Win Hill have some good cheeky steep stuff.