I’m organising a walking weekend for some mates in the peaks in a few weeks, staying in Edale YHA. Group of 11 walking on Friday and Saturday but 4 or 5 have expressed a desire to do some MTB on the Thursday. A mix of experience, fitness and age (25-65) so not looking for anything massively technical.

I don’t know the area very well, we get together a couple of times a year to walk but usually Lakes or North Wales. We did stay in Edale about 7 or 8 years ago and did the Ladybower loop. I think perhaps fitness has tailed off for a few in the interviewing years! I should say, these are mostly fellas that have mountain bikes, rather than keen mountain bikers. So any suggestions for a 4 or 5 hour ride, not hugely technical, possibly with a pub lunch stop and something easy to navigate for a non local.

i did see bike tracks on stanage edge, it looked quite doable, even for me, so that may be part of an option.
Also saw some very wet mtb riders on the road at edale, so there must be something near there

Apologies for the blatant self plug. I tried to PM but it seems to be broke. If you want a guide then give me a shout.

Peak District

Amnyway, back to your question… at Edale YHA you’re slap bang on the middle of three great ride options.
Heading east up Jagger’s Clough and down Beast/ Potato Alley takes you to Ladybower like you did previously.

West is Jacobs ladder, which is a great loop, and realatively weatherproof.

South (ish!) Is Cavedale, which is one of the more interesting bridleways in the area.

Having reread the bit about non tech, perhaps Jacobs and Cavedale aren’t the best!
In which case Jagger’s, Hope Brink, Adventure Cafe, Broken Road, Hollins Cross, Greenland’s Farm would be a good starting point

Thanks both. @thegeneralist some good suggestions and I’ve had a look at your website. More good info there 👍 A guide might be an option.  I’ll sound the others out.

i did see bike tracks on stanage edge, it looked quite doable, even for me, so that may be part of an option

I’m intrigued which bit you looked at. I love riding along the top of stanage, BUT
Most of it ( except the bit between Causeway and Plantation) isn’t designated as Bridleway ( having said which you should be ok on a Thursday)
And more importantly…. the reason I love it is precisely because it is hard imho. Slow gnadgery rocky slabs with loads of steps up and down. A non skilled group would hate it.

Just to be clear, the bridleway bit from causeway to plantation is legal and easy. ( but plantation is only one of of those 😉 ) it’s the rest to the east that is to be avoided unless you like rocky tech.

Which bit were you referring to?

@thegeneralist I’ve sent you a message 👍

Which bit were you referring to?

I only went up the main track from Dennis Knoll Car Park then down to Hollin Bank Car Park and i saw the tracks on the way up. Ive never been there before
Unfortunately i cant do much(any) rocky tech at the moment

up the main track from Dennis Knoll Car Park then down to Hollin Bank Car Park and i saw the tracks on the way up. Ive never been there before

Cool. In terms of trails, that’s up Stanage Causeway and down Stanage Plantation. The bit along the top of Stanage is indeed nice and mellow. Stanage Plantation is nice and hard ( or at least as hard as peak district bridleways get)

From the YHA Backtor Bridge to Hollins Cross, along past Mam Tor to Mam Nick. Along the road past the top of Winner’s Pass to Oxlow and onto the Limestone Way. Little loop past Eldon Quarry down to Peak Forest then back up Oxlow Rake. Then Dirtlow Rake and Pindale down to towards Castleton, back road to Hope (lunch, pub or cafe). Up to Aston then past Dimings onto Hope Brinks to Hope Cross. Down Jagger’s Clough to finish. Nothing too technical – probably some tough pushing for the unfit onto Hollins Cross but thereafter some nice scenery. About 17 miles.

Or from bottom of Pindale take BW past quarry works to Bradwell (lunch there) and add in a loop from Brough around Hatton Moor before the Hope Brinks bit. About 23 miles.

I visited in the Summer with my boys (11&14) who are more used to trail centres and the South Downs.  So this is very much a visitor’s perspective of trying to find a not too brutal route but with some rockery in that area.

Apologies to any locals who consider any aspect of this an abomination! 🤪 

The waymarked (I think) reservoir loop is easy/low tech the whole way round but also pretty low interest from a riding perspective.  My boys got a bit bored!

Below is a link to the a loop I planned assuming we would start in Edale (we didn’t as Mrs g-d wanted to walk the reservoirs).  This was based on local trail guide websites and some previous visits to the area.

We started at the visitor centre at Ladybower, went out into the villages south of there (quiet lanes for a bit) and then back up to Hope Cross where you’d be able to join from Edale.  In practice we cut short on our return leg when we got the reservoir by Gore’s Farm and turned right.

https://explore.osmaps.com/route/17902403/Edale-Derwent-Howden-Ladybower

The downhill bit near Blackley Clough was the one bit I remember being properly rough.  Although my 11 year old rode a lot (but not all) of it.

Yes garage-dweller’s route is a good one taking in the well known Lockerbrook trail down to Gore’s. There is forestry work going on at the moment, I haven’t been up there for a while but I believe part of the trail has been covered with sand/gravel to aid access and it’s only open at weekends. The lap around the Derwent reservoirs is very pleasant too and can be extended up to Winstone Lee Tor to the East of the reservoirs (via the steep Two Barns ascent – see if anyone can ride up it!) then descend to Cutthroat Bridge and the Ladybower Inn for a pint before continuing. Yes the descent down Blackley Clough (aka Spud Alley on account of the size and shape of the rocks) is quite rough but is OK.

Just man up and do Jacobs ladder, it’s not that hard it’s just a bit of a slog in places.

Hi OP.
I’ve no idea why but I can only seem to message you one in 10 attempts.
Anyway, 26 October is free for me if you do need.
Best to PM me your number and I’ll phone you.

Cheers

This is what the Lockerbrook bridleway looked like on Saturday 16th September 2023.

Some great advice and suggestions here, many thanks to everyone who has contributed.  Because I’m beholden to other people’s timetables it’s looking like our ride on the Thursday is going to be curtailed a bit, I won’t know for sure by how much till nearer the time.  So we’ll decide then what to do, but likely heavily influenced by your great advice. ATM slowoldman’s first suggestion is looking favourite.

From the YHA Backtor Bridge to Hollins Cross, along past Mam Tor to Mam Nick. Along the road past the top of Winner’s Pass to Oxlow and onto the Limestone Way. Little loop past Eldon Quarry down to Peak Forest then back up Oxlow Rake. Then Dirtlow Rake and Pindale down to towards Castleton, back road to Hope (lunch, pub or cafe). Up to Aston then past Dimings onto Hope Brinks to Hope Cross. Down Jagger’s Clough to finish. Nothing too technical – probably some tough pushing for the unfit onto Hollins Cross but thereafter some nice scenery. About 17 miles.

Did this today with the missus, very pleasant. Only thing I’d consider is going up Greenlands Farm to Hollins instead of Backtor. Backtor has too much pushing for my taste….. but then i like cycling uphill. If youŕ group tends to push up climbs anyeay then Backtor is fine.

Holy thread resurrection! Thanks for all the advice. We had a superb 4 days in Edale, boozy nights in the Nags Head watching the rugby and 11 farty/snory blokes crammed into one room in the YHA!

In the end only 2 of us made it on Thursday afternoon for a ride, me and my son.  We did a 20km figure of 8 loop from Castleton, up the old collapsed road towards Hollins Cross, behind Mam Tor and along the ridge. A descent into Edale I can’t remember the name of, back up Chapel gate (I think)? The last bit of our  descent into Castleton was (I think) Cavedale? A terrifying but exhilarating steep rocky descent which was right on the edge of my rubbish skill level!

The next 3 days were spent hill walking with the bikes just used as pub transport. Good times 🙂

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Nice and good pics too.