Hope Triple Eight

Where: Hope, Derbyshire.
Distance: 18.6 miles.
Ascent: 3,231 ft.
Maps: Explorer OL 1             Click here to buy the Ordnance Survey map for this route
Parking: Pay and display car park in Hope. Also free parking on the road opposite.
Overview: This part of the country contains some fantastic trails. Everyone has their favourites and this route includes some of mine. The route is mostly made up of typical rocky Peak District trails and includes some tough ascents and tricky descents. Rideable all year round.

Download the Tracklogs file for this route.             Click here for more info on Tracklogs

Details:

(click on a grid reference to link to multimap.com in a new window)

1. (0 miles) SK170834  Leave Hope on Edale Road. Follow this until you cross a bridge over the river. The road turns sharp left immediately after the bridge but you should carry straight on up Fullwood Stile Lane. Follow this to a gate and go through. This is the start of the Roman Road - a rocky but rideable and enjoyable climb. At the top go through the gate and straight on past Hope Cross to another gate. Go through this and up a slight climb to yet another gate at a crossroads of bridleways.

2. (3.1 miles) SK159875  Remember this point. You''ll be back here later. Carry straight on to the first descent of the ride - a rocky blast down to a lane. Turn right and descend to the A57. Go straight over and up the lane past Rowlee Farm. Go through a gate and follow the track as it snakes up the hill. Go through a gate near the corner of a wood and along to the other end of the wood where there is another crossroads of trails.

Note: The next loop is very good ridden in either direction. In fact we more often ride it in the opposite direction to which it is described here.

3. (5.6 miles) SK163890  Again. Remember this point. You''ll be back here later. The main trail that you came up on turns to the left but you should carry straight on up through a gate and along the top of the ridge with a wood to your left. Pleasant grassy ruts lead to a gate. Through the gate is an excellent descent with rain bars to launch off should you desire. It brings you out next to a car park on the road running alongside Ladybower Reservoir. Turn left and follow the road to a little roundabout near the visitor centre. Carry straight on up past the dam until you turn to your left and start descending. The bridleway you want is just after this on the left.

4. (8.8 miles) SK166909  The first part of the bridleway gradually steepens to a short rocky section. It then carrries on at a more pleasant angle through the wood until it opens out onto a rocky section and then a gravel road taking you back to the crossroads at the start of section 3.

5. (10.2 miles) SK163890  Go straight on and down through a gate to a nice rocky switchback descent. You can use the edges of the track as berms! However be ready with the brakes as there is a gate half way down! At the bottom there is another gate leading to a tarmac descent to the A57. Cross the main road and go through a wooden gate. Descend to a bridge and cross it. The track turns to the left along the edge of the wood before starting to climb. At the first switchback it starts to get really rocky and from then on gets worse! It's pushing time for most people! Things get more rideable higher up and once you emerge from the wood and go through a gate you should be back on your bike to climb back up to the first crossroads.

6. (11.6 miles) SK159875  Go straight on at the crossroads across your previous path. Just over the brow of the hill a gate leads to a fast and fun descent to a ford through Jaggers Clough and a gate. There is now a short sharp climb up gravel with concrete rain bars across before another gate and fast descent to Clough Farm. A short section of singletrack past the farm takes you to the Edale road.

7. (12.9 miles) SK145863  Turn right onto the road and follow it through Nether Booth to Edale. Just past the car park in Edale turn left into a lane. Just before the end of this a gate on the left leads to the bridleway ascent to Hollins Cross. The climb starts on gravel, turns to grassy ruts/steps and then becomes rocky near the top. It is all rideable but whether it is at this stage of the ride depends on your fitness! You can now admire the view from Hollins Cross.

8. (15.9 miles) SK135844  When you reach Hollins Cross turn left and climb for a few yards. On the right is a less well frequented bridleway down to Castleton. Look for the blue arrow on the gate post. The descent is grassy to start with some tricky rock steps after you go through a gate. It joins Hollowford Road which takes you into the village. Turn left onto the A625 and it's about a mile and a half of flat tarmac back to Hope.

Map:

(click the to view a photo of that part of the route in a new window)