I’m all settled in in Sheffield now. I’ve got a room in the middle of Nether Edge so stuff I can ride to from here is ideal. I don’t mind using the van though.

I’ve been for a quick look at Lady Canning’s plantation. That’s fun for a mess around, I might go up there in the morning. But I’m mostly tantalised by all those trails that head off in every direction up there. I want to get out there and amongst it.

Where do I start? Not looking to go completely off the grid. I just want to spin my legs and look at the scenery for a few hours and get a sense of the area. What’s a nice mellow loop for a solo traveller on a hardtail with no GPS? How do I know what’s illegal, so I don’t get heckled by ramblers?

There’s been a few Peaks threads recently but people speak in trail names and strava sections and I have no idea what you’re talking about. There is an OS map downstairs so I can check actual place names.

Any recommendations gratefully received.

This is a good loop keeping your elevation and uses newly opened bridleways. Ride the Roman road south from lady Cannings to get to the loop.

https://www.v-publishing.co.uk/blog/v-publishing-blog/2014-06-19—free-route-download-white-peak-mountain-biking-eastern-moors.html

Good to know that you’re settled – your previous thread about life being shit prompted lots od responses, including a couple from me.
Hope job is going well.
As for local biking see link below for Wharncliffe Woods – out of Sheffield centre, past Hillsborough on the way to Barnsley; you could also use the googlesphere and search for ‘Sheffield mtb’ and variations on that.

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/englandsouthyorkshirenoforestwharncliffewoods

If you can’t access it online it will be on the OS map

This is a good loop keeping your elevation and uses newly opened bridleways. Ride the Roman road south from lady Cannings to get to the loop.

Thanks for that, it looks perfect.

Good to know that you’re settled – your previous thread about life being shit prompted lots od responses

Yeah that was an interesting month! I’ve a pretty wild year to be fair, it was always going to go off the rails. Pretty happy at the minute just being a total stranger in a new place, it’s been fun kind of.

I am aware of Wharncliffe and Greno they’re the only places I’ve been before. I might go up there tomorrow because I know Lady Canning’s and the Norfolk Arms is packed on a Sunday. I’ll save the Peaks for a Monday when it’s quieter.

I’ve got two OS maps here. One of the Dark Peak and one of the White Peak. If anyone wants to get specific I should be able to see what you’re talking about.

Thanks!

Ping me an email (see profile) and I can sort you out with a couple of easy to follow loops

Carlos

Pick yourself up a copy of the dark peak book from vertebrate- by the time you’ve got through 5/6 of the classics in there you’ll have explored a good bit of the dark peak and will start to learn what links well and put your own routes together. The loop linked up there is a good all weather route to start with.

Just have a ride round ladybower water res, see any Uphill tracks that take your fancy have a go up one and see where you end up.

How do you get to Ringinglow? You know there’s a nice route out through the parks from the Hunter’s bar roundabout? Worth looking up if you’ve not found it yet.

The route above is good.

A very gentle route (you could ride it on a cross bike if you wanted) but with lots of options for cheeky if you get more confident:
From Ringinglow / Norfolk arms: head out on the road to Redmires reservoir. From there you can climb to the top of Stanage edge. There are a few routes down from there, but the famous plantation descent is probably the best. The Causeway is a gentler option. From there, turn left on the road and follow your nose up the hill until you get to the Fiddler’s Elbow car park near Higger Tor. There’s a smooth bridleway from there that takes you down the valley to road just below the Fox House Inn. Then back across Houndkirk Moor.

Another more techy route would be to go out from Ringinglow across Houndkirk to Fox House. When you reach the pub, turn left on the road then at the next road junction there’s a bridleway heading across the moor (Totley moor). This leads down to Blacka Moor and there are a handful of descents here. At the bottom of Blacka, follow Shorts Lane then left up Whitelow Lane to the top of the Blacka trails again. Rinse and repeat until tired, then do the climb one last time and turn right on the main road*, then left on Sheephill road back to Ringinglow.

*Or continue straight on the main A625 road and roll back down to Nether Edge if you wish.

Oh, and get this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Peak-District-Mountain-Biking-Trails/dp/190614818X

Could always join Natsmtb… rides most weekends in the peaks. Get to know a lot through those guys.

How do you get to Ringinglow? You know there’s a nice route out through the parks from the Hunter’s bar roundabout? Worth looking up if you’ve not found it yet.

That climb out has a nice sting in the tail too, was good for fixing a Sunday morning hangover (usually via a quick puke) back in my uni days!

You’re more than welcome to join us on a Thursday night ride too

You know there’s a nice route out through the parks from the Hunter’s bar roundabout? Worth looking up if you’ve not found it yet.

I’ve heard about it. I’m a little south of the park so I’ve been driving up Brincliffe Edge road to Ecclesall. I’d much prefer an off road option so I’ll check it out.

You’re more than welcome to join us on a Thursday night ride too

Definitely up for this, I already have some lights that I’ve rarely used.

I’m trying to avoid inviting myself out on group rides at the minute. I haven’t ridden for months and I’ll be an absolute dead weight. I’ll be trying to get my lungs and legs back in action first.

Pook is the king of shonky bikes, his headset will have fallen off long before your legs give up.

In all seriousness check out the VG books, pretty much every mountain biker in Sheffield has them and for good reason, in fact I may have a spare.

You can also – if you’re minded that way – join Strava, go premium, and then download GPX data for local loops you like the look of. But as several posters have said already, the V-Publishing guidebook are a good start point.

Ditto nightrides and local groups. You just need one that’s aligned with your particular fitness and attitude. I’ve ridden with groups that range from a close approximation of Fight Club through to ones that are best described as mostly horizontal. None of them should leave you to die though.

Wrong side of the Peak for me or I’d suggest getting out on our regular Tuesday nighter.

I just ordered this book,

It’s obviously held in very high regard. Looking forward to getting out there.

Pook is the king of shonky bikes, his headset will have fallen off long before your legs give up.

Yet it’s usually someone else’s bike who has been failing on recent rides.

Shark attack, don’t worry about your fitness. It’s all about the social as far as we’re concerned.
I founded the Peaks Pootles to be inclusive. Never leave anyone at the back.

Don’t forget to join Peak District MTB and Ride Sheffield on facebook/twitter. They advocate for MTBers and have tones of useful information and opportunities to volunteer. And sign up to PDMTB on their website.

Peak District MTB

This website gives you lots of route ideas:

Home

And Bike Garage have Wednesday night rides starting from Hope/Bamford. Bike Garage shop rides

The typical uni rides almost always involved

Endcliffe parks, Potters clough, then either:

Left -> lady cannings -> roman road -> Blacka Moor/Dore and back to the parks (short ride)

Right -> Footpath to the pumping station, upto stanage edge, down either route, down to Bamford then either left for a Hope/Edale/Castleton loop, and back up the road. Or Right for a loop taking in the Ladybower tracks (Hagg farm, Cut Gate or House of Pain-Cutthroat bridge).

If it’s dry then the Ranmoor singletrack (Footpath connecting Manchester road to Redmires reservoir along Rivelin Valley) is good fun as long as you don’t meet too many walkers and makes a change from Endcliffe.

Some of us are nipping out this eve. If you’re interested then mail me.

It’ll be far more social than sporty in nature.

Some of us are nipping out this eve. If you’re interested then mail me.

Sorry, I missed this. I waited for the rain to die down and went to Wharny. The stuff they’re building up there is getting out of hand! Also, I need tyres. This ain’t Hamsterley or Glentress. I was sliding out of control everywhere.

Thanks everyone. I’ve checked all the websites, joined all the Facebook groups and I’m waiting for my new book to arrive. There’s more than enough info to get me started.

I live in S7 too would be happy to show you some rides one evening. Ping me an email if that sounds good.

This sounds excellent – also looking for people to ride with, but know my way around the peaks – more than happy to do a sociable loop.

Best not ride the footpaths around Stanage and Houndkirk moor (or at the least not share them on the internet). There’s lots of good will at the moment and with the proposals to extend the bridleway network in the area it would be good to not ruin things for everyone else.

The book arrived at work today. Smaller than I expected but easy to stash. Got girlfriend stuff to do this weekend but I’ll be out there asap.

Full house!

Well, uh, you’d probably want the White Peak book as well for that (which is also pretty decent, though the Dark Peak one is better IMO).

Now you need the white peak one to complete the set…lots of good rides in that one as well.