Cat & Fiddle on a weekday

DaveyL

I'lm going to be up in Macc tomorrow and at a loose end in the morning. Whenever I'm up there I usually do a loop from Macc up the Cat & Fiddle, down into Buxton, over to Whaley Bridge and back into Macc on the Rainow Road. However, it's normally a weekend when I do this. Is it crazy to be riding the Cat on a weekday? I've heard the lorry traffic can be quite bad on it. Or maybe someone can recommend an alternative route that would get me from Macc to Buxton?

Anyone up for joining me, post up (though I'm not very quick)

fossyant

It can be busy mid week with trucks..... You could always use the 'old road' route - check out an on-line map. I've not used te old route, but I believe it keeps you off most of the main road.

DaveyL

Thanks for the info. Might head up via Langley and through Macc Forest joining the A537 near the top - then down the Cat & Fiddle into Buxton.

DaveyL

Will be at the bottom of Byron's Lane, where it meets Cross St. at 10 am tomorrow if anyone wants to join me. Up to the top of the Cat via Langley, then down into Buxton, up Long Hill and down into Whaley Bridge then back to Macc via the Rainow Road (unless anyone has any better suggestions). I only usually average about 14-15 mph for this ride, as a guide to my pace.

sicrow

If you use the old road during the week you get alot of cars racing to beat wagons up the 537 so it tends to be more dangerous, by and large wagons will give you plenty of space and during the week I would always use the 537 I thinks its safer albeit busier

thetrotter

DaveyL wrote:

Will be at the bottom of Byron's Lane, where it meets Cross St. at 10 am tomorrow if anyone wants to join me. Up to the top of the Cat via Langley, then down into Buxton, up Long Hill and down into Whaley Bridge then back to Macc via the Rainow Road (unless anyone has any better suggestions). I only usually average about 14-15 mph for this ride, as a guide to my pace.

Don't knock yourself - that is not a bad average speed.

A couple of alternatives for the way back. When you have climbed out of Whaley Bridge past the house on the corner take the left turn to Windgather after about another half mile. Turn left at the first T junction and go past the rocks on the LHS. When when you reach the T junction at the very top you can either turn left down the hill and follow the road up the Goyt Valley (one way and very quiet) to Derbyshire Bridge, turn right and climb back up the Cat and Fiddle pub and back down to Macc or turn right down Pyms Chair follow the road left at Jenkins Chapel and then take the right turn up Deadmans Hill to the Highwayman Pub, cross over the Rainow Road and drop down Blaze Hill through Bollington back to Macc.

a_n_t

definately through langley and macc forest, the least time spent on the cat the better!

tim000

done the cat in the week a few times , never had a problem . going up there next week , tuesday hopefully.

Pokerface

I've ridden the Cat road both ways many times - days, weekends, etc and never had a problem. Probably better during the day than on weekends to be honest!

That's a very ambitious ride you've planned. Lots of climbing both ways. There's certainly a slightly longer, but much flatter way back into Macc if you don't want to climb back up from Whalley - just go down the A6 to Hazel Grove and back along the Silk Road all the way into Macc. But keep your route if you're into climbing!

tim000

rode up the cat and fiddle climb today , not much traffic. 3 maybe 4 lorries past me . there were a few motorbikes out but no idiots , they seemed to be more touring bikers taking there time .