Planning on doing Manchester to Sheffield mostly off road, I have a route planned up to ladybower reservoir but struggling to find a decent way back to Sheffield station. If anyone could give me hand with an online plotter like bikeroutetoaster.com that would be great thanks!

My route so far…
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=546938

back on yourself from Cut Throat Bridge to the Ladybower Inn, towards Ladybower Dam up the road (next left) from above Yorkshire Bridge, over Stanage, down past Redmires Reservoirs, next right, right again up the short sharp road, then down Porter Clough “the Parks” route into Sheff to Hunter’s Bar then down into town would be what I’d do…

Thanks, having a bit of trouble with the names and trying to place them on the map though! I’ve never actually ridden further than Ladybower so I don’t know any of these trails unfortunately

I’d go up to the top of Stanage then down the Packhorse trail through the Plantation, up, past Fiddlers Elbow, turn R onto Jumble’s Road all the way down, R and R again and do Devils Elbow through Blacka, then down through Eccy woods to bring you straight out at Dore Station without having to go all the way into town.

Good suggestion too Jon, puts you on the slow train back to Manchester but no great shakes.

Porter Clough is “Clough Lane”, you can find it on Google Maps, from there the City Centre is signposted on those blue cycle signs

These sound great and much better than the road back, any chance you could show them online at all please?

Ahh ok found clough lane, having trouble with that!

email me. I’ll sort some gpx routes for you

Is this the kind of route you were suggesting? Think I found Clough Lane
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=547348

yep that’s it, the other suggestion’s something like this, although I got a bit vague in the woods…

Thanks a lot for that! Now the route is sorted, just need to ride it now….

Just looking closer at your route there, you can go through the Park to Hunter’s Bar and straight down Ecclesall Road rather than up and round a bit as you’d first got, easier run after a long ride:

Link

Is this the kind of route you were suggesting? Think I found Clough Lane
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=547348

Thats a good route, but if you are feeling knackered by the time you get to LadyBower you might want to consider a shortcut – get onto the A57 (it’s bit grim admittedly) and go east for about 3 miles until you can reach the Bridleway that goes round the reservoirs. Follow this up the hill (i.e. right at the fork) and you’ll rejoin your original route