Best day to go up Cat & Fiddle

flattythehurdler

I spend most weekends up there. Fairly good training, but do 3-4 days in the Alps and it suddenly gets easier not sure if it's the mindset, but you just drop into bottom gear and relax and the climbing becomes fairly easy (and I am not a good cyclist). If you do that the etape should be a doddle.

thetrotter

DaveyL wrote:

Any locals got any thoughts on the road from Whaley Bridge to Macc (via Rainow)? "Bloody murder" was the thought most occupying my mind! !

Yes, you rode it the easier way round! Try it from Macc to Whaley Bridge :twisted:

DaveyL

I have done! Also evil. I rode from Macc out to Whaley Bridge, then turned round and came back once. I'm not too keen on riding up the Cat & Fiddle from the Buxton side.

sicrow

DaveyL wrote:

I have done! Also evil. I rode from Macc out to Whaley Bridge, then turned round and came back once. I'm not too keen on riding up the Cat & Fiddle from the Buxton side.

from Whaley when you get on the top drop down to the brickworks (pott shrigley), turn left and keep left then back up the hill from the top of bollington up to the Highway man Pub and on to the Macc whaley road again or in reverse

it adds that extra bit of spice and hurts (at least it did for me )

thetrotter

DaveyL wrote:

I have done! Also evil. I rode from Macc out to Whaley Bridge, then turned round and came back once. I'm not too keen on riding up the Cat & Fiddle from the Buxton side.

Likewise - too narrow and too busy - but no need. Turn right in Whaley and when you reach the top of Long Hill turn right, drop down the hill, cross the reservoir and turn left up the Goyt Valley (one way and very pleasant). At Derbyshire Bridge turn right and it will bring you out at the C&F pub.

Alternatively, cross the reservoir and turn right, up the steep hill, straight on at the top and down Pyms Chair. Follow the road left past Jenkins Chapel and then turn right at the junction and it will bring you out at the Highwayman. If you bear left at the junction you will go past Lamaload reserviour and come out half way down the C&F.

andy_wrx

Lots of choice in a small area
- Brickworks
- Windgather
- Goyt Valley one-way
- up to Pym's Chair
- Bollington up past Highwayman and up to the top
- past Lamaload (towards Wildboarclough direction)

I agree, I'm not keen on Cat & Fiddle due to heavy car, lorry and nutters-on-motorbikes traffic.
Downhill it's sometimes slippery due to spilled oil (nearly stuffed the car on there that way once, glad I wan't on the bike...)
It's great on Polka Dot or Rourkie's Ride because you're doing it with hundreds of other bikes, but the rest of the time I choose to ride the other quieter backroads - don't use Long Hill for same reason.

DaveyL

Thanks for the info. I'm up that way a few times a year visiting friends, and it's nice to get out for a spin. I actually like riding the C&F from the Macc side. Touch wood, I've never had any close calls with bikers, but have had a couple of near misses with lorries. It's the kind of climb though that you can really enjoy when you're feeling good and in a nice rhythm.

a_n_t

DaveyL wrote:

It's the kind of climb though that you can really enjoy when you're feeling good and in a nice rhythm.

agreed, not that steep but just nice to twiddle your way up.

mr_hippo

I'm not a climber but try my 'unholy trinity' - Sanke Pass, Winnat's and the Cat. I would not recommend the reverse - Cat, Winnat's and Snake. I never cycled down Winnat's and have no intention of!

Peakraider

There are so many wonderful roads around or near the C&F. I live in Buxton and I've settled on some of these as my favourites:

Good loop: must take in Goyt valley (described above)
Hard: The Street from the west side. Very very tough little climb. Average of 11.1% over about one mile, but with several 18-23% bits
Excellent descent: into Goyt down the old railway (straight for 1200m, at about 13% -- start braking after you pass the big tree on the left). If you get a tail wind, the descent from Axe Edge into Buxton is excellent.
Best rhythm climb: Long Hill from Whalley to Buxton

Excellent 145km loop: Buxton-Chunal-Glossop-Holme'sMoss-Holmefirth-Holme's Moss-Glossop-Snake-Hathersage-Baslow-Chatsworth-Monsal Head-Miller's Dale-Buxton.

The variety of cycling available around Buxton is tremendous... so no need to do two loops of Bux-Whalley-Macc!

thetrotter

Peakraider wrote:

The variety of cycling available around Buxton is tremendous... so no need to do two loops of Bux-Whalley-Macc!

Agree. One of my favourite (longer) loops is C&F to Buxton, Fairfield, Wormhill, Miller's Dale,Tideswell, Bradwell, Hope (the Woodbine Cafe is great), Edale (much quieter and more scenic climb than Winnatts and almost as hard), Chapel, Whaley, Long HIll, Goyt Valley and down C&F to Macc.

sicrow

thetrotter wrote:

Peakraider wrote:

The variety of cycling available around Buxton is tremendous... so no need to do two loops of Bux-Whalley-Macc!

Agree. One of my favourite (longer) loops is C&F to Buxton, Fairfield, Wormhill, Miller's Dale,Tideswell, Bradwell, Hope (the Woodbine Cafe is great), Edale (much quieter and more scenic climb than Winnatts and almost as hard), Chapel, Whaley, Long HIll, Goyt Valley and down C&F to Macc.

Agreed and this will get some blood pressures rising with disagreement, but I think this area has the best overall terrain for road cycling in the UK with the hills and the Cheshire plain below

Peakraider

sicrow wrote:

thetrotter wrote:

Peakraider wrote:

The variety of cycling available around Buxton is tremendous... so no need to do two loops of Bux-Whalley-Macc!

Agree. One of my favourite (longer) loops is C&F to Buxton, Fairfield, Wormhill, Miller's Dale,Tideswell, Bradwell, Hope (the Woodbine Cafe is great), Edale (much quieter and more scenic climb than Winnatts and almost as hard), Chapel, Whaley, Long HIll, Goyt Valley and down C&F to Macc.

Agreed and this will get some blood pressures rising with disagreement, but I think this area has the best overall terrain for road cycling in the UK with the hills and the Cheshire plain below

How on earth could anyone disagree? Where exactly is better in the country? (It's one of the reasons I moved to Buxton, so I'm eager to hear... Anyone?)

a_n_t

we are truly blessed! I'll be round and about tomorrow 8)

redddraggon

Peakraider wrote:

sicrow wrote:

Agreed and this will get some blood pressures rising with disagreement, but I think this area has the best overall terrain for road cycling in the UK with the hills and the Cheshire plain below

How on earth could anyone disagree? Where exactly is better in the country? (It's one of the reasons I moved to Buxton, so I'm eager to hear... Anyone?)

It's far better in North Wales. The terrain might be ideal around there, but there's just too many idiots drivers around there, at least compared to North Wales. I don't enjoy my rides in Cheshire anywhere near I do in Wales.

andy_wrx

Up from Bollington today, straight up past the Highwayman and across the junction, over the top to Lamaload, then up to Pym's Chair, down into Goyt and up the valley, down part of the Cat, down through Macc Forest.

Just how steep, what percent, is that climb to Pym's Chair ?
I had to give it some as there was a large gang of walkers walking down and then three lads in a Chavmobile with loud, distorting stereo parked at the top, drinking Red Bull and watching me with interest
- the irony, I'm the one with my heart and lungs trying to escape from my chest, they were drinking Red Bull

cacbyname

You were merely riding a bike, they were probably trying to recover from their hangover so the Red Bull was medicinal

Pym's Chair is very steep in places and all those corners mean you soon lose track of where you are and whether you've done the really steep bits yet. Climbing it from the Goyt side is pretty tough too.

Peakraider

From the Goyt side, it averages 10% until the plateau-like bit near the top, where it is 5-8%. From the other side, it averages 11.1%. But there are several little stretches on that side where it evens out a little (ie down to 6% or so), which brings the average down. My Garmin records up to 20% on the West side.

As there seem to be many of us who ride around there -- does anyone fancy hooking up for a ride at some point?

Peakraider

redddraggon wrote:

Peakraider wrote:

sicrow wrote:

Agreed and this will get some blood pressures rising with disagreement, but I think this area has the best overall terrain for road cycling in the UK with the hills and the Cheshire plain below

How on earth could anyone disagree? Where exactly is better in the country? (It's one of the reasons I moved to Buxton, so I'm eager to hear... Anyone?)

It's far better in North Wales. The terrain might be ideal around there, but there's just too many idiots drivers around there, at least compared to North Wales. I don't enjoy my rides in Cheshire anywhere near I do in Wales.

Okay, I'll take your word for it (don't know North Wales nearly as well). But: the closest I've ever come to a fatal accident was on a road near Betwys, when some dick in a car coming the other way forced me off the road close to a cliff face.

There are, though, many idiots on four wheels in the Peak District. Worse, though, in my opinion, are the motorbikers -- a good reason to avoid the Cat and Fiddle on a weekend.

They annoy me for two reasons:
1. The obvious one: they're dangerous.

2. That look -- often a nod -- of mutual achievement they give when you approach them on the summit of a long hill or mountain. I always want to ask them what they think some fat mustachioed lazy b*stard in leather has in common with someone who has just cycled up the side of a mountain.

Wish motorbikes would be banned.

a_n_t

wasn't too bad up there today, plenty of motorbikes but a couple of police ones too making them all slow down!

fossyant

Watch out for spilled dairy products on the Cat, especially on hot days....so it's not just oil.

I came off at speed on the Macc descent coming round a bend, front wheel let go and planted me on the ground - ass first.

Had to get back up quick because of the traffic. Burnt a huge hole in my shorts and removed a six inch square of my skin - boy did that sting.....

And having to ride 15 miles home with my tattered ass on show as well....

Peakraider

Haven't had the spilled dairy one -- that's good!

My bests have been road kill slips: once the intrails of what must have been a sheep; the other time a pheasant.

nom de plum

Peakraider wrote:

Haven't had the spilled dairy one -- that's good!

My bests have been road kill slips: once the intrails of what must have been a sheep; the other time a pheasant.

Pheasants...dont talk to me about pheasants...those guys have got a death wish... really stupid birds that want to get mangled by bike wheels!!!!
pheasant....
phew
ps...i've had tooo much cabinet sauvignon !!!