Long climbs in the Peaks

ACDC271

Hi all, looking for some advice from those local please, I'm looking for some long draggy climbs in the Peak District area avg 5-15% (I'm from Lincolnshire and the Peaks is easily accessible with a short drive). I've ridden there a few times, and earlier this year I did a mini training camp for a few days riding out of Castleton each day, almost 300m with 25k of climbing. Managed to find and create some great routes with some fantastic climbs and covered a fair bit of ground. However local Knowledge is invaluable and I'm sure there is more climbing to be had. I'd appreciate some pointers so that I may plan a few more routes which include these types of climbs. Thanks.

andcp

Are you on Strava?

ACDC271

Sure

andcp

PM sent

drlodge

I did a long ride last year taking in Cat n Fiddle, Winnats Pass and Holme Moss. Was a cracker of a ride, but could have been split over 2 days!

webboo

There are none as the " Peaks" does not exist. You might find some in the Peak.

ACDC271

drlodge wrote:

I did a long ride last year taking in Cat n Fiddle, Winnats Pass and Holme Moss. Was a cracker of a ride, but could have been split over 2 days!

I've done something similar was a tad just over 100m with 12k of lumps, it was a long day and the wind was not my friend that's for sure

drlodge

ACDC271 wrote:

drlodge wrote:

I did a long ride last year taking in Cat n Fiddle, Winnats Pass and Holme Moss. Was a cracker of a ride, but could have been split over 2 days!

I've done something similar was a tad just over 100m with 12k of lumps, it was a long day and the wind was not my friend that's for sure

That is one lumpy ride! Mine was 117 miles and 11,300ft of climbing.

OnTheRopes

Webboo wrote:

There are none as the " Peaks" does not exist. You might find some in the Peak.

I am glad I am not the only one that is irritated by "The Peaks"

OnTheRopes

ACDC271 wrote:

Hi all, looking for some advice from those local please, I'm looking for some long draggy climbs in the Peak District area avg 5-15% (I'm from Lincolnshire and the Peaks is easily accessible with a short drive). I've ridden there a few times, and earlier this year I did a mini training camp for a few days riding out of Castleton each day, almost 300m with 25k of climbing. Managed to find and create some great routes with some fantastic climbs and covered a fair bit of ground. However local Knowledge is invaluable and I'm sure there is more climbing to be had. I'd appreciate some pointers so that I may plan a few more routes which include these types of climbs. Thanks.

long draggy climbs, defineitely not Winnats Pass
Via Gellia - Is steady and uphill nearly all the way
Miners Standard - From just off the A6 south of Bakewell over to the Via Gellia and on to Ashbourne
Beeley Village (near Chatsworth) to Beeley Moor
Lots more and its quite easy to make up a decent circuit of steady climbs, if you need I can make you a Strava route

ACDC271

Thanks for all the help and point taken concerning my referal to the Peak District as the "Peaks" but to be honest life really is too short to give it any more thought

pilot_pete

My local stomping ground. You have the White Peak and the Dark Peak (south and north basically). Look up the Peak Grimpeur audax routes for some great ones. I'm based just off the Peak District in Congleton, which is west in Cheshire. From here loads of great climbs literally as you leave town to the east!

The Dumbers is the A54 from Bosley crossroads up to the telecom tower. Keep going up and down (mainly up!) all the way to the Macclesfield/ Buxton road (the one with the Cat & Fiddle Inn on it). That's a great ride. You could start in Macc and do the Cat and Fiddle, then down into Buxton. From there the world is your oyster in terms of draggy climbs.

You could head out towards Tideswell, or up and then down to Whaley Bridge. But that road is better the other way up Long Hill, which again is just draggy and not too steep (has been used in the National Hill Climb championship). To do it that way you could ride out of Macclesfield up through Rainow, down then up through Kettleshume to Whaley Bridge before taking on Long Hill.

Rather than descend into Buxton, turn off and descend into the Goyt Valley. It is absolutely stunning and the climb back out up to the Cat and Fiddle is truly gorgeous. You could then descend towards Congleton on the A54, which is super, turn off at Allgreave and head through Wildboarclough which is probably my favourite road around these parts. You could then climb back up into Macclesfield Forest which is once again incredibly scenic and loop back round for some more peak(s) ;-)

I will often go Congleton to Bakewell for a spot of lunch. You can go over Gun Hill (of Tour of Britain fame), left after the descent in Meerbrook and climb up and round the famous Roaches, over Royal Cottage and then undulate through Longnor (great cafe stop), Monyash (great cafe stop), climb the mini Alpine-esque Crowdicote and undulate a bit more to the lovely Bakewell.

On the way back go a little further to the north and climb the stunning gorge road from Earl Sterndale/ Glutton Bridge up past Macclesfield raceway and out onto the Buxton/ Leek road. From there you can go over Axe Edge and you are back out on the A54 with the super descent back to Congleton.

If you didn't turn off at Meerbrook you could continue past Tittesworth Reservoir and tackle the quite brutal Thorncliffe which is great! If you don't then head to Longnor, turn more south easterly you get plenty of lovely climbs around the Staffordshire Moorlands (Southern Peak District), places such as Grindon, Butterton, Hartington, Ilam, all lovely with climbs all around.

In fact, come to think of it, just get an OS map out and make up a route, there aren't many crap ones around there!

PP

Wardster00

Here is my list of long climbs in the Peak District:

Hathersage to Abney Gliding club
Hathersage to Fox House
Long Hill (as mentioned)
Foxt Bank (start at Froghall and through Foxt to the top of the Casey. Not strictly the Peak District but close enough)
Hulme end through Warslow and up to the A53
The B5055 from Bakewell up towards Monyash
Ilam Moor Lane from Ilam towards Alstonefield
Hollinsclough Rake from Longnor

I am sure that there are plenty more but just some of my favourites.

ACDC271

That's fantastic, plenty to look at there many I'd not even considered before. I've also found the segment search function of strava to be really helpful being able to look for particular climbs that many have ridden before (not a big user of strava so this is a new discovery for me). It's just nice to be able to string a loop together without having to go up and down the same climb

stifflersmom

To add to the list, all these are draggy in the sense that it's hard to get in to a steady rhythm, and all have steep pitches.

Pindale to Dirtlow Rake from Castleton (sketchy descent if going the other way)
Bradwell to Dirtlow Rake - (Smalldale climb)
Yorkshire Bridge to Stanage (New Road)

a bit further afield from Castleton:

Thorncliffe Road from the A53 all the way up to the Mermaid
Any road from Longnor up to A53 - e.g. via Hollinsclough Moor or Hardings Booth Farm

sniper68

A bit further afield is The Strines(off the A57 near Ladybower reservoir):-Three progressively longer and steeper climbs.
Not exactly The Peak but not far out is around Holmfirth:-
Holme Moss.
Isle of Skye Road:-Can be done on a Loop with Holme Moss but is a better climb IMO.Feels quite Alpine.
Infact all around Holmfirth there's some excellent(and tough climbs)Wessenden Head,Cartworth,Jackson Bridge etc,etc.

thebikeboy16

PP knows.

ACDC271

Pilot Pete wrote:

My local stomping ground. You have the White Peak and the Dark Peak (south and north basically). Look up the Peak Grimpeur audax routes for some great ones. I'm based just off the Peak District in Congleton, which is west in Cheshire. From here loads of great climbs literally as you leave town to the east!

The Dumbers is the A54 from Bosley crossroads up to the telecom tower. Keep going up and down (mainly up!) all the way to the Macclesfield/ Buxton road (the one with the Cat & Fiddle Inn on it). That's a great ride. You could start in Macc and do the Cat and Fiddle, then down into Buxton. From there the world is your oyster in terms of draggy climbs.

You could head out towards Tideswell, or up and then down to Whaley Bridge. But that road is better the other way up Long Hill, which again is just draggy and not too steep (has been used in the National Hill Climb championship). To do it that way you could ride out of Macclesfield up through Rainow, down then up through Kettleshume to Whaley Bridge before taking on Long Hill.

Rather than descend into Buxton, turn off and descend into the Goyt Valley. It is absolutely stunning and the climb back out up to the Cat and Fiddle is truly gorgeous. You could then descend towards Congleton on the A54, which is super, turn off at Allgreave and head through Wildboarclough which is probably my favourite road around these parts. You could then climb back up into Macclesfield Forest which is once again incredibly scenic and loop back round for some more peak(s) ;-)

I will often go Congleton to Bakewell for a spot of lunch. You can go over Gun Hill (of Tour of Britain fame), left after the descent in Meerbrook and climb up and round the famous Roaches, over Royal Cottage and then undulate through Longnor (great cafe stop), Monyash (great cafe stop), climb the mini Alpine-esque Crowdicote and undulate a bit more to the lovely Bakewell.

On the way back go a little further to the north and climb the stunning gorge road from Earl Sterndale/ Glutton Bridge up past Macclesfield raceway and out onto the Buxton/ Leek road. From there you can go over Axe Edge and you are back out on the A54 with the super descent back to Congleton.

If you didn't turn off at Meerbrook you could continue past Tittesworth Reservoir and tackle the quite brutal Thorncliffe which is great! If you don't then head to Longnor, turn more south easterly you get plenty of lovely climbs around the Staffordshire Moorlands (Southern Peak District), places such as Grindon, Butterton, Hartington, Ilam, all lovely with climbs all around.

In fact, come to think of it, just get an OS map out and make up a route, there aren't many crap ones around there!

PP

Thank you, I've put a route together which covers much of what you mention and it looks amazing, riding up to Holmfirth first it's tipped the scales at over a 100 though That will be a good day for sure. :P

pilot_pete

ACDC271 wrote:

Thank you, I've put a route together which covers much of what you mention and it looks amazing, riding up to Holmfirth first it's tipped the scales at over a 100 though That will be a good day for sure. :P

Glad to be of help. By the way, you missed a word out of your final sentence....That will be a good HARD day for sure



PP

ugo.santalucia

Cat and fiddle from Macclesfield is probably the longest... around 5 miles... about the same as Long hill from Whaley Bridge towards Buxton... they are both quite shallow. Snake pass from Glossop is 3 miles and a bit steeper... then Holme Moss is quite long, don't remember how long. Axe edge is reasonably long and so is the climb out of Kettleshulme towards the Pym Chair, maybe 2 miles or so... the Goyt valley is probably a couple of miles or more from the reservoir all the way to the junction with the Cat and Fiddle. Others are shorter and much steeper

sniper68

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Cat and fiddle from Macclesfield is probably the longest... around 5 miles... about the same as Long hill from Whaley Bridge towards Buxton... they are both quite shallow. Snake pass from Glossop is 3 miles and a bit steeper... then Holme Moss is quite long, don't remember how long. Axe edge is reasonably long and so is the climb out of Kettleshulme towards the Pym Chair, maybe 2 miles or so... the Goyt valley is probably a couple of miles or more from the reservoir all the way to the junction with the Cat and Fiddle. Others are shorter and much steeper

The "Official" Hill climb of Holme Moss is 1.4miles but if you start from Holmbridge(where it actually starts to go up hill) it's roughly 3.4miles.
According to the 100 Greatest Climbs book the 1.4miles "Official" climb averages 10-12% but if you take in the rest of it the overall average is probably around 6-8%.

topgunsteve

The one from Kettleshumle is Windgather Rocks, its a much quieter route to the Goyt Valley then going via Long Hill. Both offer fantastic views.

You could start in Macc, go out via Bollington and hit the Brickworks or Blaze Hill, then go to Kettleshumle and down to Whalley Bridge and up Long Hill or bang a right in Kettleshulme and go up via Windgather Rocks. Both will take you to the Goyt Valley which is a very quiet one-way road taking you up to the Cat & Fiddle pub. From here you coud head down back to Macc or head down the A54 and back to Macc via Wilboarclough and Macc Forest as previously suggested. All good fun.