Following my previous post, we’ve booked accommodation at the Sportsman in Hayfield for our cycling weekend. I know a couple of people had local knowledge of routes, so I was wondering if I could pick your brains!

There will be 4 of us, all used to cycling although only 2 of us have done much mountain biking. We will all be on hardtails. I know some routes around Edale, Mam Tor and Ladybower. We will want a full day ride on the Saturday and maybe a 2-3 hour blast on the Sunday morning.

Could anyone recommend any routes that we could ride from the pub? Or if not within a short drive. Preferably ones that are ridable in current conditions. Any GPS files would be great!

Thanks for the help!

Saturday, do the Jacob’s ladder route with optional extension to Fairholmes if you want to make a full day if it

Sunday, the Hayfield Orbital will serve you nicely

http://www.bogtrotters.org/route/showrouteframe.php?route=39

Pick up this book for more routes

http://www.bikemaps.co.uk/peak_district_dark_peak.htm

Although to be fair on the Hayfield Orbital, I’d head straight to point 17 from the pub, then from point 5 resume their “outbound” route, and from point 14 do the drop down Elle Bank rather than going up Oaken Clough – you’ll probably do that on the saturday ride

There’s loads of routes on the Garmin Connect website from Hayfield if that helps?

Thanks for the recommendations, guys. I’ve not had a look at the Garmin Connect site before; certainly plenty to get our teeth into there!

I’ve always fancied Jacob’s Ladder- it’s one Peaks route I never done, that I can remember. My only concern is that it might be a touch extreme in terms of rideability to the guys less experienced off road, particularly in current conditions.

They’ve both done the classic Biketreks Ambleside route by Rydal, Elterwater, Hodge Close and Loughrigg Fell which they managed without any problems. A few technical climbs and flowing downhills were ideal. I think anything too much more might be a little much- particularly on a longer ride. Technical downhills you can pick you way down as well as nailing fast will be great, but rocks the size of footballs might be tough for them on hard tails. I think we’re all getting a little old and sensible for that!

I’ve done plenty of routes in the past around Mam Tor. I guess that isn’t too far. How muddy/boggy are these routes at the moment?