Hi

Off to Oakamoor near Stoke on Trent/Cheadle for a week soon, can anyone recommend some good mtb routes nearby? Willing to travel say 20/30 miles to get to a good one, 30-50km’s length is ideal but all suggestions welcome.

Is Cannock Chase worth the drive? More interested in ‘natural’ routes over trail centre though.

Cheers
TS

Dont know where Oakamoor is but Cheadle is getting more towards the White Peak, lots of routes on T’internet. Stoke (me duck) itself has good riding at Hanchurch Woods. If you can hook up with locals Cannock Chase is worth the trek, but you are also 3/4 hour from Dark Peak, which is a bit better than all above and easy to find way around with a map / GPS.

Cheadle, land of the double thumbs and single eyebrows….edge of the Moorlands. Cannock is 20 miles, Dark Peak/Hope about the same. As fatlad says, locals for Cannock and theres loads of routes for the Hope/Ladybower regions on the net, easy to follow with a map or GPS. HANCHURCH IS A BOG ME DUCK AT THE MOMENT

Macclesfield forest wouldnt be a bad bet from Cheadle

Dimmingsdale is right on the door step of Oakamoor. Not massive but you should be able to make up a nice little route that you won’t need to drive to. Nothing epic but fun for a couple of hours. Just need to be adventurous and see what you find. As said Macc Forest good from Oakamoor.

From there Peaks all the way 🙂 Cannock Chase is good but gets very very busy and if you want natural riding you’ll need a local to show you round.

There’s a bit of riding round Dimmingsdale so if you’re staying in Oakamoor you won’t even have to drive!

Dimmingsdale is quite good if you are actually there, I would make a point of riding there at least once, need to ride a couple of footpaths to link it all together and gets very muddy but is well worth an explore.

Peak district is right on your door step, white peak being closest(20minute to Manifold valley area) or for a complete change you are about the same distance from the mecca of Ticknall 😛

Sorry for the hijack – where is the best place to access Dimmingsdale? Heard some good things about it in the past and reading this thread reminded me to give it a try.
Answering the original question, I’d also say give Macc forest a try – Start from Quarnford and then 3 shires head, Wildboarclough, Macc Forest, Cat and Fiddle and back to 3 shires. Nice route with a lot of the alt gained on road.

Car park in Oakamore follow the Red road and head up and in

Good stuff allround the YHA on map, follow your nose and mind the walkers

Cheers, will give it a try.