I can’t seem to find any nice little loops around Glossop, so as much as I don’t like driving to trails, it looks like I may have to

I’m not in the best of health (lyme) so I’m looking for some short loops around Ladybower or Hagg Farm or anywhere else near the Snake Pass

I’m thinking of something that’s about an hour or just over. I’ve been going out on the bike on roads around Glossop and managing around an hour, sometimes less, before I feel odd

If you park near the dam at Yorkshire bridge you could make your way to Aston on the back rd, then up on the BW to Hope Brink to the roman rd (sustained climb but not hard) and down to Hope cross. Then either down the beast through the woods, or Blackley clough, according to taste. Over the A57 and you can ride up Rowley farm track, or push up the Hagg farm climb (v hard to ride). Then take Lockerbrooke to Gores farm descent (v fast).

You’ve then got an easy road spin back to the car along the reservoir, and you can get a cup of tea at the Fairholmes caf. This might be more like an hour and a half all in, if you’re taking things careful with your health. If you feel bad and need to bail, though, you’ve got the option of taking the A57 back to your car following the descent down the Beast (or Blackley clough).

If you get this loop under your belt and are comfy with it you can then add the climb up to Winstone Lee tor and descend cutthroat bridge as an additional loop from Fairholmes.

Thanks Garry

The option of an early dart if I’m feeling rough sounds good

Here are a couple of 60-90 minute loops that I used to do after hours when I worked that way.

Castleton, Broken Road, Oxlow House, Limestone Way, Cavedale, Castleton

Castleton, Broken Road, Mam Tor, Hollins Cross, Woodseats / Grange Farm, Castleton

Heatherdene, Cutthroat Bridge, WLT, Slabs, Ladybower, Heatherdene

Heatherdene, Yorkshire Bridge, Ladybower, Permissive BW, Hope Cross, Beast, Ladybower, Heatherdene

A57 Layby, Haggwater Bridge, Up Beast, Hope Cross, Potato Alley (Blackley Hay), Rowlee Bridge, A57 Layby

A57 Layby, Haggwater Bridge, Permissive BW, Rowlee Bridge, Rowlee Farm, Hagg Farm, A57 Layby

Note I am an occasional visitor to the Peak so better advice may be available !

Park in one of the free car parks on the reservoir side road on Western (Hagg) side towards Fairholme cafe. Then a loop to Winstone Lee Tor, I’ve ridden it anti-clockwise but I think it could be better clockwise. I would guess this would take about an hour, 12.5km and 250m of climbing (can email you quick bike hike route I just created)

From car ride clockwise and over reservoir dam (sign there commemorating dam busters practice) and back down other side of reservoir and then turn left for climb/push past Ashes Farm and onto Winstone Lee Tor. Continue to Highshaw Clough then double back on the Bridleway pas Ladybower Pub and onto A57 to cross the reservoir.

Here you can either return to the car or take in something on the Hagg Side, one climb/descent.

Having just got back on the bike after (erm some years)… these look great for an unfit bimbler like myself. I think I’ll give em a whirl as it is always good to discover some new stuff. Thanks to the OP for asking the question (saved me some time with the OS map!)

I can’t seem to find any nice little loops around Glossop, so as much as I don’t like driving to trails, it looks like I may have to

There’s plenty of scope round there. You can do a neat little loops round the Longdendale Reservoirs incorporating the Northern Horse Track, there’s stuff up above Hollingworth towards the Pennine Bridleway and Hobson Moor end of things, or up from Charlesworth over Coombes Edge, plus there’s all the riding above Hayfield and over towards Mellor.

Ride up Chunal for 15 minutes and you’re on Middle Moor / Shooting Cabin /Monk’s Road stuff. There’s some quite interesting cheeky stuff too if you know where to look.

By the time you’ve driven to Ladybower and back, you’ve wasted an hour you could have spent on the bike or doing something else.