Dartmoor – nutcracker loop

What’s the best approach to get to the top of the nutcracker. I’ve only ever done it by pushing up.

You can climb up to Hunters tor from Peck Farm, accessible from the North Bovey end of Lustleigh Cleave.. There’s a road to the farm from manaton and another from North Bovey or a traverse through the cleave about half way up on the other side after the bridge too far descent, followed by a BW once you get past the lush thatched cottages

Road from manaton to there? Normally I’d ride the BW out of manaton, past the hobbit house and down bridge to far.

You can climb –walk pushing your bike most of the way – up to Hunters tor from Peck Farm, 

Is what I think you meant to say yunki 😉

Its also possible to get up to the top from the path that countours through the woods and eventually brings you out at the houses in Foxworthy. Easiest way is probably turn right (up) instead of left at the fingerboard where the path starts to drop downhill and follow the less distinct uphill track. It’s still a scramble though. Unless your the bastard child of Hans Rey and superman I reckon you’d be pushing at some point whichever way you get to the top.

The climb from peck farm’s ok isn’t it? I haven’t ridden it in the last two years though..

Yunki – I take my hat off to you if you’ve made it all the way up there my friend. 🙂
It’s no worse now than it’s ever been but I grew up in Manaton and have attempted to ride up that path on everything from a Raleigh Grifter to a bling carbon wonder bike over the years and never made it up the loose rocky bit after the field without getting off to push for a bit. In the summer the ferny bit up the top is a bugger too as it gets so overgown.

yeah it’s a bitch 🙂

On the (very) rare occasion that I’ve made the rocky bit, it’s left me with absolutely nothing left for the step ups through the ferns.. I’ve never done the whole thing but I’ve seen it done by others on a number of occasions..

A proper tough challenge (even for a grifter! 🙂 )

I concur, a tough climb, only been up it once, after already riding for 3 tough Dartmoor hours. Had to push some of the loose rocky bit, and then struggled through the steppy bits in the massively overgrown ferns as my legs were completely shot. Had nothing in the tank then and had to potter very carefully down the Nutcracker, still enjoyed it though

Yeah, as Wilko says.. There’s usually a few tough Dartmoor miles in the legs before you even reach the farm..

I LOVE Dartmoor 🙂

I guided a holiday maker on a Houndtor/Lustleigh loop a few years back (he was a forum user from oop North, can’t remember the name but he rode a SC Superlight IIRC) and he rode from Foxworthy to Hunters tor like he was on a Sustrans route, then flitted down the nutcracker like a butterfly..

Big dent in my ego that day.. awesome riding
Sharki’s pretty handy on that climb too

I normally do the Peck Farm climb… Or try to – as above, very, very rarely clear it. Again it’s that loose section that always has me off.

If riding from home I generally come in from North Bovey on the byway via Dickford Bridge / Barnecourt.

If coming in from Manaton you could come in to North Bovey over Easdon – there is a bit of singletrack through the woods above Aller which is quite entertaining – avoid in the wet though. Alternative is to come down the lane past Langstone.

I love the Nutcracker, particularly the fast open bit in the top section. Bottom bit is interesting on a rigid 29er!

What the section like that seems to contour from the bottom of the nutcracker back to foxworthy bridge?

Id climb up on the fireorad from Hisley Bridge (Yarner Wood end), drop out onto the road for a short section and into the bottom of the Nutcracker.

Push up the last bit of the nutcracker itself, ride the singletrack out onto Ravens Tor, drop the Ravens Tor descent which joins half way down with the bridleway descent to Foxworthy follow it round as others have described to Peck Farm and then climb up onto Hunters Tor then ride the full descent, but probably doing Monkey Run rather that the Nutcracker section itself and drop all the way down to the bottom of Bridge To Far. Cross Bridge to Far (the newish bridge at the bottom of the cleave) and follow the footpath along the banks of the river on your left back to Hisley Bridge.

So essentially a big value loop of the Cleave with 2 of Dartmoors best descents.

Cheers si. Mostly makes sense.

What’s the monkey run? Is that just hang a right near the bottom and down to bridge to far?

Monkey run – take a right down thru the woods next to the massive boulders at the start of the proper rocky nutcracker section.. It’s not immediately obvious where you need to go..
I’ve noticed it’s the boys with the big hairy man balls that seem to favour it over the nutcracker

Jambo il FB you a map.

Ravens Tor descent is on your left through just after you exit the woods at the top of the Cleave if heading in the direction of Peck Farm

The Monkey Run, see Sharki’s vid somewhere on my FB page. Ride all of the Cleave singletrack along the ridge and just before you begin to drop into the steeper part of the Nutcracker look to the right as Yunki says. Steeper descent that feeds direct onto the bottom half of the Nutcraker run down to Bridge to Far. Essentially misses out the annoying slight uphill traverse half way down the nutcracker. Much betterer!!

Cool. Is that funky little run off the hairpin on trendlebere down still there?

Yes Plague very much still exists…

What Si said is pretty much the best cleave loop. Add in The Siegfried Line for extra hairy man balls. Si can put that on his map for you aswell.

Looks like I best pack my hairy man balls for tomorrow then….

I attempted the Peck Farm climb earlier this year after we’d had a week of heavy rain.

Anyone fit enough to get up (and keep up) enough speed up there to float over the loose boulders and then lunge up the 12″ steps left by the running water gets a thumbs up from me!

Well I packed my hairy man balls but forgot to pack any legs. 10 miles, 2000ft of
climbing and I’m done for.

Are the trails dryish Jambo? Thinking of heading up mid week 🙂

Wet along the bottom of the valley but as soon as you move up it was pretty good mostly.

I always forget my legs when I go there… Dam annoying that!
Love raven’s descent too
Is the hairy ball descent have that awkward rock step turn just after you leave the top of NC descent? That’s fairly difficult.

if anyone has a sec could you pm me a pic of the route pretty please?

Carlphilips…this…

Although as ever steeper than you think…

Linky no worky

Does for me so you probably need to be friends with sharki.

I’m not on faceache anymore so it’s probably that.

Managed to follow the directions for the monkey run this morning, cheers for those, never even noticed that path! First time up there in months, mighty fine day, shame it was busy with walkers even early doors! Monkey run tech bit was a challenge in past the rock but good fun and managed to clean it first attempt somehow, peck farm climb wasn’t as successful today though, cleaned it earlier in the year but not today 🙁 well worth the trip up from west Cornwall though, you locals are very lucky to have such class riding on tap.

What was it like on the ground after all that rain on the weekend? Heading up there weds afternoon hopefully.

It was surprisingly good considering the rain on Saturday (according to the met office it rained heavy anyway), the frost kept the boggy bits firm enough, the nutcracker was all running great, the descent from water down to the wooden bridge was, as usual wet at the top and fun and loose down the bottom. The climb up bowermans would’ve been pretty boggy if it wasn’t frozen solid but the run down was fine. The run off the main road at trendlebere down was running really well. No complaints at all, will be even better wednesday after more cold weather and no rain.
Quick question – Burchy1 mentions a Siegfried line, would you mind sharing where that one is? I love all the tech riding up there, it’s a rare treat getting up there so I’d hate to think I was missing out on some good stuff.
Cheers.

Stevede, the Lustleigh Nazi’s major defensive line…. drop me a mail (in profile) and I’ll point you in the right direction.

Ha ha Burchy1 I’ve sent you an email, cheers!

Ahem Mr Burchill don’t go claiming this as your own now… 😉

I suppose there’s some solace that you named it in our honour…

Btw have you cleared the clapper bridge on the singletrack beyond it yet? 😉

Well if you will leave the shire then its fair game, plus I got fed up of referring to it as the thingymagingy trail.

The clapper bridge has now been cleared, only once but that’s good enough for me!

New clapper installed at the bottom of Holwell Lawn aswell now.

Ahem Mr Burchill don’t go claiming this as your own now…

wha..!? he told us he’d found it, and cleaned it first time!!

As I am beginning to think he has done so with many of much of my trail finding… 😉

However, only 1 clean of the clapper bridge… now that is disappointing David