Cat and Fiddle

[JuanLobbe]

Hi all

Having recently bought a cross bike with road tyres, I've done rides of 41 and 46 miles in the last week or so. On both rides, I went up the Wizard near Alderley Edge with the rest of each ride being relatively flat through Cheshire. I found the Wizard quite tough but managed to get up ok on both occasions.

My question is - how much harder is it to go up the Cat & Fiddle? is it a totally different league of climb? Is there anything in between the two in terms of length/difficulty that I should try first?

cheers!

 

[Banjo]

Not ridden the Wizard but found the Cat and Fiddle fairly easy, none of it is terribly steep but it is a long old pull up the hill.

 

[Hacienda71]

I commute up over the Wizard, it is a lot shorter but has two bits that are steeper than anything on The Cat. The Cat and Fiddle is just a long drag (6 or 7 miles iirc) with a couple of false summits. There are lots of excellent climbs around the area that are on quieter roads without the looney motorcyclists doing Valentino Rossi impressions. Try Adlington upto Pott Shrigley and onto the Old Brickworks far less traffic apart from other cyclists. When you have the confidence to go a bit further there are some harder climbs upto Pym Chair and on into the Goyt Valley. You can always come back down the Cat from the Goyt Valley.

 

[JuanLobbe]

I commute up over the Wizard, it is a lot shorter but has two bits that are steeper than anything on The Cat. The Cat and Fiddle is just a long drag (6 or 7 miles iirc) with a couple of false summits. There are lots of excellent climbs around the area that are on quieter roads without the looney motorcyclists doing Valentino Rossi impressions. Try Adlington upto Pott Shrigley and onto the Old Brickworks far less traffic apart from other cyclists. When you have the confidence to go a bit further there are some harder climbs upto Pym Chair and on into the Goyt Valley. You can always come back down the Cat from the Goyt Valley.

Thanks guys, sounds like I should manage it ok then! Will try out your recommendations too - good stuff.

 

[skudupnorth]

As Hacienda71 says,the Cat & Fiddle is long but does not have the nasty sudden steepness like the Wizard,go for it,the views are stunning !

 

[mroli]

Hi - I'm trying to ride the 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs (Simon Warren's book) in a year for charity - I have done the Cat and Fiddle - photos, a description, a comedy double time video (of dubious quality) and my garmin data are here: http://100hillsforgeorge.blogspot.com/2011/06/hill-no-23-70-cat-and-fiddle.html

the blog is at www.100hillsforgeorge.blogspot.com

Cheers!

 

[JuanLobbe]

How great is this forum? Brilliant replies from everyone, thanks.

Guess I'll have to take it on now - but Mcr-Blackpool to get out of the way first!

 

[fossyant]

The cat is harder at the bottom just after the straight drag out of Macc. It eases up once you clear the trees. The road surface is a mare at the bottom.

 

[gb155]

after Woodhead at the weekend, The Cat is the next one in my sights

 

[fossyant]

Woodhead is a long drag, also rather busy. Cat is busy too, but more loonies on motorbikes - it's the UK's biggest hot spot for bike (motor) crashes.

Cat is worth doing from Buxton as well Gaz - Long Hill from Whaley, Buxton then Cat. Buxton side is shorter and steep - great for coming down though and motorbike chasing. Axe Edge down into Buxton is another good motorbike chasing hill. Just have to watch the wind direction as it can make the descents very hard work

 

[gb155]

Woodhead is a long drag, also rather busy. Cat is busy too, but more loonies on motorbikes - it's the UK's biggest hot spot for bike (motor) crashes.

Cat is worth doing from Buxton as well Gaz - Long Hill from Whaley, Buxton then Cat. Buxton side is shorter and steep - great for coming down though and motorbike chasing. Axe Edge down into Buxton is another good motorbike chasing hill. Just have to watch the wind direction as it can make the descents very hard work

Sounds good

Enjoyed woodhead apart from all the hgv's

Looking forward to doing woodhead Joel Ln and the cat , in one ride.....one day :-)

 

[Rob3rt]

By woodhead do you mean riding along the a628 past woodhead reservoir? I rode that fixed with 85" gearing.

It is indeed a busy road with large vehicles, but as far as the climbing is concerned, I cant imagine it being much of a challenge with gears!

 

[Hacienda71]

Rob did you ever try Pym Chair fixed?

 

[Rob3rt]

No havent been out on the bike for a long time, just started to get out again.

 

[fossyant]

Rob did you ever try Pym Chair fixed?

From Jenkins Chapel

That's the only hill I failed on in last two years - my shoulder gave way 3/4 of the way up !