Mountain bike routes around Hayfield
Mountain Biking in the Peak District allows you to explore a huge variety of trails, from rolling hills to windswept moorland, from swooping singletrack to old roman roads and everything in between.
Whilst the Peak District is classed as one national park the nature of the terrain can vary depending on the area you are riding in. It has two very contrasting personalities. In the northern areas you will be riding in the rocky black gritstone of the Dark Peaks, often punctuated by the wide open spaces of moorlands, where as if you head further south you will be riding through the milky limestone and lush green valleys of the White Peaks.
Nowhere else in the UK to you get such a geological division as those found in the Peak District, it makes the Peak District National Park one of the ‘must ride’ and ‘must explore’ areas for mountain biking in the UK.
Where to start?
During all the recent lockdowns I have ridden every ‘legal’ trail locally to me and believe that the Hayfield area is a great place to experience the views, the landscapes, and a glimpse into the awesome riding that the Peak District can provide. Granted, Hayfield may not be the most popular destination for epic riding, you will find that Ladybower and Edale tend to lure the most riders, but if you want to get away from the masses Hayfield has some awesome trails that generally ride well all year round. There is a fantastic assortment of technical and flowing downhills as well as plenty of climbs to test your fitness and bike handling skills.
Here are 4 of our favourite rides around the Hayfield area.
(Click on the image to download a map, or just hover over the image for a brief description of each route)
Hayfield Route 1
2-3 hours
22.8 km (14.1 mi) Distance
929 m (3047 ft) Elevation Gain
You start and finish at the lay-by just down from Cown Edge (OS Grid Ref: SK023909). There’s some cracking sections of the Pennine Bridleway as you head over Lantern Pike, with an awesome rock filled descent down to Birch Vale. The following climb up towards the New Allotments starts off on some broken road and finishes on a grassy, rutty section of trail. It’s quite a tough climb but not very technical, and on a clear day the views are incredible. Then you hit a wonderful short and flowy descent which opens up into farm lanes, with great views over to Kinder all the way down. After a short climb you reach the start of the technical and rocky Hayfield Descent. Take time to check out your surroundings before you hit the descent. If you can pick the right lines you will fly down, but even if you’re not confident on loose rocks it’s all rollable at slower speeds. Once you’ve switched back on yourself you’re heading over to Kinder Reservoir for more amazing views and another fast descent, this time through a grassy and occasionally rutty field. Once at Kinder Reservoir you could take a short cut and head up the climb at Kinder to the shooting cabins, or follow the road round to the grassy climb up Snake Path. Go this way and the terrain gradually changes from grassy, potentially muddy fields to loose rocks and gritstone, which will continue all the way across the moorland at Middle Moor. The final descent of the day is scattered with plenty of loose rocks, and is quite technical towards the end, so as ever line choice is key.
Hayfield Route 3
3-4 hours
25.4 km (15.8 mi) Distance
1113 m (3651 ft) Elevation Gain
Start and finish at the car park for the Sett Valley Trail (OS Grid Ref: SK035869). After a gentle ride through Hayfield, head up the bridleway of Snake Path. A technical rocky start to the climb soon turns into nothing more than grassy fields until you have the shooting cabins in sight. Head down the awesome descent at Kinder Reservoir. Singletrack, ruts, and rocks, it has it all. After descending down the cobbled path you want to follow the bridleway up a steep, rocky and often boggy section of trail to the road. Potentially a hike-a-bike section. Keep following the bridleway all the way up through the grassy fields. As you climb the views over your left shoulder should be amazing on a clear day. Once you’re through the fields and back onto a rocky trail it’s steep, and technical riding all the way, so prepare for some pushing and carrying. The trail continues on the same terrain with some extremely challenging sections. Once at Jacobs Cairn the views through the valley are incredible, and a lovely place to stop for a break before you attempt the infamous Jacobs Ladder descent. At the cairn turn right and through the gate to begin the descent. Jacobs Ladder is a Dark Peaks Classic, lots of rocks, lots of boulders, a couple of drops, and all squeezed into a relatively thin section of singletrack. Once at the bottom you will be heading through Upper Booth and onto Barber Booth before the climb up Chapel Gate. A steep climb, at over 1km long, be thankful it isn’t technical. After joining the bridleway of Rushup Edge it’s time to head back towards Hayfield via Roych Clough. Another classic descent that’s lots of fun, and whilst rocky it isn’t overly technical. After an undulating climb the trail flattens out towards more epic views at South Head. Then onto the technical and rocky Hayfield and Elle Bank Descents. The terrain changes from loose rocks to smoother and fast flowing sections. As you pass the campsite you will be riding on quiet lanes back to the centre of hayfield, and over to your start point at the Sett Valley Trail car park.
Hayfield Route 2
2-3 hours
24.9 km (15.5 mi) Distance
849 m (2785 ft) Elevation Gain
You start and finish at the lay-by just down from Cown Edge (OS Grid Ref: SK023909). After a short downhill road section to Carr Meadow Farm you take the rocky bridleway up to the shooting cabins. In certain sections its steep, and technical, but leads to an awesome section of trail down to Kinder Reservoir. Be careful in the wet as the mixture of mud and loose rocks can catch you out. After a gentle ride through Hayfield and onto the Sett Valley Trail you’re climbing up towards the New Allotments. Before you get to the top of the climb you will be descending Foxholes Clough. Fast, flowy and technically quite challenging, there’s some big ruts to negotiate your way through. Keep to the right of the trail and watch for the bridleway to split in two. Follow to the right and over the stream. After catching your breath riding through fields to Peep-O-Day you then begin the climb back up towards the top . You’ll do well to hit it in one without dabbing. The descent at the New Allotments starts with a fast, relatively steep section of trail, and finishes with a shallower descent through a rockier section which often has a small stream running down it. Once your back down into Birch Vale you will be cutting across the Sett Valley Trail to climb your way up to the byway which drops you into Rowarth. The descent down the byway is quite a challenge. It’s full of rocks and boulders with a few small drop offs, it’s technical but rollable at slow speeds. As you follow the bridleway up and out of Rowarth, be careful of the stream you are greeted by. It can be deceptively deep and full of rocks. After a short but steep climb up a lane, you finish by following the Pennine Bridleway back to your start point.
Hayfield Grand Tour
5-6 hours
50.2 km (31.2 mi) Distance
1962 m (6437 ft) Elevation Gain
My grand tour of Hayfield combines all the best bits of the previous rides into one action packed, fun filled all day adventure. Starting at the car park for the Sett Valley Trail (OS Grid Ref: SK035869), you start by heading through the centre to climb up Snake Path to start of the descent down to Kinder Reservoir, then onto the technical climb and descent of Jacobs Ladder, before making the journey back into Hayfield via Chapel Gate and the wonderful descent at Roych Clough. Just when you think you’re in for another awesome descent you turn off and head up to the New Allotments via the cottage at Higher Hills, here you descend down towards New Mills before riding onto the Sett Valley Trail. As you reach Birch Vale you start the climb back up towards the New Allotments but just before you traverse the top you hit the descent at Foxholes Clough and follow the path through the fields all the way down to Peep-O-Day Farm. After a short climb you rejoin the bridleway you’ve already ridden, except this time you’re heading the opposite way and down the Hayfield and Elle Bank descents. Once you’ve caught your breath after that exhilarating section of trail you head back up Snake Path but this time once you reach the shooting cabin you’re riding across Middle Moor and descending down the loose rocky trail down to the main road. After a short section of road riding you will be looping round Lantern Pike, and finishing your ride with the fast, flowy descent back into Hayfield. Onto the Sett Valley Trail and back to the car park where you started the day.
So now you have some of my favourite routes around Hayfield. Just don’t tell everyone about them.
Feel free to download the GPX files and maps, and if you give any of the routes a go, be sure to let me know how you found them. Just remember that many of the trails you will be riding on are shared trails. You will come across walkers, horse riders and other bikers, so always be pleasant, courteous, slow down where required, leave gates as you find them, and ALWAYS take your litter home.
Be nice and say hi.
