Any clues?
Pondering a cheeky day off on Thursday while the weather holds, but only going to go for it if ground conditions seem reasonable
In Leeds it's rained a reasonable amount and some trails a bit damper than expected today.
I'm sure the hills have had more rain, but then again out in the sunshine and the wind it will have improved it a lot.
Would probably be aiming for a big ish yomp around Cut Gate, Derwent Edge area
It's basically rained non stop for 6 months (I was marvelling at the sound of my tyres on dry tarmac the other day), everything is soaking. Not sure about cut gate specifically but other peak trails are pretty damn wet still. Happy to be proved wrong!
Cheers, in Leeds we might have had it very easy in the lee of the pennines I guess!
Local trails (which can be very muddy, rather than generally rocky as in the peak) were approaching prime before the weekend rain.
Did ladybower, hope cross, win tor etc o Sunday and it was great but *very* wet. Cut gate will be sodden.
Weirdly dry over here t'other side (Manchester side of Pennines) Hardly rained here at all over winter.
running sweet as, right now.
take off your fanny pack, strap on your big boy pants and go mountain biking 😄
Some moron will doubtless be along to point out that "recent" work to the bog of doom means it goes in any weather.
Neglecting to mention that that work covered a few dozen yards of a huge long trail..
From Langsett to the bog of doom by weekend might not be too bad . Im just the other side of the Valley in Saddleworth and a few places are drying quickly as of 6.30am today . A few good days weather ahead will make weekend quite dry .
That said ... Langsett and Ladybower will be chuffing hammered as the first sunny weekend of the year on the cards ..
Mottram moor (the super dooper bypass slip road b*LLS**T ) will be down to 0ne lane only with lights if coming from the M67 . Last week total gridlock in the area . a628
Reading back though .. Thursday might be wet AF 😉
My expert opinion ...
(Based on zero recent experience of riding in the Peak)
I'd willingly attempt Cut Gate. Most of the climb up from Langsett will be fine, probably some spots of running water on the way up, especially up towards the top.
Decent down to Slippery Stones will likely be fine, but potentially muddy/greasy after the flagstones until the final section of the descent.
Further on, I'd imagine the cheeky climb up to Lost Lad will be muddy in places. But would think Derwent Edge/ Les Arcs will be running well.
Thanks all,
I think I'm aligned with your opinion on this @hardtailonly
It was sunny and windy AF yesterday, so I think that will have helped the firm stuff dry out a lot on the top layer. Some boggy bits won't have been helped too much though - not long enough for those to drain
Well I went up cut gate. Bit splashy at the top on the langsett side, then a bit soft across the the grass before dropping down to bull Clough (not a bog).
But all rideable/fun....and other than that around Derwent Edge it was prime 😎
El boufador, was it you + mate I met at Cut Gate cairn and then again I caught you up along the res?
'Twas wetter and muddier than I expected
Not sure,
I followed someone in an orange (colour) hardtail on the climb out of slippery stones. I was about about 200m behind. Caught them around the steepish switch-backy bit as you head towards the North America turn
Yeah still a lot of water seeping out of the ground on the top section. But wet but not all that muddy I thought (as expected, really)
Definitely the wettest stuff I rode yesterday, tho. Lots of the other stuff was prime.
No, it wasn't you then. I met several groups of very happy bikers (and walkers) on Thursday, I think we were all relishing a bit of sun