First time in the Peak District

[gbs]

I am planning 3 days credit card touring in September and would appreciate any comments on my preliminary conclusions:

• from London access by train is easy via Manchester or Sheffield and the Trans Pennine Express
• ***/**** accommodation is not plentiful but Castleton, Bamford and Hathersage offer choice
• South of these 3 locations there are many ride options

I would particularly welcome comments re routes/place that are not to be missed.
Will I be terrorised by impatient motorists on the Snake Pass?

 

[Hacienda71]

Do you like really steep hills? Winnats Pass from Castleton comes to mind and then down into Edale, good camping and a nice local pub. If you don't like steep hills avoid it like the plague. Which reminds me Eyam is an interesting village to visit with some niced cycling routes in the area. Snake Pass is not as bad as people make out particularly at the weekend when there is little or no commercial traffic.

 

[gbs]

V helpful. My plan is from Hathersage

day 1 loop Eyam, Buxton, Bakewell​

day 2 Winnatts and beyond. I will take granny so it should be manageable. It is rather like Ditchling Beacon but 1.5 times - at least tht is what the stats suggest​

day 3 possibly Snake Pass but it will be a weekday​

 

[Hacienda71]

Winnats is a climb to do rather than enjoy. It is 30% for a bit flattens out then goes back to 25%. It is better either on a weekday or early if at the weekend as it is narrow and gets very busy.

 

[gbs]

From Cross St up to the top at the RH turn ridewithgps gives 2.6k with a vertical gain of 217m suggesting a manageable average but that 30% comment gives a new perspective. New territory for me - how do you stop the front wheel lifting off?

 

[Hacienda71]

Best to be out of the saddle leaning forwards. The really steep bits are fairly short though. Give it a go absolutely no shame walking up there if you need to.

 

[fossyant]

From Cross St up to the top at the RH turn ridewithgps gives 2.6k with a vertical gain of 217m suggesting a manageable average but that 30% comment gives a new perspective. New territory for me - how do you stop the front wheel lifting off?

Glue.

The stuff up here is quite steep or long. Winnats is an icon and its very steep.

 

[iLB]

Winnats is nothing like the Beacon I'm afraid, much tougher, forewarned is fore armed and all that.

Please if you go to Eyam go via the climb through Abney which starts just outside Hathersage, it is stunning.

Never had an issue with the Snake from Sheffield side.

You should try to ride Edale Road round to Barber Booth and then do the climb that takes you up to Mam Tor. The same hill as Winnats but from the opposite direction, longer and shallower and beautiful.

Miss the place!

 

[rich p]

If its only road club type rides with plenty of miles and climbs you are looking for the following wont satisfy but for anyone else interested in visiting the area with families..I highly recommend the Tissington Trail and the connecting High Peaks trail.if visiting the Peaks.(doing both in a day will up the challenge)Route for ther high Peaks is Parsley Hey near Buxton to Ashbourne.its is a disused railway line converted into a cycle path with cafe stopstop at old railway stations..13 miles each way ..Full of kamikzee kids on hire bikes so its a .slow family route...Very scenic views over Derbyshire with access to nearby villages like Hartington etc ....

Are there any café stops en route from PHey to Tissington?

 

[Ticktockmy]

Cheapest route on the train to the peak district is by using East Midlands trains to Sheffield, the Virgin route via Manchester will cost you much more, as I have found out on my trips to Edale

 

[rich p]

On no account attempt Winnats, gbs!

 

[fossyant]

On no account attempt Winnats, gbs!

Why not

 

[rich p]

Why not

yeah, you're right fossy. Have a go at it for sure, gbs!

 

[andrew_s]

Winnats is more like 20% than 25%. I'd never have got up on 46x28 back when almost all my cycling was commuting from West Didsbury to Uni in Manchester if it was 25%. It probably feels worse because the steep bit is near the top.

A possibility to avoid it is to go up the old Mam Tor road (was A625, closed in 1979). You probably won't be able to ride all of it, on account of the road having run off down the hillside, but it's quite interesting.

 

[endoman]

Many nicer routes than going up Snake Pass although it's not got too much traffic on it. I ride out to Ladybower from Sheffield every couple of weeks or so and it's no bother.

it's my local training ground so I'm lucky. Beeley climb is nice and gentle but longish, Mam Nick as said before is far more enjoyable than Winnat's, but you could always do both! Winnat's is worth it for the experience. Could also climb out of Castleton past Peveril Castle and then head over to Tideswell, Litton, Monsall Head Gt Longstone, Calver, then climb Froggat Edge. and drop back into Hathersage.

Strines of course is worth it, decent cafe at the far end at Langsett, then come back along the TDF route, if feeling keen you could extend and do the Holme Moss loop.