Consider my unbridled joy at being asked to attend a course next week on Tuesday and Wednesday in Knutsford! Whooop. The great thing is that I get 2 days off in the loo. So I am plotting at least 1 days riding maybe 2. The course finishes at 3 on weds so I can travel pretty much anywhere. I have not ridden in the peaks since about 1997 and I can only imagine that it must be more awesome than I remember.

To that end, make up your best day out in the peaks, I would like some forest as I am a bit of a under bridge type and avoid sunlight, possibly including a finish involving good quality food and beer and maybe somewhere to sleep.

I could probably manage 4 hrs riding, but try not to kill me, I am office fit.

I would like some forest

Ah well.

😉

Most of the stuff under cover of tree that I know is cheeky.
It’s great though!

Legal woodsy in the dark peak is Blackamoor, Lady Cannings, The Beast, Macc Forest.

Most of my favourite Peak riding is cheeky in fact, so I should probably stay out of it!

Mmm Forest.. not really!

I’d suggest a base in Hope. You’ve got the classic ladybower loop and places to stay and eat in the village.

I can drive there quicker than the lakes – given its half the distance this should actually be achievable ; it is not.

OP you’re close to Macclesfield Forrest which has a lot of cheeky under the trees and some good legit bridleways. Might need a guide though 😉

One where no one call’s it “The Peaks”.

It’s ‘The Peak District’, the name derives from the people that lived in the area, not a synonym for hills.

One where no one call’s it “The Peaks”.

Apart from all the people that do. (“call’s” in the middle of a pedant post really?)

It’s ‘The Peak District’, the name derives from the people that lived in the area, not a synonym for hills.

So it could be The Peak’s then?

Alex, Edward TBH Cheeky forest trails sound right up my street…

Knutsford!
google maps suggest
44 mins to Wildboardclough (macc forest)
1hr 12 to degla
1hr to Castleton.

Finish at 3, drive to Castleton and then riding till sundown? riding from 4-8 or later? sounds about right. ‘The Castle’ in castleton is a cracking pub, I think it’s even haunted as well iirc. Proper old fashioned place, very nice atmos inside and decent grub.
What sort of riding are you used to? some of the peak’s ascents can be very tough and time consuming.
Do you have a garmin to follow gpxs?

Are there some cheeky options on the big killer loop, around the top of Hagg Farm? I finished with a boring bridleway down to Ladybower the last time after seeing a nice footpath…

I call it the Peaks and live 10 minutes away. 😈

You can do Macc Forest after work on Wednesday, its only 20 minutes from Knutsford then have a full in the day around Edale/Hope or Hayfield the next day. I’d take you round but the wife’s away on business.

I,d park at Mam Tor down into Edale, Jacobs Ladder to Hayfield. Lunch then back to Mam Tor via Pennine Bridleway. Not many trees though.

Sorry, I meant I can drive to location on weds night and ride all day on thursday! But if I can fit a cheeky ride in on weds night then so much the better!
I can follow GPX. Or link me to strava segments, a colleague is coming who is a strava nut. Email in profile.

you’ve got all day! well defo go from Hope or Castleton then. give up any nonsense about 4hrs if I were you, lol. just eat at the top of every ascent and take plenty to drink. Where are you from? you’re in for a treat!

Well an all day ride around the Macc Forest area could take in some more traditional Peak areas too.

So maybe…
Forest, Shutlingsloe, Cumberland Clough, 3 shires (formally Three Shire Heads, but everyone calls it 3 shires), Cumberland Clough, Forest. Not sure about pubs though.

The main problem, is that you should probably have a guide for the cheeky forest stuff. Whereas you could have a great day out around Ladybower following a well-known well-marked legal tracks.

If you want a good view of the Peak, that’s probably what I’d do.

I’d do what staineypants said, that’s a good easy to follow route for someone who probably doesn’t know it too well, plenty of online routes to download too.

Also, call it the peaks. That’s what everyone who lives there calls it, it’s even my inlaws local pub name.

Sort digs out beforehand, then on Wednesday afternoon drive over (1hr’ish).

Wednesday Ride – Start in Hope, up Pindaale, Dirtlow Rake, descend Cavedale, Up the Broken Road, Round Mam Tor, descend to Greenlands, climb back up to Hollins Cross, Descend back Tor Farm, Jaggers Clough, Hope Cross, Roman Road back to Hope for food and Beer.

Thursday Ride – Head up the Roman road to Hope Cross, descend The Beast, climb Hagg Farm, Lockerbrook, descend Gores, round to Fairholmes, Up to the Shelter on Grindle Clough, Round the wall to Whitstone Lee Tor, Left option and descend to Ladybower Inn, Cross the Dam, Round Thornhill and Aston, Up to Twitchill Farm, Hope Brink and finish on descending The Roman Road.

Lots and lots of other options, but the above is easy to navigate, quite waterproof routes, Cafe option at Fairholmes and prob take in the better bits without riding miles and miles of filler. All imo of course

Carlos

Edit – Stainypants route is the wrong way round, do it clockwise if you do that one

OP I think I could show you around on the Wednesday evening for about 2.5/3 hours around the Macc Forrest area. Drop me an email 🙂

if you’re stuck for digs. try the YHA in Edale, it’s bit out of the way so usually have rooms in the week, incl private rooms.

Edward thanks email inbound.
All of you thanks. It sounds as though it is best to alternate between “The Peaks” and “The Peak District” so as to try and scatter gun my approach and not piss off everyone… (I see this backfiring as Murphy’s law states every “Peaks” person will receive a “Peak District” in estuary English and vice versa, perhaps I should just say “These Lovely Hills”)

You’ll not be calling them that when you’ve climbed a few….