[Closed] Jacobs Ladder this weekend

First time? Probably Hayfield IMO

Can't see it makes much difference/depends on your priorities. We always start Edale because that's most accessible and gives the highlight of the descent of Jacob's to finish on. You are doing it clockwise aren't you? We always see plenty of people going the other way, probably because many route guides send you the wrong way. Think it's because in the nineties that was the accepted way but with modern bikes all the best descents are on the clockwise loop. Have a great day!

I go from Hayfield as it's a 15 min shorter drive, it's 6 and half a dozen though. If you start in Edale there are a few more options for extending it if you want as you can go up to Hope Cross easily enough or go and do Greenlands.

Edit - the climb up Jacob's if you start from Hayfield is a bastard when you're not fully warmed up. But then so is the one up Chapel Gate if you're doing the VB weatherproof route given the forecast!

We tend to always start In Hayfield as its closer, no point driving another 30 mins past everything your going to ride, just to start in Edale :roll:. (maybe if your meeting people from over Sheff way it makes sense)

Also find its much easier to add in some good stuff once you've descended Jacobs, ie - Greenlands, Back Tor, Jaggers, Roman Road to Hope, the Beast and beyond if you've got the legs, Pindale, Cavedale. On the Hayfield side its easy enough to add stuff but its not as good imo.

Great finish on the Campsite descent into Hayfield too

more in Hayfield, and the parking's cheaper (I think)

MartynS - Member
more in Hayfield, and the parking's cheaper (I think)

Its free if you park on the road to the campsite 😉 Good choice of cafe's too once your done, or if beer and a full lunch is your thing, the Sportsman is apparently very good

Do it both ways.

It delivers various levels of punishment and reward clock wise and anti-clock wise.

Cheers!
I.

While you're all here....

I'll be doing it in a few weeks time, clockwise probably from Edale as coming from Hope direction. So where is good to park, in Edale itself or somewhere nearby? Which is the best way up to Rushup, via Greenlands and Mam Tor?

Don't ride it anti-clockwise. As stated above, this was the 90s way of doing it - it is massively better clockwise.

I prefer to start from Hayfield as it means descending the ladder whilst fresher, but this is all relative.

The main thing is not to ride it anticlockwise. I did it once out of curiosity, but never again - it is about half as enjoyable that way around!!

mark90 - Member

While you're all here....

I'll be doing it in a few weeks time, clockwise probably from Edale as coming from Hope direction. So where is good to park, in Edale itself or somewhere nearby? Which is the best way up to Rushup, via Greenlands and Mam Tor?

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Car park in Edale is of a reasonable size. Getting up to Rushup is best via Hollins Cross and Mam Tor IMO.

Cool, thanks.

I normally park at Barber Booth, near Edale

Good trail conditions updates here

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Which is the best way up to Rushup, via Greenlands and Mam Tor?

I wouldn't bother with Rushup - not worth it IMO, though Greenlands can be a fun climb (great descent). I tend to just push up Chapel Gate (heathen) and then extend somewhere else that's more fun, e.g. going up to do the Beast and coming back.

We'll be doing the Beast on the other day as part of a Ladybower route.

For the Jacobs route I'm looking at Roych/Mount Famine/Oaken/Jacobs just not sure what is best to complete the Edale end of the loop.

Can see there are three bridleways up to Mam Tor area: N>S one from Greenlands up to the top of the road, E>W one from Greenlands to Hollins Cross, and NE>SW one from further up the valley to Hollins cross.

Which is the best (easiest) way up, and which would be the best descent should I end up coming down from there at any point.

Might also try to add in Cave dale while we're in the area (legs permitting).

mark90 - What about parking on the road that drops down to Blue John Cavern? Then ride round to Mam Nick, take the right bridleway option round Mam Tor to Hollins Cross, descend Greenlands, climb Chapel Gate, then Roych Clough, Mount Famine, Coldwell Clough and maybe the Campsite descent, climb Oaken Clough to Edale Cross and descend Jacobs to Barber Booth, climb Greenlands to Hollins Cross then take the Bridleway that drops South into Castleton, round the back lanes to pick up Pindale, Dirtlow Rake, Cavedale and then a final climb up the Broken Road.

or Start in Castleton, climb Broken Road, Mam Nick, Rushup Edge, Roych Clough, Mount Famine, Coldwell Clough and maybe the Campsite descent, climb Oaken Clough to Edale Cross and descend Jacobs to Barber Booth, climb Greenlands to Hollins Cross then take the Bridleway that drops South into Castleton, round the back lanes to pick up Pindale, Dirtlow Rake, Cavedale to finish

or stick with the first part of your loop and extend the Hayfield end?? Easy enough to add The Campsite, 20 trees, Middle Moor, Lantern Pike, then a little road back to the start of Oaken Clough climb.

Which is the best (easiest) way up, and which would be the best descent should I end up coming down from there at any point.

Thanks Carlos. Plenty of options to go at there. I like the sound of the first suggestion.

That would be Greenlands for both answers, unless you fancy the road to the bus stop as a climb, easy but boring?

Try to avoid road as much as possible. By Greenlands do you mean the bridleway from Hollins Cross to Greenlands rather than the one directly south from Greenlands? I'm not sure which is the route that people recommend.

By Greenlands do you mean the bridleway from Hollins Cross to Greenlands rather than the one directly south from Greenlands?

Yeah, if you're at Hollins Cross and look up to Mam Tor it's the descent to your right towards Edale. If going down it there's a fork in it about 1/3 of the way down that you need to go left at, the right hand fork is a footpath (I think). Gone down it by accident before, it's a decent descent actually but Greenlands is more fun 😆

Always better from edale as you get to finish down jacobs. You should get parked at barber booth for free if you're early enough.

Thanks for all the pointers guys. So looking forward to it 🙂

Hope you enjoy it! It's a good loop, I tend not to do it much in the summer as I ride it a lot in the winter when the other trails are manky, but might do it this weekend with the current forecast 😀

I like to do the loop starting at Edale and out over Lords' Seat and down Jacobs to finish

Cheers guys/gals, bit of a slog but got round, some great sections and some horrible boggy ruts, ha ha!

Let me guess; Rushup a bog?

Just to update this I did Jacobs on Saturday and we pretty much followed Carlos's suggestion...

[s]What about parking on the road that drops down to Blue John Cavern? Then ride round to[/s] [i]Parked at the NT car park near Mam Nick, over the top of[/i] Mam Tor to Hollins Cross, descend Greenlands, climb Chapel Gate, then Roych Clough, Mount Famine, Coldwell Clough [s]and maybe the Campsite descent[/s], climb Oaken Clough to Edale Cross and descend Jacobs to Barber Booth, climb Greenlands to Hollins Cross [s]then take the Bridleway that drops South into Castleton, round the back lanes to pick up Pindale,[/s] bridleway around Mam Tor, Dirtlow Rake, Cavedale and then a final climb up the Broken Road.

Italics and strikethrough my annotation. 40km and 1360m. Really good ride. Just one dab on Cave dale so have to go back and clean it another time.

Did a quick loop around Stanage plantation on the friday evening when we got there and a 30km/900m loop around Ladybower on sunday taking in The Beast, Potato Alley, Screaming mile, and the WLT alpine descent. All in all a bloody good weekends riding thanks to local knowledge on here 😀