Hill Climbs in the Peaks
pickled
Posts: 439
I went out on Tuesday and went up Blaze Hill from Bollington then down to Lamaload and left up what I think is called Pyms chair, then accross Errwood reservoir and up to Long Hill and a great decent into Whalley.
Quite a tough morning I wish I'd checked the map to see how steep some of those climbs were!
My question is, are there any more tough climbs around that area? i.e within 20 miles of Bollington?
Quite a tough morning I wish I'd checked the map to see how steep some of those climbs were!
My question is, are there any more tough climbs around that area? i.e within 20 miles of Bollington?
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Pyms chair is probably the toughest around there imo. Running it pretty close is the one in Macc forest http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie= ... 6,,0,10.220
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The mother of all in the area is Winnats pass of course... that's a full mile at 20%. Or the other side, Mam Tor, also called the Barber Booth, from Edale.
From Castleton, you can also take a tiny lane, Tideswell direction... a good climb.
I like also the one from Charlesworth going towards Hayfield/Chunalleft the forum March 20230 -
Although Jenkin Chapel -> Pym Chair, Winnats and a_n_t's Toot Hill are some of the few double chevroners in the area, there are a ton of sharp climbs just a notch down from those. Too many to describe. I'd suggest getting 1:25,000 OS maps of the Dark Peak and White Peak, and get route plotting.
If time's short, you don't need to ride out very far either, with lots of sharp climbs on the lanes around Disley, New Mills, Hayfield, Chinley, Chapel, Whaley Bridge etc, since the area's essentially a clump of separate small(ish) hills. The main roads run the easy way through the valleys, while the lanes run over the top of the hills, so you get quiet + v. steep.0 -
Cheers for all the tips guys. I'll start checking them out.
I've done half of Winnats before. Don't suppose that counts though....
Seriously impressed if anyone goes up Pym's Chair on a Double.0 -
Here's an example route which packs in a lot of sharp climbs in a shortish ride. The mapmyride stats say 3300ft of climbing in 36 miles, but the sharp climbs mean it's harder going than the route profile suggests (some of the shorter very steep climbs don't even seem to register on the route profile, e.g. Sitch Lane, which climbs Lantern Pike above Birch Vale):-
[EDIT: fixed an error in the route]
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/gb/high% ... 4902295481
Reverse it to climb Pym Chair etc.
You can do similarly short hilly routes all over the Peaks. Options are endless. OS maps are the key.
A good source of routes to cannibalize are the "Marple Series" of summer Audax rides organised by Peak Audax. As they start in Marple, adapting them for a Bollington start shouldn't be much trouble (and e.g. the Staffs Peak route goes through Bollington). They include lots of nifty hilly lanes you might not think of riding on:-
http://www.highergrangefarm.fsnet.co.uk ... marple.htm
NB: they seem to have taken the GPX files off the site, now the events are over for the year, so seeing a detailed map of the routes might be tricky, unless I'm missing something...0 -
I have only ever got off and pushed on one climb... F*ing Winnats Pass
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Not the toughest by any stretch but I love Crowdicote hairpins. There's a great descent leading up to them too...0
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Pickled - have you thought about joining a club.
Macc wheelers and Manc wheelers often ride out in the peaks, you get to know some cracking routes and climbs...0 -
I'm leading this wheelers ride in a few weeks http://ridewithgps.com/routes/191219
Some seriously tough climbs in there, Gorsey brow is a bugger!0 -
Erm.
I have actually joined the Manchester wheelers but I've only been on an intro ride so far! There always seems to be a clash.
I also did crowdicote with you on the spring fling in march. They broke me as I recall. Should be a bit fitter now though.0 -
pickled wrote:Erm.
I have actually joined the Manchester wheelers but I've only been on an intro ride so far!
So I'll see you on the 24th then?
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I have another clash!
I'm doing the new Alderley Edge bypass 5 mile run with some friends that day!
I'll keep my eye out and will definitely come on one soon. Cheers for the heads up.0 -
ugo.santalucia wrote:I like also the one from Charlesworth going towards Hayfield/Chunal
That's Monks Road, and I see it's on the route ant's leading in a few weeks also.
It's a few years since I last rode up it, had forgotten about it TBH, so went up yesterday morning. Cracking climb! I'll plug it into one of the short hilly loops I do. Cheers.0 -
rdt wrote:ugo.santalucia wrote:I like also the one from Charlesworth going towards Hayfield/Chunal
That's Monks Road, and I see it's on the route ant's leading in a few weeks also.
It's a few years since I last rode up it, had forgotten about it TBH, so went up yesterday morning. Cracking climb! I'll plug it into one of the short hilly loops I do. Cheers.
Monks Road, yes... I remember once I got caught in a sudden snow blizzard half the way... I couldn't go up as it was too slippy and I couldnt go down for the same reason. Had to walk down very carefully on my cleats... of course as I got back into Charlesworth the sky cleared...
left the forum March 20230 -
ugo.santalucia wrote:rdt wrote:ugo.santalucia wrote:I like also the one from Charlesworth going towards Hayfield/Chunal
That's Monks Road, and I see it's on the route ant's leading in a few weeks also.
It's a few years since I last rode up it, had forgotten about it TBH, so went up yesterday morning. Cracking climb! I'll plug it into one of the short hilly loops I do. Cheers.
Monks Road, yes... I remember once I got caught in a sudden snow blizzard half the way... I couldn't go up as it was too slippy and I couldnt go down for the same reason. Had to walk down very carefully on my cleats... of course as I got back into Charlesworth the sky cleared...
Ugo, how come you know the Peak's roads so well if you're down in that there Londinium(-ish)?0 -
If you want a slightly longer ride head over Hayfield, then to Glossop. Drop into Glossop and go straigh across at the Traffic lights and continue towards the Woodhead and do Holme Moss. Once you get to the summit drop all the way down to Holme and then turn around and come back. Bit of an out and back however there are some nasty hills and Holme Moss is tough and you will have a head wind (most days) on the return leg which is the hardest way up Holme Moss.
Hope you have some good rides.
Does anyone live around the Hayfield/Glossop area?
Ben0 -
Another good 'un is Lesser Lane, which climbs from Combs up the eastern side of Long Hill, ending up near the White Hall Centre. This is the steeper bit:-
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/gb/combs ... 1104779640
Went up this morning, and I'd say it's at least as hard as Monks Road, and maybe just a notch down from Jenkins Chapel->Pym Chair. Fabulous views with today being crystal clear.0 -
Any recommendations for the southern Peak District? I'm Loughborough area, and can't see the point in driving over to Macclesfield (for example) if there are good roads to be ridden around Ashbourne or Matlock. Cheers...0
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rdt wrote:ugo.santalucia wrote:rdt wrote:ugo.santalucia wrote:I like also the one from Charlesworth going towards Hayfield/Chunal
That's Monks Road, and I see it's on the route ant's leading in a few weeks also.
It's a few years since I last rode up it, had forgotten about it TBH, so went up yesterday morning. Cracking climb! I'll plug it into one of the short hilly loops I do. Cheers.
Monks Road, yes... I remember once I got caught in a sudden snow blizzard half the way... I couldn't go up as it was too slippy and I couldnt go down for the same reason. Had to walk down very carefully on my cleats... of course as I got back into Charlesworth the sky cleared...
Ugo, how come you know the Peak's roads so well if you're down in that there Londinium(-ish)?
I've lived in Manchester for two years and I still go up occasionally, as I have friends living in Whaley bridge...
Still have to negotiate that cobbled road that goes from Kettleshulme towards Disley Road in Whaley... it looks steeper than the Koppenberg to me... :shock:left the forum March 20230 -
Beeley moor
Moor lane out of youlgrave.
Holly lane out of ambergate
rowsley bar0 -
ugo.santalucia wrote:I've lived in Manchester for two years and I still go up occasionally, as I have friends living in Whaley bridge...
Still have to negotiate that cobbled road that goes from Kettleshulme towards Disley Road in Whaley... it looks steeper than the Koppenberg to me... :shock:
I aim to keep avoiding that one, if it's all the same.... 0 -
ugo.santalucia wrote:[
Still have to negotiate that cobbled road that goes from Kettleshulme towards Disley Road in Whaley... it looks steeper than the Koppenberg to me... :shock:
Doable if you can get round the initial, very bumpy, bend. Rest of the way up there are well defined paths where car wheels have smoothed out the cobbles a bit. Three other climbs worth considering are Eccles Pike from the Whalley Bridge side (it's easier from the Chapel side) and either of the two climbs out of Coombs (Hanging Rock and Castle Naze).0 -
ugo.santalucia wrote:rdt wrote:ugo.santalucia wrote:I like also the one from Charlesworth going towards Hayfield/Chunal
That's Monks Road, and I see it's on the route ant's leading in a few weeks also.
It's a few years since I last rode up it, had forgotten about it TBH, so went up yesterday morning. Cracking climb! I'll plug it into one of the short hilly loops I do. Cheers.
Monks Road, yes... I remember once I got caught in a sudden snow blizzard half the way... I couldn't go up as it was too slippy and I couldnt go down for the same reason. Had to walk down very carefully on my cleats... of course as I got back into Charlesworth the sky cleared...
I'd noticed this climb a while back, and realised out of my league - so went on through Charlesbury to Glossop, intending to go to Hayfield, New Mills and back to Stockport. Except I turned left too early, went up some godawful hill and ended up back in Charlesbury near the bottom of that hill.
As it seemed to be fated that I gave it a go, I did. And failed miserably..... I've often seen hills discussed but not seeen thie one mentioned much. Surprising and it's consistently steep and long enough to be a challenge for almost anyone I'd have thought.0 -
pickled wrote:I went out on Tuesday and went up Blaze Hill from Bollington then down to Lamaload and left up what I think is called Pyms chair, then accross Errwood reservoir and up to Long Hill and a great decent into Whalley.
Quite a tough morning I wish I'd checked the map to see how steep some of those climbs were!
My question is, are there any more tough climbs around that area? i.e within 20 miles of Bollington?
One 'sting in the tail' that caught me out on the way home once (Macclesfield) was the little climb a mile due west of Wildboarclough from Lower Nabs Farm up to the old saxon cross. Not long, but gets close to 20% just when you don't need it.0 -
It's a beaut, that one !
You can see it across the valley from Blaze Farm tearooms, with the knowledge that you're about to have a swift drop down and then a stiff climb all the way back up 0 -
Blaze hill is my nemesis, which i suppose shows the calibre of climber that I am. I rode up it twice one day, since then I fail each time. I'm sure I'm riding more demanding climbs than this but I need to deal with it and conquer my fear.0
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fred22 wrote:Blaze hill is my nemesis, which i suppose shows the calibre of climber that I am. I rode up it twice one day, since then I fail each time. I'm sure I'm riding more demanding climbs than this but I need to deal with it and conquer my fear.
I used to struggle like hell up that on my MTB in the granny ring, but now with plenty of practice (once a week in the summer) I can get up no probs on my racing bikes - one with CX double and one with compact
If you keep going up to Pym Chair the really hard bit is near the top, must be 20%+ and by that time you've been climbing hard for 30 mins :shock:0 -
another toughie in that area is Lamaload Reservoir - scares the life out of me from both directions :shock:
if you turn off the Blaze Hill->Pym Chair road towards Wildboarclough and go past Lamaload reservoir you hit a ludicrously steep climb which then eases off very slightly before climbing up to a farm and the main road where you go straight on for Wildboarclough
coming down the other direction it's a double descent and you'll be doing 45mph before you hit the really steep bit, then it's anchors on before a sharp right then left which is sheltered and sometimes wet and slippy. I think the locals call it the corkscrew.0 -
moolarb wrote:then it's anchors on before a sharp right then left which is sheltered and sometimes wet and slippy. I think the locals call it the corkscrew.
Thats one very nasty corner, seen more than a few incidents there and NapD had a bad off there.0
