Snake Pass closed to vehicles June 1-14

[I like Skol]

This time with sun screen!!!

You could stop off at the pub in Glossop on your way back......

 

[nickyboy]

Hi Nick

I’m planning to do this on Saturday morning (using my to and from Manchester routes I already have).
This time with sun screen!!!

Can you see any major issues with it? I know some of the roads are little lanes so the surface may be a bit naff.

http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=yilgtukwkhorudab

Brian

Hi Brian

No major issues. Enjoy the Mam Nick climb, it's a toughy. There are a couple of slight improvements I would make

1) The route you take at Thornhill. I've done it that way once before and the surface was very poor on Aston Lane. I prefer to go left in Thornhill straight down to the Hope Road. Maybe the surface is better now though, I don't know

2) When you descend Rushop Edge, instead of continuing to Chapel en le Frith, turn right at the Chestnut Centre and take the little road to Wash. From there take the B6062 via Chinley. This comes out on the A6. The B6062 is quite a bit nicer than the Chapel-Whaley road

Hope you have a great ride.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

The climb from the Sheffield side is very easy. Just very gentle gradients up and down a bit until the last half mile when it averages probably about 8%. From the Glossop side it's different. Bottom to top is 3 miles @ 6-8%

Descent into Glossop, if you do it, is great. My favourite in the Peak District; not so steep as to be reckless, steep enough to not pedal, excellent sight lines

What he says!!

Fantastic road!!!!!!!!!

Do the loop, & head back over Mortimer Road (Strines) south to north

Hard work, on this bike, back in the early 90's (42 x 19 lowest gear!!)

 

[Bazzer]

@nickyboy A colleague and I were on some "You will go to this event" today and he was unaware of this. He asked me to pass on his thanks for the information.

 

[NorvernRob]

I think I may well take advantage of this on Sunday morning. Sheffield - Glossop across the whole of the Snake, then back again as far as the Ladybower, turn off towards Bamford, though Hathersage up the Surprise climb and home.

We've got the Velothon Wales next weekend so could do with a decent ride out, I was laid up with flu (real flu that means you can't even get out of bed!) all last week and have only just started to feel ok!

 

[ColinJ]

Well, I did it - LINK.

And now I need to get some sleep!

 

[Bazzer]

Massive thanks to @nickyboy . Went up there today but had to be back earlier than I would have preferred. Still, enjoyed the quietness of the road, the descent and the smiles on the contractors' faces going through the cones.
Will have to make time to go back at least one more time.

 

[I like Skol]

Drove through Glossop today and have to admit, there appeared to be an awful lot of cyclists heading that way.

I'm not convinced that the closure is really a massive incentive to head for the Snake as I ride up there a few times a year and find that the road conditions on the pass are not any more or less intimidating than the roads that lead to the area. Personally I have never felt threatened by traffic during the climb or descent of the Pass (usually just a blast to the summit and back, from the Glossop side) but I guess the tranquillity of the closed road will add to the pleasure of the climb

 

[nickyboy]

Drove through Glossop today and have to admit, there appeared to be an awful lot of cyclists heading that way.

I'm not convinced that the closure is really a massive incentive to head for the Snake as I ride up there a few times a year and find that the road conditions on the pass are not any more or less intimidating than the roads that lead to the area. Personally I have never felt threatened by traffic during the climb or descent of the Pass (usually just a blast to the summit and back, from the Glossop side) but I guess the tranquillity of the closed road will add to the pleasure of the climb

According to Strava, today was my 78th time up the Snake in the last three years. I'd agree that the traffic is never a problem. But traffic-free is great. It's so quiet. All I can hear is the curlews, lambs, streams....and me sounding like a pair of old bellows

 

[Bazzer]

Drove through Glossop today and have to admit, there appeared to be an awful lot of cyclists heading that way.

I'm not convinced that the closure is really a massive incentive to head for the Snake as I ride up there a few times a year and find that the road conditions on the pass are not any more or less intimidating than the roads that lead to the area. Personally I have never felt threatened by traffic during the climb or descent of the Pass (usually just a blast to the summit and back, from the Glossop side) but I guess the tranquillity of the closed road will add to the pleasure of the climb

It did. Along with the wildlife
I think I was lucky. As I was getting changed, a group of 5 or so cyclists came down from the top and turned around and heaed back up the climb. The group had disappeared by the time my bike was out of the car and I was ready. But as I got around the first right hander, two of the group had been droppped. I would guess a problem had arisen as later in the climb they seemed to get a second wind.
The only other cyclists seen on the climb were a couple separately coming downhill.
By contrast, as I was dropping back to Glossop, I probably saw a dozen riders in groups or singles going up the climb.

 

[NorvernRob]

5 of us definitely heading over there tomorrow, leaving my mates at 7am so should make Glossop around 8.45 depending on the wind!

 

[SomethingLikeThat]

Wish I was up in the area still instead of already having finished for uni. That said the one time I have ridden the road I was surprised with how quiet it was.

 

[tommaguzzi]

Just done it today beware though there is still some traffic (access for those who live out there i suppose) also passed by some of the road workmen going out to site. And there were one or two very naughty boys on motorcycles aswell. the 20mph headwind was a pain at the top we carried on and did holme moss as well that was a nightmare because it was trying to blow you across the road into the oncoming traffic.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

the 20mph headwind was a pain at the top we carried on and did holme moss as well that was a nightmare because it was trying to blow you across the road into the oncoming traffic.

As happens up there (on 'the Moss') at times

Have you ever seen the pictures of the horizontal icicles on the TV mast????

Some here (I have a Yorkshire weather book that features some)
Segment starts after the B&W picture of the Range Rover

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artdec12/iw-radio1.html

 

[ColinJ]

We stopped at the top of the Snake, where the Pennine Way crosses the road. I leaned my bike against a sign post and went and sat on a nearby rock to eat my cereal bars and have a drink. I was just thinking that the wind was stronger than forecast when a big gust caught my bike and blew it over! Fortunately it landed on the non-drive side so no damage was caused to the derailleurs but my new bar tape was ripped, which was somewhat annoying. One bar end plug got knocked out too. I didn't notice that at first but spotted it on the ground just before we set off back down to Glossop.