Day road ride Leek area

davebridge

Hi all

Heading over to stay at the the Roaches Bunkhouse in Leek in April with a gang of about 16 riders. Im not familiar with the area and was hoping someone could suggest a road route starting in or around Leek. Nothing too tough as its a very mixed groups of different abilities / experience and may even split into two groups/rides for the day.

Looking for around a 50 miler with a few ups and down but nothing that will finish off the newer / slightly less fit riders and some good scenery wouldnt go a miss. Pub/cafes en route an advantage obviously!

Any suggestions welcome....

carl69

There's some lovely riding in this area. Gunn hill and Biddulph moor are very close by as is a lovely ride over to Buxton. The only problem is it is a very hilly area and can be bleak at the best of times. I train up there fairly regularly and its never easy.
However don, t let me put you off as on the right day it can be gorgeous.
A route I do is down to Warslow ( very quick and exciting), turn right at the bottom climb out of Warslow (quite steep), you, re now on the B5053 turn left off this onto Parsons Lane heading towards Grindon then onto Stanshope from there onto Ilam ( this is where Dovedale is a local beauty spot you may have heard of), there are only 2 climbs out both very steep but not too long. If you then head to Ashbourne via Mapleton it keeps you on quiet roads. Ashbourne is a nice old market town plenty of places to stop for a drink etc. If you then head out to Ellastone but go via Clifton asthis is a much quieter road. At Ellastone turn right and the next left takes you onto Ramshorn climb (was in the TOB a couple of years ago) at the top keep going straight on, turn left onto A523 then right onto Blakelow road this should bring you near your accomodation. I hope with a map this is clear for some reason bikeroutetoaster won, t let me plot a route to send you. Not too sure about the milage but you, ll sleep at night after doing it. There are countless other routes that no doubt others will offer up but unfortunately none will be easy due to terrain etc. Hope this gives you a bit of an idea and enjoy your trip. Carl.

stifflersmom

It is great riding this area, but very difficult to avoid the hills. You could plan a route that takes in 6 of the top ten highest pubs in England, you'd certainly earn your ale!
http://blog.travelrepublic.co.uk/the-ultimate-lock-in-the-uks-12-highest-pubs

negativelycra

OP,
If you want a mix of cheshire plain and peak district hill...
Go down to leek, then up to Alderley Edge over the cheshire plain. Pretty easy going, and nice scenery. At Alderley, go up Swiss Hill (one of the climbs from the top 100 book), then over to Macclesfield. From there, the ride over the cat and fiddle is a great climb, but not massively steep in any place. Turn right at the end after a loely 6 mile descent, on to the fairly challenging A53 climb over Axe Edge. This road takes you back down to the roaches area.

If you have hardcore racing snake types, they could then split off and do the loop past the Mermaid (lush up there), whilst everyone elkse has a cuppa. Should be circa 50 miles / 4000 foot climb, give or take.

One word of warning - check the weather, and have a bail out plan. The Cat is NOT somewhere to be when it's grim (and it often is!)

thetrotter

Well the good news is that you are spoilt for choice in terms of great riding and fantastic views. The bad news is that you are in the foothills of the Peak District and it is nigh on impossible to avoid the hills. There aren't many long climbs but there are lots of short steep ones. Get yourself a good map and you'll be able to plan lots of good routes.

Two suggestions:

One. Go down to the A53 and turn right towards Leek. Turn right at the pub at Blackshaw Moor (it's the first right you come to) and drop down to Meerbrook. Take the road over Gun Hill (one of the key great climbs of British road racing and used regularly on the ToB) and then follow the road to Danebridge and Wincle. Climb out of Wincle by the Ship Inn and at the church turn right and climb up by the farm. Go straight ahead at the crossroads and go through Wildboarclough. At the T junction by the pub, turn right and climb up to the A537 Cat and Fiddle road. Turn right at the T junction (there is a tea room opposite) and climb to the Cat and Fiddle pub (another possible stop). Continue on main road and take the first right and right again to join the road to Congleton. Dropping down to Allgreave there is Blaze Ice Cream Farm on the RHS (good place to stop). At the pub take the road to the left and take the road to Gradbach. Ignore the first two turnings and start the climb up to Flash. Take the next right hand turn , go over the crossroads and at the T junction turn left. Take the first right, bear right and climb up over the Roaches dropping down the gated road to the Bunkhouse.

Two: Climb up from the Bunkhouse past the Roaches tearoom. Go up the gated road and at the T junction at the top turn right. At the main road turn left (past the Winking Man on the RHS) and turn right to Longnor. Go straight across the crossroads in the village (there are a couple of good cafes) and take the road to Monyash. Go up Crowdecote (it's easier then it looks!) and at the cross roads turn right and drop down to Hartington (nice village with lots of pubs/cafes). Follow the main road through Hulme End and the T junction turn left and next right. Follow the road up to the Mermaid (this is the climb where Cav got dropped in the ToB). At the Mermaid turn left and follow the road down to Thorncliffe. In Thorncliffe turn right (this is a very steep descent and many people overshoot it so take extreme care) and at the main road turn right, go past the pub and take the next left back to the
Bunkhouse.

Of the two routes, the first is the shorter and the easier (although it may not feel like it at the time!). As others have said the roads are exposed over the top of the moors so take adequate clothing and look at the weather forecast.