Good routes around the marple area ???

wardy235

any advice will be apreciated thanks

gaz047

wardy, yes mate if you head up to mellor cross (near the golf course) there are a few good trails, then you've got rowarth and around lantern pike and just past there you have the whole of the dark peak. id recommend getting an os map (ol1) and go exploring, also if you look here you can get decent laminated route maps (royles in wilmslow, and the northwest mountain bike centre have them iirc),

http://www.bikemaps.co.uk/peak_district.htm

2 of the maps there are actually round mellor which is handy for you.

if you like, next time im going round there i can post on here if your up for a spin?
either way your in a good area with some top quality trails/routes on your doorstep
cheers
gaz

chris281192

wow, more marple mounties! as gaz047 says, mellor cross, and all sorts of trails around the roman lakes

lots to go at, just explore

gaz047

small world chris, we should try and get a load of us out for a blast

wardy235

yeh that would be good thanks

Bluemoon39

Okay here's my contribution back to the community!

This is a the route I do quite often it takes about 2 - 2 1/2 hrs and is my favourite local ride.
It's my take on the various Mellor / Rowarth / Roman Lakes routes and I like it as there are no REALLY tough climbs but some great decents.

Set off from Roman Lakes out of the main car park and turn left along the river, through the tunnel, past farm house, then at first track junction turn sharp left up the track, across Golf course until you reach junction with broken road.
Turn left up steep hill (it's hard work) until you reach broken road, turn right up to crest with houses on left, down nice singletrack until you reach broken road. Turn left up hill, past house on left, then downhill into Brook Bottom and tarmac.
Keep going through Brook Bottom, past pub and up hill until you reach a metal bench on right.
Go up track directly opposite bench (this is a lovely long technical climb, do-able all the way up), past Golf course on right. At first junction bear right with GC still on your right until you reach the proper road with the Club house on the opposite side of the road.
Turn left and follow the road round and up the hill past the bench until you reach a crossroads with a rocky track going down to your right alongside the edge of the wood, go down here (it's very bumpy) until you (CAUTION) reach the main road.
Turn right along road for about 200yrds then sharp left onto great single track for about 1/2 mile. At the tarmaced road turn right down the hill. Stay on this road for about 1 mile (at the junction bear left up the dead end) go past the lovey house on the left and then at the farm go up the bridleway through the gate (steep and muddy).
Once at the top turn left and keep going along the double track until you reach the top of the Eliminator (this starts rough, evens out in the middle, then gets really rough at the bottom), join the road and go past the Little Mill pub, up the hill all the way to the T junction. Turn left and carry on until you reach the junction with another main road. opposite are two tracks, go along the rougher one bearing left.
You will eventually come back to the crossroads at the wood, this is the start of your massive decent to the finish, retrace your route all the way back down the way you came, down the technical decent that you earlier climbed up (it's even better going down), right at the metal bench, until you reach the red phone box in Brook Bottom. There is a steep track next to it, go down it for about 1/2 mile (it's fast and brilliant), At the bottom turn left under the bridge, past Strines station and then turn right up the bridleway, over the railway bridge, past the farm, then just over a small bridge is a gate on the left, through this and along the track, bear right in the dip and up, keep going and you will eventually reach the farm and tunnel that you went through at the start, retrace back to car park.

No errors or emissions guarantee!

wardy235

thanks again

Bromski100

Bluemoon, I agree with you. This is a great route, can be a little muddy in winter, especially the climb from Strines station to the Fox at Brook Bottom. As a local i do this ride if the conditions are not good and you want to stay off the tops as it is well sheltered. It is also a fab night ride. The fox is good for a Pint.

Bluemoon39

Thats why I only go down it, I get up via the sharp left turn after the tunnel / farm from Roman Lakes, it's and easier climb that way mud or not.

Good ride if you don't have too long or are a bit out of shape - basically me most of the time

john59

Have you bought the book from the cafe at Roman lakes? Got 12 rides ( if I remember rightly) in it, ranging from a few miles to 30 odd miles. The book costs £1 and includes the ride described by Bluemoon.

Duggan13

Took a ride down to the Roman lakes last weekend in the snow. Wanted to buy one of those books but the shop/visitor centre was shut I guess because of the weather.

Will definitely go back though, probably take the train next time as I rode from South Manchester and being fairly unfit, was knackered by the time I got there

Mootanclan

If anyone is planning a ride around marple/mellor/rowarth etc please let me know as i might tag along need to get fit