A really good read, thanks. I haven’t ridden The Beast – aka Fluffy Kittens – for ages despite being local, but I feel inspired to go and pin-ball down it again some time soon.

Really enjoyed reading this.
Thanks Barney for raking up many happy memories of riding these trails.
Sadly I’ve never managed to ‘clean’ the ‘Beast’ only sections of it.

Nice writeup Barney, thank you.

Our alternative, then, runs along the high point of the hill to the southeast, past Hagg Side, and descends a perfectly functional, but unexciting, slice of track to Ladybower Reservoir.

Should anyone be so inclined to follow the route that’s the much better climb back to the top than the great grassy hill.
Neither is exactly exciting on the way down so assuming the closure is still in place I’d (personally obviously) suggest either use that track in both directions or descending on the grassy bridleway and climbing the track up from the small car park.

Also:
Weren’t the classic rides switching to cycling UK and OS mapping?

They’ve finished the felling work that closed the road around the reservoir. There’s been ‘quite a lot’ of felling.  It looks like a bomb site 😬

Great read 🙂

GPX file from the High Street/Skiddaw adventure in 148 is now in the downloads area for full members.

Headed out yesterday with a friend and did this loop. Good fun, somewhat wet & pretty rocky as described. Exciting on the XC bikes. Left the Beast loop to last but did not take it on in the end. Tired and the everpresent backache, a little late for dinner, and alas slightly bash up after a prattfall earlier. Good day out all in all tho

Potato Alley was chunky for sure : ) I felt slightly under-biked (well perhaps just under tyred) as me and my mate Bobby skimmed down over the loose stones; taking the smooth line up to the right edge occasionally. Then another rider on a trail bike roared past us down the inside line! awesome. I lost my mate at a rocky drop-off half way down, I slowed a little to have a look at it rather than just charging over on first sight. I am slightly more cautious these days since my heavy fall last summer (as told in Singletrack 146).

Yeah the Beast loop we had saved to last but were done for by then, been a particularly snotty and exhausting winter this one. Most people I know seem to be a bit less than top form. Here’s to Summer, clean air, and strong legs.