Had an ace ride up on Beeley Moor yesterday. It was my first time up there and I noticed some singletrack heading into Whitesprings wood. I didn't have time to explore but was wondering if any locals could shed some light. Any good? Where does it go? Can it be used to bypass the road sections?
There's a bit in Whitesprings wood, but various options to get off Beeley Moor down to any of Chatsworth, Beeley, or Two Dales - will post up some Strava segments later when I get home
This is what I did [url= http://www.strava.com/activities/187923930 ]Strava link[/url]
After slogging up Sydnope Hill the track eventually levelled off before joining tarmac. I wondered if I could turn into the woods before hitting the tarmac and go across the moor, thus avoiding the road.
Thanks
Theres trails down through white springs which spit you back out in two dales. Or you can pick up the footpath to the north which crosses the moor. Not a great footpath though.
Last time I went through white springs there were lots of trees down after the winter gales.Hopefully they've been cleared now - though I wouldnt bet on. Actually I might check it out tomorrow...
I went up there this evening for a quick spin, but to get up Whitesprings, the best way is via Hallmoor, although after you've gone up the very rough section of Sydnope, as you get to the junction before the farm, you can cut left across the fields - you would really struggle to find either route though, as I got slightly lost today.
[url= http://www.strava.com/activities/188445595 ]Linky[/url]
As you can imagine, Back Lane is a much better descent. As for the rest of the ride, glad you enjoyed it, but you did miss a few pearlers - hope you don't mind a few comments....
After climbing up from Rowsley Wood/Burnt Wood, rather than turn left down the road to Beeley, turn right up the road for a few hundred yards and at the double track, take this down Beeley Green Lane down to the bridge at Chatsworth...
[url= http://www.strava.com/activities/164495222 ]Just before the end of this part-ride[/url]
Don't take my KOM though 😉
If you are feeling cheeky, there is also a naughty run down through Hellbank plantation, then once in Beeley, take the field right to Chatsworth bridge.
From there, follow the road past Calton Lees, up the hill of death and over down to Rowsley, back to the A6 - cracking descent
[url= http://www.strava.com/activities/154806425 ]As per this ride[/url]
You can cut right, then left as you emerge from the woods to bring you further along towards Haddon.
The rest of your route over Youlgreave, is the best you could have picked, although we rarely do it. After that, you bypass Stanton Moor near Birchover, again some good runs. The run down Clough is pretty decent (actually, looking at that, it was near the start of your ride) - there is some good singletrack, but boggy when wet.
If you want any more info or fancy joining a ride, drop me a line ndmarshall130971 AT gmail DOT com
Never thought of going up through hall dale! Usually come down from the top, loop round whitesprings plantation (singletrack starts at the clearing), and then down halldale via the quarry and the steep switchbacks.
Probably going to loop through tonight via matlock, lumsdale, farley wood, halldale and back to matlock if anyone fancies it.
We will be out, but not sure of route yet - setting off from Darley with a couple of noobs in tow, showing them some new trails
*edit - have you just followed me on Strava Ben? 😉
Usually go up through Hall Dale as it's much nicer than climbing the first bit of Back Lane. Got stopped by the landowner a few weeks back though, he's not particularly happy about bikes in there - mainly because he believes (correctly or not) that it attracts quads and MXers. We had a long chat with him and he was pretty reasonable to be fair, was fine with us carrying on. He did say that he's been given abuse by several riders though, which is pretty sh1t really.
Yep just followed you - always worth following locals in case they know some bits that I don't 😉
If you see a guy on a raw coloured scandal 29er this eve, say hello 🙂
Will do Ben 😉
al2000 - yeah, had a chat with the landowner before and he's pretty reasonable. Try and only take that route if there's one or two of us. Look at my link above and there is an alternative up through the quarry. You have to push up for 100yds, but then you get a nice little downhill to the stream.
Good info everyone. Thanks. Definitely worthy of more exploration.
TAFKAS, if I'd had a bit more time I would have done what you suggest instead of dropping down the road to Beeley. I've climbed up that doubletrack as well as done some cheeky stuff in the woods and had hoped to have time to come through Chatsworth back to Haddon Hall instead of wearing out my tyres on the tarmac.
TAFKASTR - yeah, we don't head up that way if there's more than two of us, otherwise it's the lane (ugh). Not considered heading up through the quarry though, we usually descend that way when heading back towards Two Dales.
Ventured out last night, passed a group of 8 coming up hall dale (not sure if it was any of you guys?)
On the plus side, the woodland loop at the top of Whitespring woods has returned to its slippery nadgery best, now that the fallen trees have been removed 🙂
That'll have been the Matlock Cycling club splinter group - they set off from the Church Inn every Tuesday at 6.30. Bumped into them when we got back, but we did the Beeley/Chatsworth loop
We are riding from Starkholmes @ 18.30, doing Brown Trousers (Bow Wood) and Black Rocks tonight if anyone is interested.