Thinking of getting on the train and going over to Edale or Hope and finding a way over to Hayfield/New Mills then home to Stockport, just wondered if there is an easy route? What kind of distance/difficulty? Any particular parts I should try to take in?

Hope, Roman Rd, Jaggers Clough, Hollins Cross, Mam Tor, Rushup Edge, Roych Clough, South Head, Hayfield, Pennine Bridleway, Shouty Dogs, Brook Bottom, Zag, Zig, Mellor T (no longer a cross), Linnet Clough, Back of the School, Chadkirk, Dark Lane, Pooh Sticks Bridge, Woodbank Park, Stockport.
Even with the ‘local’ names, you should be able to plot that easily on a map. It’s pretty obvious.
You could stick on Bamford or Hathersage and follow a few routes to get you into Hope.
Easy is subjective but no, I doubt anybody would say it’s easy.
I’m off tomorrow and I have a new mountain bike. I think you’ve inspired me. Thank you.

Okay so I know about 70% of that, the first 8 you mention I don’t know by name, but recently I’ve ridden close to Kinder on the Hayfield side so I’m not far off am I? I also have ridden round Mam Tor a few years back.

Hopefully somebody will have a link to a map or GPX for you. It’s really easy to follow once you know it, if that makes sense. Odd little lanes that look like nothing much are actually what the American’s would call ‘trail heads’. Even with a map, it wouldn’t take much faff as once you get to the turns, it’s really obvious where you’re going next.
A very nice ride. Dark Peak at its best and the best of Peak District Light to finish off.

Cheers, could do with step by step instructions to Hayfield and then I’d be fine I reckon. Sounds like a decent ride.

Bit more info on this old thread

From Edale the obvious options over to Hayfield are either Jacob’s Ladder – turn right out of the Edale carpark road, a mile or so along, then when the main road bends left and starts to climb up towards Mam Nick, turn right and just keep following the minor road until it turns into a rough track and reaches the bottom of Jacob’s.

Over the bridge then through the gate that’s straight in front of you – ie: not up the footpath to the right – up, more up, up more, along down, down, then just before the track turns into rubble, you can either head straight down – nasty – or turn right and follow the bridleway under Kinder then through the gate and left by a wall down grassy stuff and eventually down to Kinder Reservoir.

You could, go back via Rushup Edge and the Roych as well. Seriously though, it’s probably worth you buying a copy of the V Publishing Dark Peak guidebook. I’m pretty sure 18 Bikes sells it. It covers all the obvious loops and options in the northern Peak and it would give you loads of options.

If you’re feeling fit, you could even hop out of Hope, up the Roman Road, drop over to Ladybower either via Potato Alley or Fluffy Kittens, down Gores, along by the reservoir, over Cut Gate to Langsett, back along the disused rail trail then up the road at Dunford Bridge, over onto the Longdendale Trail – Hadfield – Glossop – choice of trails back to Hayfield…

But honestly, buy the book. I’ll make your life exponentially easier 🙂

ps: I don’t have shares in Vertebrate Publishing, it’s just a good book. In fact they have most of your route online already I think in the form of their free wet weather route which is a Jacob’s / Roych loop.

This thing.

If you want to start from Hope, the obvious way over to Edale is up and along the Roman Road, left at Hope Cross and down Jaggers, then right when you reach the road and along it for a mile or so to Edale. Nice riding and worth the extra miles.

I’ve just ridden Shouty Dogs, Brook Bottom, Zag, Zig, Mellor T (no longer a cross), Linnet Clough, Back of the School, Chadkirk, Dark Lane, Pooh Sticks Bridge, Woodbank Park, Stockport and in to work. It’s pretty dry out there but my toes are freezing.
The wild flower seeds we planted on Zag are coming along nicely as well.

You pretty much go past my house then monksie, I live on Woodbank estate.

I’ve looked at that old thread and there’s a post of someone doing it the other way round, I think the point where I generally turn round and head back home (I think it’s Kinder Low) pretty much leads straight to Edale.

Here’s a little ride I did on an hours explore up there, https://www.strava.com/activities/934635798

I think if I go through the gate where you can see I’ve turned round near Mount famine I go the right way?

There’s nothing stopping me doing it that way if it’s a better ride and getting the train home.

What’s the Hayfield to Brookbottom section ? The TPT ?

Could go through the village, on to Sett Valley Trail to the road crossing, turn right past Sett Valley Cafe and then right on the Pennine Bridleway at Birch Vale, climbing up behind the houses and then left and right to go through Shouty Dogs (even though there aren’t any dogs anymore) and down to Brook Bottom (Briargrove Rd) or cross over Chapel Rd and ride Chinley Churn to the quarry and then onto Sett Valley and PBW.

Doh ! sorry, I meant SVT (which I know well).

But I’m still confused by the Pennine Bridleway bit…

Please can you describe the route between Birch Vale/SVT and Stockport in terms of villages/farms listed on the OS map:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=403500&y=387500&z=120&sv=hayfield&st=3&tl=Map+of+Hayfield,+Derbyshire+%5BCity/Town/Village%5D&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf

I’ll gt the map out later and email you some co-ordinates if that helps? I can even take a photo of the climb up the PBW behind the houses at Birch Vale as well as I have to ride down it to get home.

Oi, Monksie, get in touch!
(I’m off tomorrow as well by the way but I don’t have a new MTB, I have a very old one…)

Please can you describe the route between Birch Vale/SVT and Stockport in terms of villages/farms listed on the OS map:

Erm…unlikely.
There are loads of variations some of them barely marked on a map, some that are definitely cheeky. Honestly, there’s dozens of variations varying from canal towpath to hilly options like over Werneth Low to more direct options like Roman Lakes.

Thanks Monksie – that would help. The bit about the Pennine Bridleway confuses me as it goes NE from Birch Vale up towards Lantern Pike, so almost the opposite direction to Stockport ! So you must mean something else.

I think he means use the bottom bit of the PBW from Birch Vale to the road then left along this then take the lane to the right (shouty dogs), left down to Aspenshaw Hall. Zag looks like it starts from Briargrove Farm.

Figured the above using Strava segment search and Streetmap

Monksie – is your zig and zag different from ours?
From Mellor T (no longer a cross), we descend the lane, down the ‘Banks’ (which maybe what you call zig and zag), cross the lane down the steep track (surprise hill), right, then left down Strawberry Hill (Shielan), right at bottom, follow the valley bottom and river to Roman Lakes.

Our Zig and Zag is : Brook Bottom, up lane, turn left up to New Mills golf clubhouse (Nealds way), left up Castle Edge rd, at stables turn right (zig) down to road, right, then short distance left to best single track in area (because there isn’t much in the Peak District) known as zag, which leads to Briargrove road. Or is that what you meant?

Edit: re read everything and your zig and zag is the same. Glad I cleared that up in my sleep deprived fuzzy head. 🙂

The bit about the Pennine Bridleway confuses me as it goes NE from Birch Vale up towards Lantern Pike, so almost the opposite direction to Stockport !

Yes, that works. Pennine BW up to Plainsteads via Blackshaw Farm & Matleymoor Farm.
Turn left (west) past Robin Hood’s Picking Rods
Brings you out on Ludworth Moor from where there are a number of options south-west(ish) down to Mellor and then down to Roman Lakes.

I’d say Zig starts at Woodhouse Home and Zag at Broadhurst Farm. Same as what you said Bunnyhop.

I can’t honestly believe that there’s any ambiguity over what Zig and Zag are unless you ride them backwards when they are Gaz and Giz… And the bit where people know farm names? 🙄

And the bit where people know farm names?

You know how poeple navigate by pub names?
It’s kind of like that. Personally I haven’t got a bloody clue with pub names…

“Turn left at the Red Lion and when you get to The King’s Arms…”

I’m always like: Wait, what?! Where the **** is the Red Lion?!

And the bit where people know farm names?

Maps?

As mentioned in my previous post – Streetmap for online OS mapping.

I always find farms slightly confusing given that they tend to be large areas of land rather than specific points unless you mean either the main farm buildings or the name point on a map I guess. I prefer pubs…

We all know Blackshaw farm.

If you’re on Strava, one of many ways back in link below.

https://www.strava.com/activities/246035909/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-US&v=1422210916

We all know Blackshaw farm.

And even when you don’t know the farm name, you know the farm:
Barking Dogs Farm

We all know Blackshaw farm.

The one with the pub? Apparently the dog got loose once and bit someone. Chewed ‘er. Not much canine activity nowadays though. Are the dogs shown on the map?

Thanks crazy-legs, will try that one, although it does seem rather an indirect route compared to, say, the Strava link that Faff Master mentions…

https://www.strava.com/activities/194315025

Route from bamford to stockport I think this includes “pooh sticks bridge” !?

Have emailed gpx file to you. Mine doesn’t go through Woodbank Park. I was tired and hungry…

An indirect route? It’s not a commute, it’s an enjoyable mountain bike ride 🙂
I’m just in from work and my day off is isn’t a day off anymore but I’ll do some co-ordinates when I get chance for you. It doubles back on itself a few times to get some good trails in.
I’ll wave harder and shout louder next time I see you go past James.
My Shouty Dogs is just off Sitch Lane. Go up the PBW at the back of the houses. turn left at the top, go up Swallow House Lane and then right on there bridleway toward Howarth when it becomes Sitch Lane.
Zig and Zag (or Gaz and Giz – genius) is joined by Mellor Road. It’s just up the road from behind my house. I know where I mean……
When I say Dark Lane, I mean Mill Lane…. Pooh Sticks goes over the Goyt below Offerton High School….turn left off of dark lane Mill lane in between the horse fields…..

@BWD – a farm name nearly always applies to the house and main farm buildings – rather than 23 Acacia Avenue you have High Rigg Farm. Farms have amalgamated and changed over the years. Fields and areas of fell and moorland have their own names but these are often specific to the farm they belong to – on our family farm you had: Long Field; Peat Road Field; Far Field; etc. These names rarely appear on maps, occasionally a derivative will be used if the land gets sold for development.

Is pooh sticks the green bridge where people have built the jumps?

What I would do is get the train from Stockport to Dove Holes and ride back to Stockport. There’s a route here: (Not my Strava BTW)

https://www.strava.com/activities/955043134

Length 52k
1050m of ascent
1330m of descent
Duration of train journey: 45 minutes
Duration of ride: 3 to 7 hours depending on stops, pub stops and effort

The stuff in the Peaks is good I don’t think anything more needs to be said. But the bit between Marple and Stockport is always very very boring though. Once you hit the dull climb out of Roman Lakes and from there onwards. Plus there’s always two crappy road sections that can’t seem to be avoided and even the off-road segments are rather uninspiring and dull. Plus I’m always knackered by that point of the ride and really need something to “entertain me” but I know full well I’m not going to get it!

“But the bit between Marple and Stockport is always very very boring though.
It’s really not. You need a local to show you the fun. Brabyns. Dale Rd. Chadkirk. Jesus Trail. Andy Nearly Died. Alptastic. Whoop. Pooh Sticks. Goyt Bank Footpath. Back Of The Running Track. Football Field Down And Up. Brinny Tunnel. Vale Singletrack. Tesco Singletrack.
The last three are not the greatest but by there. you’re within two miles of Stockport town centre and at the end, looking at the back of Asda in the town centre.
“Once you hit the dull climb out of Roman Lakes”
if you’re referring to Lakes Rd, I agree. But why are you going up Lakes Rd? Getting a Costa in Marple? Turn around and climb up and down toward Marple Bridge. Less than 100 yards on a very small road and you’re into Brabyns. You’re even riding past a very tough climb on your left if you do decide to go up Lakes Rd.
“Uninspiring and dull” You’re going straight past so much fun stuff and for roads: You can get from behind Asda in Stockport town centre to Fairholmes with a couple of 100 yard stretches at most of road. In fact, the road in Edale to the foot of Jagger’s is probably the longest bit.
That’s Pooh Sticks Jonny. Over the Goyt and climb right towards Woodlands Park. Stay behind Stockport Harrers Stadium at Woodbank and drop down back into the woods at the far, right end. You’ll come out on the edge of the football fields. Stay on the Singletrack and you’ll have a pretty challenging Singletrack climb to bring you out close to Stockport Museum at the top of Vernon Park.

I’ve just looked at that route from shitDove Holes. It’s road all the way from the start to Old Dam Lane where it heads to Cavedale or Dirt Low Rake. Scenic country roads but often being chased down by quarry lorries. The Marple end of it is lazy. Goes right past all of the above.

What he said ^

You could always just get the train back?

Page 2 and no-one has mentioned Scally Alley yet?