Peak District 100 mile route

[EasyPeez]

Hi,

Apologies if this is in the wrong section, wasn't sure if recreational rides or general cycling was most appropriate, as it's a general enquiry rather than a planned ride.

I'm spending 4 days cycling the the Peak district with a few friends from this coming Saturday. I've planned 3 good medium-length routes but all 3 are pretty hillly (62 miles/8,000ft climbing being typical).

I'd like us to get a ton-ride in on one of the days, but without the climbing getting ridiculous, and preferably avoiding long stretches on any of the A-roads. We're based just outside Buxton so a start/finish around there would be ideal but not essential. Can anyone recommend a route for such a ride? General description/pointers or Strava links much appreciated.

Cheers,

Andy

 

[vickster]

@cyberknight @nickyboy are around there

Have you looked at cycle-route.com
The Peak District is rather hilly, which I guess is it's appeal

 

[Pale Rider]

Isn't @MickeyBlueEyes near or by that area?

He's not fazed by a hundred miles of hills so might be just the man for route advice.

 

[raleighnut]

The Tissington/High Peak trail is a nice 'n' flat way back from Ashbourne (Slightly up hill that way though) to Buxton but avoid it on weekends, but if you end up in Ashbourne after 80 miles it is a good route back.

 

[nickyboy]

Peak District local here....

I'll have a play around with something and post it on here. I can come up with a 100 mile ride that's certainly significantly less hilly than your other rides. I have to say that 8000ft/62miles is hilly, even by Peak District standards.

Are there any hills that you particularly want to do that you haven't scheduled to do on your other rides? With 100 miles you can reach just about every well known climb in the southern Peak District. Equally if there are any hills that you're already doing let me know and I will try to avoid them to give you some new stuff

 

[Specialeyes]

On the Sunday, there'll be 4000 cyclists on l'Eroica Britannia rides, (30-odd, 50-odd and 100 miles) looping around from Bakewell. The gpx files are available on the website if you fancied doing them before or afterwards.

 

[nickyboy]

Have a look at this one I've created

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/14427717

I've ridden all these roads and I'd be really happy with this route. Given I needed to ease back the climbing a bit (it's still 8.500ft though) you can't go on the really tiny country lanes in the Peaks, these are the hilliest of all. Here are my comments on the route:

Leave Buxton on Long Hill, easy climb and a great 8km descent to Whaley Bridge.
Back roads and then Maynestones Rd, a local favourite
Turn off just before Glossop to avoid town centre and climb Snake Pass. Not hard climb, 5km @6.5%. Long Descent to Ladybower Reservoir. Do not listen to people who say it's busy. It is no problem at all, I've climbed it 100+ times
Hathersage @36 miles has good cafes
Easy riding to Bakewell @46 miles has good cafes
Quiet rolling/lumpy roads to Longnor. Climb up to Flash Bar. Good café there
Through Flash, highest village in UK
Couple of really nice fast descents to Bosley with one stiff climb in between
Flat section of quiet Cheshire lanes to get to Jodrell Bank astronomical telescope. V good café there
Work back to Macclesfield then climb Cat and Fiddle. Long but easy (about 3.5% average) climb then fast descent to Buxton

The last 35 miles is flat/downhill apart from the Cat and Fiddle which is an easy climb when ridden steadily.

The only way to make this much flatter is to spend more time in Cheshire or go further East into Yorkshire

 

[EasyPeez]

The Tissington/High Peak trail is a nice 'n' flat way back from Ashbourne

Thanks for the tip. Are they both ok for road bikes (25mm tyres?). I'm guessing they can't be too rough if the Eroica goes along them (which I think the long ride does)

Are there any hills that you particularly want to do that you haven't scheduled to do on your other rides? With 100 miles you can reach just about every well known climb in the southern Peak District. Equally if there are any hills that you're already doing let me know and I will try to avoid them to give you some new stuff

These are the routes we had planned:
https://www.strava.com/routes/5359590
https://www.strava.com/routes/5359013
https://www.strava.com/routes/5360373
Between these I think we cover Peaslows, Curbar, Winnats, Monsal Head, Mam Tor and Cat & Fiddle, so quite frankly I'd be more than happy to avoid any hills at all after that!

Based on the info. from this thread, we may drop our first ride in favour of nicking the long route from Eroica. It looks like the 2 are pretty much identical in the northern sections, but the Eroica route includes some very pretty trails in the southern part and brings it up to 100 miles whilst keeping the climbing under 8,000ft.

Alternatively, we might stick with our first route but drop our third proposed route in favour of your own 100 mile suggestion below which includes Cat & Fiddle and also looks pretty fab, without being ridiculously hilly.

On the Sunday, there'll be 4000 cyclists on l'Eroica Britannia rides, (30-odd, 50-odd and 100 miles) looping around from Bakewell. The gpx files are available on the website if you fancied doing them before or afterwards.

Great tip, can't believe I missed that! Their long ride looks really good. Would it be wise to avoid route around that part of the Peaks on Sunday then? Part of me thinks it would be fun to mix it with the vintage gang, but I'm not sure what the deal is re: road closures and am guessing there'd be a lot of extra pressure on pubs and cafe stops?

Have a look at this one I've created

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/14427717

That looks great, thank you

As mentioned, I think we'll either do this or the Eroica long ride as our 100 miler. I'm still interested in any other suggested Peaks routes as I expect to return there reasonably regularly in coming years, but we have some great ideas now thanks to this thread. It's going to be hard riding but I just love the scenery around there, and the prospect of returning back to a swimming pool and BBQ each evening is pretty sweet.

Any tips for good real-ale pubs near Whaley Bridge?

Getting really excited now! Cheers.

 

[raleighnut]

The surface on the Tissington is reasonable, OK for 25s for sure.

 

[EasyPeez]

Have you looked at cycle-route.com

I have now. Thanks for the tip. Some good ideas for a shorter reccy ride for me when I arrive a couple of hours earlier than the others on Saturday. Cheers.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Isn't @MickeyBlueEyes near or by that area?

He's not fazed by a hundred miles of hills so might be just the man for route advice.

Yeah I'm not too far away. He's already been on, starting around Buxton @nickyboy is the man.

 

[nickyboy]

Thanks for the tip. Are they both ok for road bikes (25mm tyres?). I'm guessing they can't be too rough if the Eroica goes along them (which I think the long ride does)



These are the routes we had planned:
https://www.strava.com/routes/5359590
https://www.strava.com/routes/5359013
https://www.strava.com/routes/5360373
Between these I think we cover Peaslows, Curbar, Winnats, Monsal Head, Mam Tor and Cat & Fiddle, so quite frankly I'd be more than happy to avoid any hills at all after that!

Based on the info. from this thread, we may drop our first ride in favour of nicking the long route from Eroica. It looks like the 2 are pretty much identical in the northern sections, but the Eroica route includes some very pretty trails in the southern part and brings it up to 100 miles whilst keeping the climbing under 8,000ft.

Alternatively, we might stick with our first route but drop our third proposed route in favour of your own 100 mile suggestion below which includes Cat & Fiddle and also looks pretty fab, without being ridiculously hilly.


Great tip, can't believe I missed that! Their long ride looks really good. Would it be wise to avoid route around that part of the Peaks on Sunday then? Part of me thinks it would be fun to mix it with the vintage gang, but I'm not sure what the deal is re: road closures and am guessing there'd be a lot of extra pressure on pubs and cafe stops?



That looks great, thank you

As mentioned, I think we'll either do this or the Eroica long ride as our 100 miler. I'm still interested in any other suggested Peaks routes as I expect to return there reasonably regularly in coming years, but we have some great ideas now thanks to this thread. It's going to be hard riding but I just love the scenery around there, and the prospect of returning back to a swimming pool and BBQ each evening is pretty sweet.

Any tips for good real-ale pubs near Whaley Bridge?

Getting really excited now! Cheers.

Some really good routes you've planned there. I'm assuming you're well trained as they are tough!

Good to see you're taking in a couple of the most beautiful but little known areas; Goyt Valley and Wilboarclough

Although Day 1 has the most climbing only the Cressbrook and Mam Tor climbs are truly hard, the rest are very pleasant if you spin up them. Day 2 looks like a sufferfest! Peaslows is tough, Monsal Head is so short as to be pretty easy, Cubar is hard (but not as hard as Peaslows) and you've saved the daddy of them all, Winnats, until the end. That is recognised as probably the toughest climb in S Peak District along with Pym's Chair that you're doing Day 3. I hate them both so enjoy!

Pubs in Whaley; Goyt Inn probably has best range of beers. Drum & Monkey good and v cyclist friendly. Never been to the Shepherds Arms

If you do decide to come up Glossop way then PM me and I'll try to ride a part of the route with you...providing I can keep up that is

 

[EasyPeez]

Some really good routes you've planned there. I'm assuming you're well trained as they are tough!

Not especially...I average about 100 miles a week over a year and manage up to 350 miles on an 'epic' week, but it's flat as a pancake where I live so I only get to do some decent climbing every few weeks. I had to get off and push the last (and only) time I attempted Winnats earlier this year. No hill has done that to me before! Of the 3 chaps I'm riding with, 1 is an unknown quantity but the other 2 are not as good climbers as me and they are happy with the routes, so I'm going ahead on the basis that if we all crack at least I won't be the first to go!

Good to see you're taking in a couple of the most beautiful but little known areas; Goyt Valley and Wilboarclough

Yeah, I was keen to take in some areas I don't know at all.

Pubs in Whaley; Goyt Inn probably has best range of beers. Drum & Monkey good and v cyclist friendly. Never been to the Shepherds Arms

I've made a note. Drum & Monkey is most local to our lodgings but I can see us trying all 3 at some point. Happy to buy you a pint if you find yourself in the area. Cheers.

If you do decide to come up Glossop way then PM me and I'll try to ride a part of the route with you...providing I can keep up that is

Depending on which we go for I think our first ride or the Eroica long ride (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/11943326) will be the one that brings us closest to Glossop. I don't know which day we will do that on as it will depend on the weather forecast and the preferences of the group the night before but I can text/ring and let you know if you like. I'll PM you my number now.

Thanks again for the advice

 

[EasyPeez]

I'm thinking of giving this a whirl on Saturday afternoon while I wait for the others to arrive. If anyone's done this route and can advise how rough the track sections are leading off Macclesfield Old Road and then later on alongside Fernlee Reservoir I'd be grateful. Thanks.

http://cycle-route.com/routes/Buxton_Loop_via_Fernilee-Cycle-Route-3219.html

 

[raleighnut]

I'm thinking of giving this a whirl on Saturday afternoon while I wait for the others to arrive. If anyone's done this route and can advise how rough the track sections are leading off Macclesfield Old Road and then later on alongside Fernlee Reservoir I'd be grateful. Thanks.

http://cycle-route.com/routes/Buxton_Loop_via_Fernilee-Cycle-Route-3219.html

Macclesfield 'Old Road' used to be rough as ar$eholes unless they resurfaced it, it was the route of the traditional 'Cat And Fiddle' but it was just a farm track last time I walked it (easy on an MTB though)