Following on from my 2 previous posts, I’m trying to plan a day ride in the Peaks for this Thursday, starting out from Hope or there abouts.

I have ridden the Peaks before, but always tend to stick to the same routes. Ridden down to/around Ladybower/Howden various times, as well as in between Edale/Castleton, down the nice rocky steps at Rushup Edge and down Jacobs Ladder.

Just wondering if I’m missing any other must do sections/loops in the area?

There is lots of riding in the peak but if you split out the classic sections of bridleway there are not that many. They are all mostly long / epic in nature though and bar cut gate they can all be looped together.

No you have it all covered 😉

I’ve done a brilliant 30 mile loop starting from Hope that took in Cavedale, Mam Tor, The Beast, a really good alpine style descent at Ladybower and another descent I can’t remember the name of. I’d highly recommend it.

A couple of good areas you’ve missed are Stanage plantation, and the stuff around Hayfield – middle moor, campsite descent etc

Think you’ve missed bradwell edge?

And if you haven’t done cavedale, that as well.

The rest of my top 5 would be:

Stanage Plantation – pack-horse track with a rocky top section, a tight switchback, then twisty flagstones to the botom where there’s a few big drop offs to play arround on.

Blaka Moor/Dore Drops – three bridleway decents of the muddy singletrack variety rather than the rocky stuff in the rest of the peaks.

Lady Cannings is good fun if done flat out on a hardtail trying to stich together a clean line through the ruts for the first half then diving left into the twisty rooty stuff down to the bridge at the end.

There’s lots of other stuff but a lot is varying degrees of cheeky.

Blaka Moor/Dore Drops – three bridleway decents of the muddy singletrack variety rather than the rocky stuff in the rest of the peaks.

…it’s really not that muddy on Blacka anymore as there’s been a lot of trail improvement works done, some of it’s been a bit sanitized but still good, also it should be drying out nicely with this weather we’re having, crackin’ flags in Sheff 😉

The Beast is probably the hardest descent in the UK.

@walleater that’s clearly not true

@strike – my recommendations would be as above, you can get in Cavedale and the Beast from Hope and if you’ve the legs do more riding next to Ladybower or include Rushup and/or Jacobs. Ive never ridden Chapelgate as it was flattened before my first visit but you can cut back towards Edale and Hope if you dont want to loop eound South Head to Jacobs. If you’re doing Mam Tor / Rushup you can cut down to pick up Limestone Way and Cavedale into Castleton before climbing the land slipped road back under Mam Tor to Rushup Edge.

I call troll.

The Beast is probably the hardest descent in the UK.

Sure? I rode a hardtail without a helmet down there recently. Its a straight line (with many line choices).

You can also ride it slow or fast.

Cavedale is harder as you can’t crawl on it.

Parkin Clough is the hardest IMO.

hora – Member
Sure? I rode a hardtail without a helmet down there recently. Its a straight line (with many line choices).
You can also ride it slow or fast.
Cavedale is harder as you can’t crawl on it.
Parkin Clough is the hardest IMO.

Swoon 😀

Though I agree, Cavedale is definitely tougher, though there are lots I haven’t ridden.

The Beast can be minced, as the gradient is comfy, but I reckon it would take some skills to hit it at pace. You’d risk folding your front wheel in half on a boulder.

Agree that Cavedale is sort of the opposite – in that it’s just that bit too steep to be mince down it, so is a hard descent to clean. If you do have the skills / bottle to take it fast, though, I would speculate that it’s plain sailing. Rocks are pretty small.