Dropping my motorhome off for service next week at glossop , going to take the bike and do a ride while I wait.
Anyone got a suggestion for a good mtb ride ?…

There’s a nice figure of 8 that I did a couple of years back, starts in hayfield iirc. If you want, I’ll grab a GPX from my strava.

From Glossop Caravans? Over to hafield, Longdendale trail to the end, over the snow road to Langsett, over Cut Gate to Ladybower, over to Hope Cross, along Edale and up Jacob’s Ladder, drop towards hayfield and bear right over middle moor, then through Glossop and back to pick up the ‘van

just shy of fifty miles, but you;ll have a shower and bed at the end of the ride 😀

How much time do you have? The best local riding arguably starts from Hayfield, but that’s a bit of slog over particularly if you stay legal, though you can potter over the main road to the summit of Chunal in about 15 minutes of tarmac-climbing dullness.

Other options are up above Hollingsworth and/or a loop of the Northern Horse Track with added stuff around and about the Longdendale Trail thrown in.

Or if you have a cross bike and the inclination, down the Longdendale Trail, then over past Winscar Reservoir, down towards the bottom of Holme Moss off road then either back over Holme Moss or climb up past Digley Res to the Isle of Skye road then left, drop down into Greenfields and follow the Pennine Bridleway back over to Hadfield/Glossop.

ps: Doctor’s Gate looks tempting and obvious on paper, but in reality is unrideable in large sections, particularly heading up, and I think, the bridge towards the bottom may still be down pending replacement.

Thanks for suggestions
Got about 5 hours, ideally want to start as near to glossop caravans as I can and about 20-25 miles

I’d be heading out over to Hadfield side – pick up the Pennine Bridleway as it crosses the A57 at a traffic light crossing thing a bit down from Glossop Caravans – and combining a loop up above Hollingworth look for the Coach Road bridleway that heads up above the Gun pub at the bottom of Mottram Moor.

You can do a loop up there then drop back down into Longdendale via Lower Swineshaws reservoir then mix up stuff that runs alongside the official trail before picking up the Northern Horse Route which starts or finishes at Crowden depending on which way round you do it.

It’s all a bit nadgery and hard to describe if you don’t know the area. If you have Strava, take a look at the heatmaps locally maybe, or go browse a map.

If you want stuff that’s more techy and involving,, grit your teeth and hack over to Charlesworth on the obvious back road, then up the clear bridleway that turns into a footpath and over Cown Edge before dropping down onto the Pennine Bridleway and picking up the stuff around Hayfield.

Which day are you around? I might be able to do some impromptu ‘guiding’.

I’ve lived at the other side of Glossop (bottom of the Snake Pass) for a couple of years now and not really found anything that good from the door

I’m not fit enough at the moment (Lyme) to chance cycling over to Hayfield, then doing a loop, and trying to get back

I keep meaning to try climbing up Chunal, past the Grouse pub, then turning down Monks Road towards Charlesworth and then to Robin Hoods Picking Rods and seeing what I can pick up from there

Still slightly anxious with my health though about being stuck up there unable to get back over the hill

I keep meaning to try climbing up Chunal, past the Grouse pub, then turning down Monks Road towards Charlesworth and then to Robin Hoods Picking Rods and seeing what I can pick up from there

It’s worth the slog – you can always cut over on the Derbyshire Level road from that end of things – and factor in a 15-minute spin up the hill. From the top you can drop down the permissive footpath to the bottom of the Shooting Cabin/Middle Moor track then ride in reverse and drop down to Hayfield either on the Kinder Res cobbles or 20 Trees or head over the Picking Rods track then drop into the stuff around Mellor and Roman Lakes.

There’s also very good footpath riding all over the shop…

Is the footpath on the left at the summit? Opposite the Monks road turn off?

Yep, that’s the one. Directly opposite, just follow the obvious track down, not very exciting but quite useful. It’s a good way of avoiding the hideous S-bend on the road if you’re going the other way too, though the local farmer has a reputation for being a little grumpy… If you turn right onto Monk’s you can obviously either go over the top and down the Picking Rods or take the Pennine Bridleway over to Hayfield – or with dog-leg via the farm with the dogs – or drop down the road into Hayfield. Or from the top of the track over Cown Edge, you can head right at the first gate then over the edge itself and drop down into Charlesworth.

I lived in Glossop for almost 20 years, but I’ve moved the hill to New Mills. I loved the riding from the doorstep, in Glossop, but everything seems to start with a climb, even if you just head over to the reservoirs and the Longdendale Trail.

Thanks badlywireddog

I lived in New Mills for about 8 years before moving over here

New Mills is in an ideal spot as you get a nice easy warm up on the ride into Hayfield to start a loop

I also used to like riding around Mellor Cross

The route nbt suggests is a good one but I’d change it just make sure that it had been a full day out and the finish was a little nearer to Glossop Caravans.

Ignore Jacobs ladder. Drop into Edale as nbt suggests, climb to Hollins Cross, Mam Tor, Rushup Edge, back of Mount Famine, Chinley Churn via Peep O Day, Birch Vale, Lantern Pike, Monks R to Charlesworth, Off Glossop Rd through Gamesley and drop down to the A57. Glossop Caravans is on your left. You’ll need your camper after that.

From Glossop Caravans up Mottram moor to the top of Hobson moor ,a quick run down walker wood , then the roman rd to Carrbrook and a run to Dovestones ,up to Crew ressy and a loop back accross Indian head for the views .After which you have a 4 mile run back DOWN !! to Stalybridge and the n 15 minutes back up Mottram rd to Glossop ,,3-4 hours and a few good runs both up and down ,

Shame im away next weekend or I would of offered a guided tour.

Ive also just come back from a run around the Hayfield loop , depending on time frame the loop can be added to or shortened to suit

Little bit of a thread hijack but after doing the loop today I have to say a few places seem to have been either eroded with rock slides on the bridal ways or are Derbyshire CC dumping rock to stop riders , top of Castlegate and round back to South head seems rougher than normal