Planning a solo Peaks ride one coming weekend, but apart from the Pootle at the beginning of the year I’ve not ridden there before!

I’d like to start from near Fairholmes visitor centre at Ladybower, and I can see some familiar trail names nearby on Trailforks – Potato Alley, The Beast etc – but I need the collective wisdom of ST in choosing what to tackle and in which direction, bearing in mind that I’m a relative novice at trail riding (although trail centre reds are fine, just not fast!).

What would you suggest?

How far do you want to go and how much do you like rocks?

Reckon 8-10 miles would have me pretty beaten up. Happy with a degree of rocks as I’ll just slowly pick my way down if needed! Not confident with drops though.

Also its rather hilly so those 8-10 miles will be hard going in comparison to your average trail centre stuff.

There’s nothing with drops unless you really go looking for it. But it gets a bit rocky in places.

The Beast is worth doing. You can’t really ride down Potato and Beast in one ride so pick one. There’s a bridleway up Thornhill Brink from the bottom of the Beast heading South-East, at the top turn right and down to Hope Cross, then Beast. Up the ZigZags of Hagg farm (bonus points for no dabs) and along to Lockerbrook / Screaming mile. That will probably be 6-8 miles at a guess.

I’m sure someone can draw you a map if you need it.

^ Sounds great! I can see the bridleway at the bottom of The Beast on Trailforks but can’t see how it links to the top. Will need to buy an OS map I think!

Yeah, Trailforks is a bit light on linking trails. You don’t necessarily need to buy a map, have a look here:

https://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm
And put in this: SK 17380 86470

EDIT: Does this work in any way for you? Copy into whatever GPX editor you like. You can use WTP I linked to above, I think.

http://dumptext.com/7LNHU2UI#

The trail didn’t show on WTP, but I’ve opened the gpx in GPX Viewer and it works a treat. Much appreciated – owe you a post-ride cake/beer at some point!

Sounds like a sensible route. If you fancy a less horrific climb after the Beast (I HATE Hagg Farm as a climb) you can turn left on the road to Rowlee Farm and ride up to the same spot from there except it’s a nice leisurely spin rather than a loose ‘orrible carry (for most).

I did this ride last weekend – I totally underestimated the first climb! Great views as I slowly cranked up though – particular highlight was being able to look down on a helicopter passing through the valley.

Hagg Farm descent was slow and careful and once I’d got to the path across the A57 and saw the climb up towards the top of the Beast time had got the better of me so I took the path to Ladybower and back to Fairholmes. 10.7miles in the end and a great taster of that park of the Peak.