hi,

I’m potentially looking for a weekend in the Peaks with a mate. Can anyone suggest a few places to look at.

We don’t know the area that well for biking and can see little in the way of Trail Centres. This is cool, I’ve a Garmin for my bike so any GPX files would be appreciated.

We’d like to have 3 days riding, perhaps on the ‘Classics’, plus any ideas on somewhere to stay, a well located village with a nice pub would be great – bunk house or hostel?

Thanks

Hope is the epicentre of Dark peak riding. So somewhere around there or Castleton will see you right.

What sort of riding are you into? The top end of the peak is rocky gritstone and suits those who like a bit of gnar in their rides, whereas the White Peak (southern half) is more suited to old school, epic xc type riding. Plenty of classics to choose from, most of which are in the guide books (VP Peak District guide recommended).

3 days !!! nice one. Where do you live? you like technical inclines right? strewn with boulders?
1. Macc forest and Gradbach
2. Dark peak
3. White peak!
or
2 days in the dark: 1 day doing Jacobs ladder and the other round Ladybower, stay in Castleton. There’s 2 YHA’s in the vicinity. (the castleton one is called Losehill Hall and would be closer to the pubs than the other one at Edale) & the other round the White peak. The stuff round Linacre is good and wild, Shillotto woods.
& just to mix it up a bit, Cannock is not so very far away and neither is Sheffield with it’s 2 (smaller) trail centres. So depending on where you’re travelling from, 2 days natural 1 day trail centre.

definately get the vertebrates guide, so many good routes to choose on the dark peak.

also may be worth considering the pennine town of hebden bridge/calderdale good yorkshire hospitality, beer and riding.

ps. get the hill climbs practise in..

http://mountainbikerides.co.uk/routes/128-the-peak-district.html

This site is great too, it has routes on and also very specific info about some of the dark peak descents.

Home

As said, get the VB guide – it has options to extend most routes depending on how fit you’re feeling. Oh, and if the forecast is for rain it might be worth taking spare brake pads – the dark peak tends to eat them in the wet 😆

Few routes here as well

How about a day in the Hayfield area – there’s great riding in the hills above Disley and Hayfield and a campsite at Hayfield, and a couple of days over in Hope?

Some good info here http://peakdistrictmtb.org

and the Peak District MTB Facebook page is a good source for recommendations and shout-outs for people to ride with.

Don’t forget Keeper of the Peak which is – quite genuinely – an excellent resource for checking our trail conditions in the Peak.

& just to mix it up a bit, Cannock is not so very far away

He’s got three days available in the Peak and you’re telling him to go to Cannock?

Get in the ******* sea! 👿

lol, hey he said he likes trail centres. Just suggesting some stuff. Cannock is great fun! and would make a great less demanding day after a night of drinking on the way home…

I’d recommend getting in touch with Neil and Alice at http://adventurepedlars.com as well as organised and guided rides they have a bunkhouse near Hope and are good sources of info.

Lovely people.

Thanks all, some great ideas.

I’ve also found some GPX files on MBR which appear to take in some of the stuff you’ve mentioned.

Not really a fan of Cannock, I live in Bristol so have access to lots of trail centre stuff. Plus the Peaks is attractive because it’s quite different from the valleys and easy for my mate from Cambridge to get to.

Cut Gate and something for Jacobs ladder seem like a good space to aim for and see if we can scout something for a bigger trip another time.

Thanks all,

Simon

Can anybody recommend a decent enough campsite, got a free four days next weekend and I’ve been meaning to head over!

North Lees campsite near Hathersage if you like quieter sites (has got decent showers, loos etc) or, if you’re after a busier site close to pubs, cafes, there’s a large one just outside Hope (can’t remember name of it, but sure Google will find it). Also ‘fieldhead’ campsite at Edale, which is reasonably quiet, but short walk to couple of pubs.

Upper Booth campsite is really nice with good facilities (www.upperboothcamping.co.uk). Jacob’s Ladder on the doorstep too.

I’d recommend a loop taking in a JL descent, and Cut Gate as an out and back is just triffic, descent goes on for ages in both directions. Google the Beast of Hope Cross too.

Peaks is a brilliant place to ride.