THIS ROUTE IS ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE ROUTES. IT TAKES IN SOME OF THE PEAK DISTRICTS BEST STRETCHES OF BRIDLEWAY AND OFFERS SOME GREAT VIEWS.
TOTAL MILES : ABOUT 35
TOTAL TIME : N/A
MAPS : OUTDOOR LEISURE 1, DARK PEAK (BUY IT HERE)
THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS TO THIS ROUTE, THE SECOND OPTION IS SHORTER BUT HAS A MORE TECHNICAL ASCENT TO MAM TOR AND AN EXTRA DESCENT
START
You can start this route at any point on the loop but the best places would be Fairholmes car park (here SK173893) or if you are travelling by train, Bamford train station (on the Manchester to Sheffield trans Pennine route here SK208824). I'm going to describe the route as from Fairholmes as it has a bike wash and cafe.
Derwent Dam
1 From Fairholmes car park, turn left down the Derwent valley. Follow the road until you reach a bus turnaround on your left. Take the steep tarmac farm track on your right, this is a short pig of a climb. When you reach the Farm, enter the yard and turn right immediately. At the next gate, turn right again following the tractor track uphill.
2 Follow the waymarked Bridleway as it climbs through fields through a couple of gates. When you reach the summit, carry on along the fields and then along the top of the forest. until you reach a fairly large stone track. Cross this first track (carry) and the turn left down the next (signposted to Rowlee Farm). This is a mega fast descent but watch out for parties of kids from the Hagg Farm centre. If you survive the hairpins, you'll come to Rowlee Farm. After the farm, follow the tarmac (fast) down to the A57 Snake Road. CAUTION - The junction comes up on you quickly and is dangerous.
3 Cross the Snake Pass road from the bottom of the track and follow the bridleway until you cross the canal. About 200m after the canal, the bridleway turns right sharply onto a steep rocky track. This is a very technical climb but can be cleared in one if you really want to! When (if?) you reach the top, follow the track until you reach a cross roads. BEWARE - This is a green road, you may be held up by landys or mown down by motor crossers.
4 Take the right hand turn at the cross roads before the gate. A short flat section takes you to a great descent on loose gravely track. There is a little surprise at the end of the really steep bit so be ready for a brake lever bending moment! Cross the river and head up and round to the left, another short pig of a climb. Carry on along this bridleway until you get to Clough Farm where you go through a small gate and down a bit of singletrack to the road.
5 Turn left onto the road and follow it until you reach Hope. Turn left and stop off at the Woodbine Cafe for great tea and cake. Now Follow the road up to Castleton. After you pass through Castleton, the main road forks off to the left but you need to carry straight on (you really don't want to climb Winnats pass believe me!)
Winnats Pass
6 Follow this road right up to the carpark for Blue John Cavern. Until about 30 years ago this was the main road, you can see why it isn't any more!
Mam Tor
7 Follow the road to the top and turn right onto the very busy A625. When you reach the Mam Tor carpark, follow it up to the top and then up the steps back to a road. Turn right onto the road and then follow it up until you reach the summit. Just after Mam Nick (the summit), turn right and then immediately left to head down the hill. The Bridleway heads down the hill and can be great fun when it's wet as it turns into an ice rink! At the bottom, turn left onto the road. As a variation, you could take some of the other bridleways on the back of Mam Tor, they might even be better but I can't vouch for them.
The Nags Head (Muddy people welcome)
8 At the T junction, head right into Edale. If you parked at Bamford station, you can take a train from here but don't forget to pop into the Nags Head for a pint and some well earned grub. If you parked at Fairholmes, you have a pleasant road ride back from here which I won't describe as it's obvious on the map. When you get to Bamford, you can get to Yorkshire Bridge on the old railway from the recreation ground. There is then a Cycle path along the roadside as far as the Ladybower viaduct. From here you can avoid the road again by heading up the East side of the reservoir.