Stanage Plantation near Hathersage in the Peak District, UK. This page is intended to provide information for mountain biking on the track.

Rating: Technical / Speed / Fun: | |
Height Descent / Distance: 130m / 0.9km

Surface: Gritstone flag stones, slabs & small boulders, peaty mud, grass on last section.

Location: SK 240 840 - Monkeyspoon OS Tracks Map - Google Aerial Map
Starting from the top of Long Causeway it heads west to a gap in the Edge before turning south and entering Stanage Plantation. Passing through the middle of the wood it exits and then after 30m turns left and heads across the grass to the road.
Note: The bridleway shown on the map that runs down the NW edge of the plantation no longer exist on the ground until it crosses the stone path to the car park, the section south of this across the grass to the road still remains.

From the causeway there is a short rutted section of trail which is often muddy that leads onto the tight switchback. This is one of the more technical parts of the bridleway but with a bit of care it can be easily ridden. Like the majority of this bridleway the surface is made up from large gritstone slabs. This means relatively good grip all year around.

After the switchback the bridleway becomes gradually flatter in gradient as it snakes it’s way down the hill. Watch out for rock climbers who are tackling the boulders to the left of the bridleway. Although some parts of the bridleway are very smoothly surfaced with the rock slabs there are some more uneven sections mixed in between. The bridleway soon passes between a gap in the dry stone wall. With the slabs continuing at this stage, after passing through a series of smooth turns through a cutting, watch out for boulders on the trail edge. The slabs begin to break up before reaching a gate.

After the gate there are a few streams that cross the path, this brings an extra challenge of clear the gaps between the slabs. Further on as you enter the trees the main line is a narrow stone line which requires a combination of balance, speed and some luck to successfully complete. As if you fall off the slabs/stones you end up in what is often muddy, rutted and very wet ground.

After passing through the second and final gate you leave the plantation, as you do the gradient returns with many line choices on a combination of slabbed, gullied or grassy lines. 30m or so after the gate make sure you make the left turn off the well surfaced track (that goes down to the car park) across the grass towards the road.

View our Head Cam Video of Stanage Plantation...