Headed over tomorrow for a pootle. I get over once in a blue moon; have mainly ridden the BWs around Ladybower, Hope Cross, Edale. Any suggestions for a 20-30 miler? I presume there has been a bit of rain, are there any areas to avoid? I have the VP book somewhere – will dig it out too.
Cheers

Check out kofthep on twitter for conditions. There’s a wet weather loop been done too by vg if you look on the access pages of stw

vg loop and kofthep stuff

Weather looks like it will be ok tomorrow, but the ground is very wet.

The VP wet weather loop is a very good bet.

Whatever you do, do not go within 2000 metres of WLT or Podge will explode in a cloud of gritty wet slurry and dead sheep innards and that would be horrid.

You can always check the Keeper of the Podge twitter feed to see how close he is to detonation btw.

Bwd – stop baiting and behave yourself!
Podge has his hands very full at the moment. Derwent edge should be ok now though – they did some drainage work up there

(I’ve not been up)

Bwd – stop baiting and behave yourself!

Waddya mean? I was simply and clearly explaining the potential consequences of riding in THE WRONG PLACE… the Edale-Hayfield loop via Jacobs and the Roych is probably a good bet btw mostly because it goes nowhere near the place in question the name of which shall not be mentioned.

You’re just being provocative. The wet weather loop’s a good one regardless.

I reckon wlt needs some north shore 🙂

Ladybower needs a proper trail centre asap, but I don’t see why it shouldn’t incorporate some shore and maybe that pipe that crosses the reservoir near Fairholmes…

And a ski lift for the beast

Cheers – I will take your advice and explore the wet weather loop. I can’t find it on VP site so if you have a GPS, my email is in profile – taking a liberty I know.
WLT means nothing to me so I will inevitably get lost and end up axle deep. Apologies ‘Podge’ in advance.

I’d be interested in seeing what the wet weather loop is like also. Is there a track file?

I’ve just popped the kettle on, let’s see how this one escalates……

The drainage cuts that have been dug on the Derwent Edge side of WLT looked to be doing their job last Saturday, the ones closer to the top seemed to be doing a bit better than those further down, but that is probably because there is a bit more of a drop off of the side there, so the water runs off quicker and won’t silt them up so much. Credit where credit is due, some people are getting out there and trying to keep the trails in as good a nick as possible. The other side of WLT was holding up last Saturday as I rode right down the middle (no mincing off into the heather, I promise). The surface itself was still firm. I doubt it will be now, though.

The really boggy bit at cutthroat bridge was rideable by very moderately skilled types like me (not so many wheel swallowing bogs that there was only one possible permutation of line through the whole thing). Again I suspect that will not be case now.

The wet weather loop is a good alternative.

You could also do Ladybower avoiding most boggy bits if you avoid anything east of the reservoir, perhaps tacking a road and Jaggers Clough loop on instead of WLT.

Someone called!

If we’re discusing keeper of the Peak I’m more like Albert the butler than Clark Kent

I still stand by my minimalistic wording and it’s intended, apposed to its triple secret message. I’m sure someone will be along soon aiming for a world record in angry long forum posts and another to tell us the entire peak is beyond saving.

Glad the work we did up there is holding up and appreciated

I’m off to change a nappy on my newborn, I wonder where I’ll find more crap, here or there?

No secret meaning discernible there, although I’m not familiar with the word ‘apposed’. 😉

Newborn? Not much crap, you wait until you start feeding them solids, then it takes on a whole new level of horror.

Seriously, anyone who has the time to get ‘out there’ and try to improve things has my admiration. With two kids myself I basically just get to ride and remove the odd stick that’s been left there by the armed faction of the local red socks.

OP – I did a Jacobs Ladder loop that I downloaded from the MBR site, if that is any good.

Cheers

Chris

OP in the VP book-I love the jacobs route and almost all rocky 🙂

I could have gone riding, I would have preferred to go riding but I’m not permitted slaves so I have to keep my Kingdom in good nick myself

Thanks to all
Just settling down to look at the vp book now

It was good fun that dig

The drainage on WLT looks good. Well done to rogerthecat the other non-local trailsman too.

djflexure – link to the route on the VP website for you:
http://www.v-publishing.co.uk/blog/v-publishing-blog/2014-01-20—free-download-kinder-all-weather-circuit.html
It’s a great route in the dry too!

This may well be a silly question but is there a similar ‘wet weather loop’ in the White Peaks?

I imagine the geology of the area would make it less likely.

The riding around Eyam and Longstone Edge is pretty rocky for the white peak and drains well.

Some of the less techy stuff around grangemill, bonsall, birchover will also be quite rideable.

These areas both feature in the VG White Peak book.

Areas to avoid are Manners woods, Gratton Dale, North woods, Copy wood…

Did you have a good ride djflex?

Also, just noticed keeper of the peak has gathered some wet white peak routes…. We’re being watched 8-0

I could have gone riding, I would have preferred to go riding but I’m not permitted slaves so I have to keep my Kingdom in good nick myself

Careful now, you were only made an earl on the previous thread…….

So it would be your earldom.

Whilst you’re on the subject of WLT came across the following in DCC’s 2014/5 plans for “Walking and Pedestrian Quality Networks (Investment Protocols IP51 and IP51a)”

Bridleway 5 (Ladybower Reservoir to Cutthroat Bridge)i.e. the bridleway to/back WLT running through Ladybower Wood.

” Surface improvements and drainage to improve accessibility and to support sustainable tourism and leisure, improve health & well-being and increase resilience to climate change. Supports moorland restoration project.”

Sounds ominous, anyone know anything about this?

Had to take a raincheck, but it’s plugged into my Garmin for late next week. Ended up on cannock chase; long story but my wife took kids to Alton Towers and I did not want to leave our dog home alone. Thought the Peak would be suboptimal for dog due to the road sections.

Probably best its been boggin all week, today was the first dry day.

Peak district mtb know about the planned work and have been chatting nicely with the relevant people

I’m not sure of the exact details but I’m happy to file that one in the “it’ll be fine” folder

Shut up podge you idiot

Sorry, did you want to release that news in your glorified pamphlet?

I am just the Ted to your Ralph.