Hills in Cheshire / Derbyshire

hammersteve

Hi, I hope someone can help. I live in Cheshire and am training for a LEJOG in 3 months. I need to do some challenging hills. I do Alderley Edge quite a lot and this weekend went out into Derbyshire via Pott Shrigley and Goyt Valley. There was a great hill over the Goyt Valley reservoir and going up to the Whaley Bridge / Buxton road. That was about my limit. I am not sure of the gradient or how much it climbs as i do not have a Garmin device. Does anyone know any other good challenging hills within striking distance?

napoleond

Come and join the bike radar spring fling ride on 18th march, some good climbs there. (have a look in the sportives/audax/touring forum for details)

HiMoz

Greenfield Road/Holme Moss/Snakes Pass/Winnats are some of my favorites a bit further north in the Penines.

ric/rstsport

hammersteve wrote:

Hi, I hope someone can help. I live in Cheshire and am training for a LEJOG in 3 months. I need to do some challenging hills. I do Alderley Edge quite a lot and this weekend went out into Derbyshire via Pott Shrigley and Goyt Valley. There was a great hill over the Goyt Valley reservoir and going up to the Whaley Bridge / Buxton road. That was about my limit. I am not sure of the gradient or how much it climbs as i do not have a Garmin device. Does anyone know any other good challenging hills within striking distance?

there's a stack load of quality climbs in that area: snake pass, winnats, peaslows, rushup edge, mam tor, mam nick, artists lane (i think -- just near the wizard at alderley edge, but is cobbled all the way up), mow cop, axe edge, cat & fiddle.

have you got a map (serious question)?
ric

napoleond

It's Swiss hill that's the cobbled Alderley one, artists lane is a different climb up Alderley, it's perfect for 5 min hill repeats.

ric/rstsport

NapoleonD wrote:

It's Swiss hill that's the cobbled Alderley one, artists lane is a different climb up Alderley, it's perfect for 5 min hill repeats.

ah ha! was sat there for 5 mins trying to think of the name. swiss hill it is.

napoleond

Alderley edge is brill for stringing together a hilly ride with different types of hill in a short area.
I know most of the climbs in the Cheshire/derbs area but don't know what most of them are called!

If the op wants I can plot a few routes on bike route toaster. Another good way of finding climbs is to join a local club like Macclesfield Wheelers, join in their club runs and you'll get to ride some cracking routes.

Routier

How did you get from Pott Shrigley to the Goyt Valley? I assume you turned left in the village and up what's known as the Brick Works, then down to Kettleshulme and right to Windgather Rocks?

If so you can follow the road to the right through PS, bear left after 200 yards, then left at the T junction up Blaze Hill. Straight on at the top and follow this road to the top of Windgather. It'll put hairs on your chest

Also instead of crossing the dam swing right before it - this is one of the nicest climbs around and takes you to the Cat & Fiddle road. Try riding from Macc to Whaley Bridge or the other way, this road is a real rollercoaster with loads of shortish hills one after another. Also Macc Forest, Bosley Cloud, Mow Cop, A54...

As Nap D said come along on the Spring Fling!

napoleond

The climb up from Errwood reservoir to the top of the cat and fiddle has to be one of the best out there, nice gradient, nice length, nice scenery and a brill descent afterwards.
It was on last year's spring fling route.

vroomvroom

I normally ride out of wilmslow up the wizard to Macc and then on to the cat & fiddle
If I am feeling particularly mean I turn right and take the old Buxton short cut which gets to just over 10%

Couple of weeks ago I ended up attempting winnats pass (post code s33 8wa)- this is 10% average for about a mile and half with peak sections of 20% - nearly wore out my walking shoes :oops:

thegibdog

Get on strava and have a search around, it'll show you all the hills people have ridden nearby.
http://app.strava.com/segments/explore# ... pe/terrain

Routier wrote:

Also instead of crossing the dam swing right before it - this is one of the nicest climbs around and takes you to the Cat & Fiddle road.

NapoleonD wrote:

The climb up from Errwood reservoir to the top of the cat and fiddle has to be one of the best out there, nice gradient, nice length, nice scenery and a brill descent afterwards.
It was on last year's spring fling route.

Isn't the climb you're both referring to Goyt Valley? http://app.strava.com/segments/612793 I agree it's one of the best climbs round there, one way road too. Personally I like going up there via Long Hill though rather than Windgather because it's such a steady gradient and you can get into a good rhythm - gives a bit of variety compared to the shorter, steeper stuff.