Any good? Is it worth the slog up pindale to come down cavedale? It will be mid week so hopefully not too many walkers..what do ya reckon?

It is a slog to get there, and it’s very testing. Not worth it if you chicken out and walk, worth it if you ride it.

🙂

See if you can plan a route that gets to the top of Cavedale via the top of Winnats or the quarry at Eldon Hill, it beats the slog up Pindale.
Cavedale is one of the best descents in the Peaks. 🙂

Quite techy int it? How does it compare to the beast? While i’ve got your attention, whats the better of the two descents from hollins cross (north side)? Done the one which heads west down to greenlands many times, which I love, but never the other towards backtor.. but which is best (in a Harry Hill styleee!)

Very slippy if wet, especially the rock slab bit near the bottom. It’s a cool descent – pretty hardcore, even in the dry.

If you’re doing one descent from the top down to Castleton, I always preferred going along Mam Tor Ridge then dropping down to the right. Also technical in places, but enough to be technical + fast, whereas Cavedale (which is good, don’t get me wrong) is just a slow rocky challenge with a grass slope afterwards. Actually, the lopey section before the top of Cavedale is nice, too thinking about it.

Aaah I miss the peaks.

Cavedale is far harder than The Beast.

Vdubber’s right about the wet…saying that I don’t think I’ve ever ridden it in the dry but I do remember an exciting night ride down Cavedale 😀

I keep meaning to get myself there to ride it, any Grid reference as to where it starts, thanks.

GR 135813, it heads NW from that point towards Castleton.

Of course it’s worth it, very different kind of riding than the beast(which you can just roll or nail) cavedale needs a bit more commitment alot foresight and less silly low speed(else you’ll stall) it’s only a bit interesting for the first 80 metres or so, then it’s just a matter of letting go of the brakes and rolling through it.

Only done it the once so whether it changes much i don’t know, didn’t notice it being particulary slippery either.

crazy-legs – Member
GR 135813, it heads NW from that point towards Castleton.

Thank you, that following the limestone way?

I cleared Cavedale dab free a couple of years ago – it was the most glorious mountain biking moment of my life so far !

Edale’s not a bad starting point: up Chapel Gate, along Rushup Edge (or any other route over Mam Tor so the right hand BW from Greenlands is viable). Cut across Windy Knoll, down the farm track to the top of Cave Dale (or what i think of it as being) Down Cave Dale. Hearty lunch in Castleton. Up Mam Tor. Down Mam Tor. Home.

andrew – Member
Edale’s not a bad starting point: up Chapel Gate, along Rushup Edge (or any other route over Mam Tor so the right hand BW from Greenlands is viable). Cut across Windy Knoll, down the farm track to the top of Cave Dale (or what i think of it as being) Down Cave Dale. Hearty lunch in Castleton. Up Mam Tor. Down Mam Tor. Home.

Just had a look at the map, that does seem the best route. For longer/lighter days i think i’ll include Jacobs ladder also.

Sounds quite scary, one to ponder perhaps, or just have a go…yeah…ponderings wrong! Cheers

I do it as part of a couple of loops but I wouldn’t say it’s worth going up just to come straight back down again.

I agree that it’s far harder than the Beast but in the dry it’s just about rideable. The section leading into it is pretty good fun and the grassy, bowl-like run-out certainly isn’t rubbish either. The central bedrock section is pretty damn tough though.

what the others are saying – a real fun challnge – can be near impossible in wet at times – usually made worse over the summer/autumn – winter rain seems to ‘wash off’ some of the real slippertyness/mud mix that makes the middle section so damn slippy.

Definatley harder than the Beast, but slower, so less chance of a big ‘off’ IMHO.

Not worth it if you chicken out and walk, worth it if you ride it.

I disagree. I haven’t cleared it yet, but I believe I will eventually, and it’s fun trying 🙂

It’s a most excdellent descent…. not sure if it’s the best in the peaks, but it’s up there in the top 10.

There’s a helmet cam video of me riding it on facebook at: Facebook