Day Rides
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We've put together a small collection of rides we like to do as a club. The links are on the left. They are not all ridiculously hard, some are there because the views are nice. We hope you like them too.
Lots and lots and lots of Memory Map Routes at http://www.mtbsharp.co.uk/
Jacob's Ladder Click here to see map of area MMO file
The Jacob's Ladder ride, as far as the club is concerned, started when I read the map of the High Peak one night (sadly) and discovered it. It seems it was not unknown before, since we found a lot of other riders on it, but for the Groovytribe, the first ride was in 1996. It starts in Edale (124856). Actually we start from a small carpark at Barber Booth (105848). Our first effort took us through Edale and onto the Pennine way where it is still a footpath. The "Keeper of Footpaths" (an old lady in a dressing gown) told us we were wrong but I insisted we were right, only to be redirected by the local ranger (a very understanding guy who didn't rant at us - thankfully). Anyway, the way to go is on the road through Barber Booth and on to Upper Booth joining the Pennine way at Lee Ho, and up the ladder. Now it is claimed that Tim Gould has ridden this climb. Maybe he has, but nobody from our club has ever made it. Some fit race snakes have nearly made it. The problem is the last, steep rocky section. It just defeats you. Let me know if any of you make it - we won't believe you!
From the top of the ladder you take the rocky but very good downhill to Coldwell Clough. One of our lot lost it at the bottom of this downhill and ended up hanging by his shorts from a barbed wire fence. At Coldwell Clough, take the sharp left (045861) up and over towards Hils Ho but at the lane (051853) turn left and up over Mount Famine. Another great downhill in prospect as you head off down to Roych Clough. Then up the rough green lane (look out for loonies in 4x4).towards the A625, joining the road at 092825. Take the track left at the side of the road and then up the bridleway towards Lord's Seat. At 099829 you can choose to go left to take the last fast downhill on Chapel Gate. This is an old tarmac road which is now just loose stones. Very fast and very scary. The alternative is to go straight on at 099829 until you meet the yellow road at 124833. Take a left and then an immediate right onto the bridleway leading round the side of MamTor. At the View point at 136845, turn left and down an equally scary and rocky, with big drop offs, downhill which takes you to Greenlands and down to Edale opposite the station. Take a left back to your car if you parked at Barber Booth. There is also a good pay and display carpark next to the station in Edale. There is also a very good post ride cafe.
The ride is about 18 miles via Chapel Gate, and 20+ via Greenlands. It can be a bit muddy in the winter. In the summer of 1996 it was bone dry and very fast. Since then we have ridden it maybe twice a year, and always in the wet. It is always a fun ride none the less.
Lakes Click here to see map of area MMO file
One of the favourites is the Days In Heaven ride, first published in the MBUK in January 1996. We do it the opposite way round to that published. This way you get most of the hill climbs on tarmac and all the down hill sections off road.
Start in Ambleside on the other side of the park round the back of Biketreks shop and head up the steep hill on the left for Loughrigg Fell and over the fell to Skelwith Bridge. From here take the tarmac up towards Stephen How. Go up the (off road ) hill to the left, following the bridle path. You end up at Iron Keld Plantation. Take the short downhill through the trees. Take the rough road right to Oxen Fell High Cross. Go straight across the road, through the disused quarry and on to the road to Holme Ground where you see a footpath on the right half way down the road. Walk your bike across to High Tiberthwaite (footpath) and then ride to the ford past Moss Rigg Wood. Take the tarmac through Little Langdale, left and right, and on to Dale End. Keep going and take the bridle way / rough lane straight on just as you get to the trees. Finish up at the B5343. Go across and up to High Close YHA. After this go to end of lane and turn left. Look for right turn to Loughrigg Terrace and go all the way down to the unclassified road at the bottom. Turn right and follow the river Rothay back to Ambleside. Rest!
Shropshire Click here to see map of area MMO file
Around Church Stretton in Shropshire there is some great riding. First ride by our club in 1994 following an article in an obscure MTB mag that is now defunct and I can't remember the name!
Having found your way either by car, train or bike to Church Stretton, you now need to find the starting point of the ride which is the town square situated on High Street in the centre of town (B4370).
The first step of the ride is to head south along High Street for about 1.5 miles into Little Stretton soon after which you will see the Ragleth Inn on your right. Turn right along the minor road at the side of the Ragleth which winds round to the left and has a nice ford to the right that, on your return is a good place to get the worst of the mud off your bikes.
Turn right by the barn towards Minton - watch out for the usual barking sheep dogs here. Follow this little used lane through the dried-up ford up the steep climb into the village with its pretty green and renovated barns.
At the T-junction in Minton turn right where there is a fast narrow descent on this rough surfaced lane (keeping an eye open for tractors and being careful at the bottom not to overshoot to Birds Nest farm). Be warned that in winter this lane is like a skating rink from the water running off the following climb. You will come to a crossroads with a farm in front of you.
Turn right and climb the lane for a half a mile to the forest and Priors Holt, which is where we go for the middle track through the wooden section which takes us up through the forest to the top of the Mynd. Before you start to climb I'd suggest that you remove any waterproofs etc. as its going to get rather warm. Remember that a cool stream is just to the right of the track! After the initial long straight stretch the track bears to the left. If you're suffering, you d better not look up as the hairpinned track winds up in front of you more like an alpine climb than a Shropshire forest. You could almost imagine Ned Overend and David Baker passing you half way up.
Over the top the gradient eases considerably. Stay on this track, keeping to the left, until you come to a clearing where you take a left which descends through a couple of bends until you come to a gate. Careful, though, as it's right on a corner. Take the grassy track to the right which is a short climb up to a gate on the left where we join the ancient Portway. If you follow the fence for a few yards you'll get a good view of the Liniey hills. Heading left through the gate, follow the grassy Portway which is straight ahead. When you get to a steeper section where the track is more worn and stony, if you stop for a minute, you can see most of south Shropshire from here - which is very impressive on a clear day.
After this section the Portway goes straight on, but the worn track goes right which is where we are going.
This is a very stoney and exhilarating descent, but be warned - it gets very steep half way down. If you're a bit wary, get off before that section. Take care at the bottom as the track joins the road where we head right for I mile into the village of Asterton. Here you'll see a farm on the left. Just after that, turn right,.
Dropping a couple of gears, climb up past the 'phone box, over-the cattle grid where a long very steep climb goes straight ahead, but don't start walking yet. We take the easier, grassy cart track on the left. This track is a bit bumpy in places. Beware of a sudden gully crossing halfway along and the low overhanging branches.
After three-quarters of a mile go through the gate and carry on straight ahead. The track climbs up through a couple of streams (which make it much harder than it looks) so get a low gear in plenty of time. At the top of the climb there's an old shepherd's cottage.
The track now dries up and descends slightly and goes through a gate and farm yard, then turns into a tarmac-surfaced lane, which nuns straight on for about a mile until you climb into the small hamlet of Medlicot. At the top of the climb there are two gates straight ahead, one marked "Camping" with a lane and a dead end sign to the right, which is the one we want looking behind.
At this point there's an excellent view along the length of the Mynd. Onto the granny-ring and forth to climb Pole Bank. The climb starts off as a lane and gradually deteriorates until it reaches a boarded-up cottage on the right which is about halfway up, and is the beginning of the climb's off-road section which is rocky and rutted. If you want to admire the view across the neighbouring Stiperstones it's best to stop first.
At the summit of the climb there's an imposing view in front of you of Caer Caradock and the Lawley, while over to the right is the high point of the Mynd standing at ~6 metres. The descent lies straight ahead and is very rutted so beware!
As you arrive at the road at the bottom of the descent, turn right and follow the road (the portway) past the enclosed Pole Cottage on the right. After about half a mile you'll see two wooden posts on the left with 'Minton' stamped on them (not all 'Stretton'). Turn left between the posts and follow the track, which is pretty rutted, so try to keep to the left of the ruts. After a boggy section the track starts to climb again. Be sure not to take the sheep track to the left. At the top of the short climb there are possibly the best views of the day. To the right is Minton Batch, a beautiful valley on the other side of which you can see the forest from earlier on the day while in between is the Midland Gliding Club with Packet Stone Hill straight ahead. A steep grassy descent drops straight ahead and with only a few sheep about, its bumps give those who wish to emulate the gliders (by getting airborne) plenty of chance to do so. I About half way down it gets a bit rutted. It's best to keep to the left until the last section where it gets very steep and rocky, so go for the extreme right, then switch to the left to avoid the concealed 10" drop. At the farm date turn right along the side of the barn, then left at the green in Minton and descend the narrow lane to Little Stretton, and don't forget the ford if you want to wash your bike.
Then retrace along the road to the starting point and head for the cafe'.
Coed-y-Brenin (various routes - Karrimor is 20 miles) Click here to see map of area
Wow! We go here for weekends because it's so good. This is the Forestry Center off the A670 near Dolgellau in the Snowdonia National Park in Wales (but you knew that). The red route is now the Karimore route. The Red Bull is wonderful. The MBR route is now up and running. Formerly known as the Pink Heifer. The visitor centre has naps and the routes are all well marked.
Wuthering Heights Ride (20 miles) Click here to see map of area MMO file
Starting
from the car park next to the bunk house accommodation at Upper Marsh in
Oxenhope / Haworth (Yorkshire),
the route follows the road from the Country Park at Upper Marsh down to
Moor Side where we turn right towards the reservoir and head for Bodkin
and Stairs Hill. Around the reservoir the stony track starts to climb to
Stairs Hill which is quite steep and will be a challenge for even for those that consider themselves climbers. Rising over the shoulder of Stairs
Hill at 426m we start to drop down the other side. This is a long, stony
broken track on which you gain some speed. This section ends with a short,
sharp, tarmac drop to the head of Grimsworth Dean at 293m. Here we turn
right on the bridle way and up to Laithe before dropping down the stony,
then forest trail type track into Hebden Bridge.
Now
we have a choice of routes. There is a hard climb out of Hebden Bridge on
a bridle way out of Midgehole up to Pecket Well, or the road route which
is still a climb but not as steep and it’s rideable (200m up to 300m).
On the road from Pecket Well we continue up the A6033 for a mile or so to
a bridle way on the right signed to Limers Gate (350m - this seems to be a
mystery place that does not appear on the map). This is the start of the
climb up to Midgley Moor. The start is very steep and impossible to ride
when wet (more chance if it is dry in summer). This is only the first 200
metres then the slope becomes less steep and is rideable on rutted
moorland tracks to the top at the trig point on High Brown Knoll at 443m.
From here it’s down, down, down on some wonderful single track. There
are some short boggy sections to watch out for. The whole thing ends with
an expert’s only, rock strewn, twisting downhill into Luddenden Dean
from the 350m to the 240m contour in about 800m!
Left
at the bottom of the downhill and round Luddenden Dean, past the trees and
the cemetery then left and up the broken road. Right at the top and then
at the next junction take the Calder Way path on the left across the field
to the next road. Turn left towards Cold Edge Dams, and take the left
track and through the gate marked with a red sign “Private
Land – no vehicular entry”. This leads to Cold Edge Dams where they do
jet skiing. Pass the dams and keep climbing up to the Withins Hotel pub on
Ovenden Moor (430m). At the right of the pub take the bridle way to Ogden
Water reservoir. This is a long, wide downhill on a hard stony surface (if you have
no suspension at the front your arms will be numb at the bottom). At the
bottom you cross the Ogden Water dam (300m) then up the road, turn right
then take the bridle way left to Thornton Moor towards Oxenhope.
There is a steady climb up rutted single track onto Thornton Moor. At the first split in the track, go straight on. At the second split go right and up. All the way the track is rutted and single track. Some of us will find this tough. I thought it was great fun. As you crest the moor (425m) you start to drop down on the same rutted tracks. One false move and your off into the heather! The section ends at a short rock outcrop and a gate. Through the gate and immediate left, the track is now a rock strewn steep downhill leading into a flatter but still downhill section which goes on for a mile or so before ending at the road that leads to Oxenhope (350m). Turn right on this road. After a short climb, the road drops steeply to the A6033 where you turn right into Oxenhope. After the hairpin bends look for the sharp left turn to Stanbury (Shaw Lane) and follow this road back (up) to the bunk house car park at Upper Marsh.
