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From
WhatMountainBike? MagazineEDALE
CIRCUIT, THE PEAK DISTRICT
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Distance:
12.19km (7.55 miles)
Time:
1-2 hours
Rating:
Hard
Maps:
Maps: OS Explorer OL1, The Peak District, Dark Peak
area.
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Essential
Info
Best Time
to go: Spring through to autumn is obviously best,
but even in winter the trails are rideable unless it's
extremely wet.
Maps:
OS Explorer OL1, The Peak District, Dark Peak area.
Getting
there: Edale is south west of Sheffield and is accessed
via the A6187, from Whirlow just outside Sheffield, thro'
Hathersage and Hope, following signs for Castleton. At
Hope turn right then carry on until you reach Edale. From
the west and Manchester, the A57 crosses the Pennines
towards Sheffield, at Ladybower Reservoir turn right along
the A6013 through Bamford and then right onto the A6187
to Hope. From here turn right and continue until you reach
Edale village. Edale has a train station which serves
the entire Hope Valley from Sheffield - for train times
call 0845 748 4950.
Food and
where to stay: The Stonecroft Country Guest House
in Edale (01433 670262) is friendly and has pleasant double
rooms for around £55, the Edale House (01433 670399)
has en-suite double rooms for £55, or there's Mam
Tor House, Edale (01433 670253). The shop in Edale near
to the campsite has a selection of supplies, the Old Nags
Head Inn, Grindsbrook Booth, Edale (01433 670291) does
good food too. Campsites offer good value for money overnight
accommodation, both Upper Booth Farm (01433 670250) and
Fieldhead Camp Site (01433 670386) are signposted from
Edale and have showers, toilets and a shop.
YHA:
Edale Youth Hostel, in the centre of Edale (01433 670302)
is open all year round and offers a full board service
with packed lunches and evening meals if required.
What to
take: Wind and waterproofs even on warm days as the
weather changes quickly up in the Peak District even in
summer. The trails are quite rocky, so spare tubes and
puncture repair kits, as well as a good multi-tool are
a must.
Bike Shops:
Edale is literally miles from the nearest bike shop, the
closest is beSpoked, 5 King Street, Bakewell (01629 815076).
For a full selection of spares and stock try JE James,
347-361 Brammall Lane, Sheffield (0114 255 0557). In the
nearby village of Hope there is a cycle hire centre, opposite
the church on the main Hope to Castleton road.
Home to the
southern end of the Pennine Way, Edale is a well known
village located in a small valley with steep hills on
all sides, and has some great facilities for hikers and
bikers. Only the hills to the south are legally accessible
by bikes, but this is a great place for a mountain bike
base if you like traditional country pubs and want to
avoid the beaten track.
Edale is a little further out of the way than the usual
Peak District haunts, as the long road from Hope puts
trail users off. But it is definitely worth the extra
15 minute drive. Not only are the tracks quieter, and
incidentally, steeper too, but the views of the High Peak
are stunning.
With over 430m of vertical climbing the route varies from
twisty singletrack to wide grassy paths, and some sections
are very rocky and technical, making for fun riding even
on the long climbs. The undulating road from Edale to
Barber Booth is a gentle warm up, before the slog of a
climb up to the first off-road section at Chapel Gate
track which climbs up and around Rushup Edge. From here
the track gently climbs up to Lord's Seat and continues
along Rushup Edge before finally dropping down to the
road. After this the track descends steeply down Coldside
to Greenlands. Then it's up towards Hollins Cross on the
bridlepath which winds its way through pastures, rocky
sections and gorse bushes, with wonderful views of Hollins
Cross and Lose Hill in the distance.
The track gets rocky about half way up to Hollins Cross,
and widens as the rocky sections get tougher nearer the
top. Views from Hollins Cross down to Edale in the north
and Castleton to the south are breathtaking on a clear
day. The famous Mam Tor obscures the narrow gorge of Winnat's
Pass, yet the striking landscape is littered with underground
mines and caverns. Speedwell, Treak Cliff and Blue John
Caverns are worth a visit if you fancy a boat trip or
seeing some stalactites and stalagmites.
Back to the route, and the descent down from Hollins Cross
is worth waiting for, with a choice of lines through rutted
sections, banks and berms, rock gardens and drop-offs.
Any speed freaks will be in their element here - novice
riders may struggle, but even the more difficult sections
are rideable. A full suspension bike with plenty of travel
will be ideal on this terrain and the descent is definitely
worth all that climbing. You may even be temmpted to turn
round and do it all again!
The route suggested is quite short, but extremely challenging
in places, with plenty of climbing and fast, technical
descents making up for the length. Yet if you've got the
energy we'd recommend tackling the route again - but backwards
this time to take advantage of the terrain. The previous
long climb up from Greenlands turns into a rocky and super
fast descent when ridden in reverse, watch out for the
gates on the way down though! It's also possible to drop
down into Castleton, down to Hollowford Road as the crow
flies, and down from the top of Hollins Cross - this is
a pleasant extension to the route if you fancy some more
steep descending and a long climb back up over the ridge.
There is also bridleway access to Ladybower Reservoir
to the north east, from Clough Farm near Nether Booth,
allowing access to the Ladybower Circuit (refer back to
our route guide for Derwent Reservoir in WMB20 for more
details).
Route info
The start:
The public car park in Edale (at map reference Explorer
OL1/125853) is well sign posted from the road into the
village of Edale. You have to pay to park - it's about
£2 for a half day. Edale train station is within
0.5km if you arrive from Manchester or Sheffield by train.
- 0.00km
(0.00 mile)
Leave the car park and turn right along the road, go
straight on at the T-junction which leads into the village
and instead head out towards Barber Booth village via
Waterside. Ride through Barber Booth village staying
on the same road, climb up the hill past Rowland Farm
and continue climbing to the Bridlepath on the right.
- 1.85km
(1.14 miles)
The bridlepath, Chapel Gate, climbs up the grassy hill
for about 0.6km when the track levels out and then climbs
again.
- 3.60km
(2.23 miles)
The track is then joined from below by a footpath, ignore
that path and continue along the bridlepath, round to
the left and follow the contour of the hill.
- 4.30km
(2.66 miles)
Take the left turn at the T-junction of the bridleways
and climb along Rushup Edge to aptly named Lord's Seat
(this is actually an ancient mound marked 'tumulus'
on the Ordnance Survey OL1 map). After that continue
along the bridleway until you reach the road.
- 7.05km
(4.37 miles)
Turn left at the road and drop down the road looking
for a bridlepath on the right hand side, ignore the
first bridlepath and take the second one approximately
0.2km from when you first joined the road. The correct
bridlepath is located at the tight left-hand turn of
the road, take care crossing the road here. Follow the
twisty track down the steep hill called Cold Side and
through a small wooded area, until you reach Greenlands,
a farm and cottages.
- 8.32km
(5.16 miles)
At Greenlands the track splits, take the right-hand
bridleway, signposted to Hollins Cross. The track twists
up the steeper section here then opens out for good
views of Hollins Cross and Lose Hill in the distance.
The track steepens near the summit and Hollins Cross
is the round stone monument.
- 9.39km
(5.82 miles)
Just before reaching Hollins Cross summit there is a
bridlepath off to the left, which drops steeply down
the hill towards the Edale Valley through disused gate
posts. This is the descent back towards the car park.
It's worth checking out the views over Castleton and
beyond from Hollins Cross while you're there. The track
is very rutted and steep with rocks and boulders and
there is a gate across the track at Backtor Farm marking
the beginning of the metalled lane. After this continue
downhill and bear left over a humped back bridge and
until you reach the road.
- 10.76km
(6.67 miles)
Take a left at the road and continue until you reach
Edale and the car park is on your right just before
the T-junction and phone box. Find pub. Drink ale. And
unwind.
Total
distance: 12.19km (7.55 miles)
Escape
routes: At point 5 as you join the road, an alternative
and shorter route can be taken along the first bridlepath
that leads off the road to the right. This leads directly
to Hollins Cross without the descent and then having
to climb all the way up again. Once you get to Hollins
Cross you can either continue on the route as described
or take a shorter easier descent to point 6 (the climb
up to Hollins Cross in the main route but in reverse)
from point 6 you can take the narrow lane downhill
past Hardenclough Farm to Edale village. Once you
meet the main Edale road turn right and the car park
is situated on the left just past the T-junction and
telephone box.
This route
was provided by WhatMountainBike? magazine.
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