Cragg Quarry

Took a ride up there at the weekend.
No signs to stay off the trails – so we didn't 🙂

It's a cracking figure of eight, taking in all the undulations the quarry has to offer – and much better than the old MX trails we used to ride up there.

When the link from Lee Quarry is in place it'll be a great addition to the area. In the meantime it's a nice side-dish to either the MTL or a loop over the Moor.
Congratulations to Rowan Sorrel and his team of trail-builders!

A few snaps of the place:

Not sure if they are officially open yet but its's looking good. I'll have a look up Sunday morning.

Went to LeeQuarry tonight (deserted, suprisingly) and XC'd over to Cragg Quarry. Bloody marvellous. Hats off to TonyL and all concerned.

There's a good descent from CQ – think it's called Top of Leach – which bring you out in Cowpe. And the Buck pub. And it serves Tim Taylor Landlord. YKIMS.

@Stranger – what bike are you on in the pics?

and XC'd over to Cragg Quarry

Which route did you take from Lee Q (easy)? Ta.

Not me in the pics – it's my model 🙂

The bike's a Handjob

You're right though – bloody marvelous!

Where is Cragg Quarry?

If I'm on Rooley moor road heading towards Cowpe would it be on my left?

Just asking as Ive never been and was mucking about up there last week and came across a few small quarries but none with any man made trails in them.

Cragg Quarry is on your left, but its not the first quarry off Rooley moor road (that's Ding Quarry). Keep going until you can see the Rossendale valley – its on the left soon after

@ clarkpm4242
Hello mate.
My pal was navigating, so bear with me.
Turned left off the main red trail – around where the deadly black drops off to the right – maybe 3/4 of the way round or so.

Went through bollock-deep mud, turned left up a rocky farm track (tough climb) then right onto Pennine Brideleway. That kind of got us there, I think.
As I say, descent into Cowpe is great fun!

The trails at Cragg are ready to use no signage in place yet so you will have to explore! It's all red graded nothing too technical on it. I had good ride round on it yesterday and the more you use it the better it gets. lots of short steep ups and downs tight turns and big berms.

Best accessed via the Pennine Bridleway (some people might have to buy a map!)From what I hear the Buck along Cowp road is a good starting point and does good beer. Not been there yet myself but have spoken to the landlord on the phone and he is happy for people to park up there and go for a ride. He is talking about getting some bike washing facilities and a locking point for bikes.

Planning on getting the link between Lee Quarry and Crag over the moors built September/October depending on planning permisions etc. Also hoping to get new trails in at Facit Quarry too.

Fantastic news Tony! My weekend plans have changed already. 🙂
Congrats to all the lads who've worked on it, (both planning and digging) – great job – well done!

I was walking up by the turbines this evening and saw 4 Mxers burning it up around the quarry…couldn't tell from where I was whether they were on the new stuff. Are we supposed to report this and if so, who to?

Rode(pushed) up from Cowpe today.

A beautifully executed trail! Not as smooth as the OP piccies suggest. Flowing yet tight and quite testing. If you can do the Llandegla 'Black' with a bit of confidence you'll be alright on this.

Did 4 circuits then a pootle over to Healy Dell and back for the workout and one final lap of Cragg.

The descent back into Cowpe 'Top of Leach' is ace.

Hi to the 2 riders I met 3x today!

Well worth a visit!!!!!!

Paul

It's a little gem!
I shall be back over tomorrow morning for a couple of laps.
Not from Cowpe but a circuit from Bury – a top little route!

I agree with you clarkpm4242. Hats off to Mr Sorrell and Co. Cragg quarry now has a trail that I want to keep going round and round until I get it perfect. Well worth the climb to get to it.

Fantastic day up on the moor today – no wind and lots of sun. Good to meet a fellow STWer. Good luck with the MTL

Jim

Tony, just a quick ot q. How do you tender the trail works.. such as the link from Cragg to Lee ? is it an open tender that any decent Civils contractor can bid for ?

So whats the best way to get there then? Notice theres a path from The Buck carpark signposted "Top of Leach", is that a bridleway and does that lead up that way? Or is it better going further down the road?

The way I go up there goes near alf kymes scrap yard. Another way is to go from The Buck and the old mill and join Rooley moor road just under Cowpe reservoir.

Saturday 1st May we will be having a bit of a launch ride for Cragg Quarry. 10am from the Buck Inn at Cowpe. I'll post details in a new thread here on the forum. Hope to see lots of you there.

Nice photos BTW. It really is mint up there.

Notice theres a path from The Buck carpark signposted "Top of Leach", is that a bridleway and does that lead up that way?

I went up that way. That is the Pennine Bridleway. Follow the acorn logo and bear left on the way up. A bit hard straight from the car! Turn left at the very top.

Is a lovely descent.

There were a couple of MX's up there this afternoon tearing round the place, some of the berms were taking a bit of a beating and starting to break and slide, no reg plates on them, unlike the idiot L200 driver that forced me off Rooley Moor road showing off to his mates at the speed he could climb, I got your number…

Saturday 1st May we will be having a bit of a launch ride for Cragg Quarry. 10am from the Buck Inn at Cowpe. I'll post details in a new thread here on the forum. Hope to see lots of you there.

Nice photos BTW. It really is mint up there

wooop thats in my diary 😀

ok for the hard of thinking…where the heck is this quarry..lol…
i live rite here in sunny singletrack land….
from cowpe which is the best way to go….

Go up Rooley moor road off Rakehead Lane between waterfoot and stacksteads, go up past Alf Kymes Breakers yard, then all the way up past the last farm, the road after the farm is a track, straight up to the gate on the right, keep right, then up to the last gate and turn right.

Cragg Quarry starts just after the last bit of a climb and continues westward towards Cowpe Low and the fantastic down hill to Cowpe.

lowey tender for the linking route will go out on the LCC electronic tender system and so will be pretty open. We will be looking for evidence of the successful contractor having relevant experience/expertise and being able to deliver on time and to budget. Tenders probably out in August depending on planning etc.

Best advice for getting to Cragg dig out the OS map and start exploring there are some excellent trails in the area. Alternativly join us on the opening ride see Ed's post for details.

I'll show you where it is….

Small group of 4 headed up to Cragg Quarry and had a great time on the berms, rollers etc.. finished off with a pint in the Buck Inn on Cowpe Road. Look forward to the link to Lee Quarry. All this looks well thought through and should result in much greater pick up over the next few months. Cragg offers a more gentle roller coaster type experience with Lee offering some tougher/techie stuff with a cracking decent at the end.

Only disappointment was the 3 or 4 motorcyclists blatting around on the MTB trail and quite happy to open up on the climbs and tear in to the trail. Not sure what the restrictions are but the trail will not take that abuse for long/ The bikes were not cheap rubbish these were top end bikes with guys wearing very decent trials kit – we spoke to them and asked what the thought they were doing up on the bridle way – not interested. One of my mates got a photo with the bike which had a number plate on just need to know who to send it to for the follow up.

Glad you enjoyed the ride. Send me the photo and I'll pass it on.

here are some streetmap linkies

Here is cragg quarry

How to up there – there are more ways up than there than you can shake a stick at

– well the easiest way is probably up the water board road from Edenfield.

Other options are up Rooley Moor Road, via Waughs Well up this track is great,
up the MTL is a tad hard, up here from Rawtenstall is another easy way

we did a section of it today. We set off from darwen headed over to warterfoot the started the mary townly loop, on the last leg of the MTL we picked up crag quary then we headed back to darwen. About 80mi worth of some of the best riding any where.

Went on the 'openening ride' last Saturday with Mr Oxley et al and it was great! So great that I went back on Fri night with my lad and we rode it together, which was nice. He only binned it once and that was on the descent back to Cowpe – 'Just be careful here' 'Right' Whump!! And then in the Buck for a swift pint. Splendid.

Also had fun in the quarry today, cheers Ju. Lots of swoopy fun looking forward to the next visit! Cows on the trails added to the fun! Thanks to all the builders.

Good point – the trail builders have done an excellent job – really good fun. Just need a link to Lee Quarry…….