I'm planning a little road trip to the wood head pass, but I'm not sure which the best driving road is. Is it the A625 from north west of Glossop or the smaller B road from Glossop towards Woodhead, or the section from Woodhead towards the East?
Rescued attachment wood head pass.JPG

Glossop to Hollingworth is just chocka with traffic. Stop start all the way 7 days a week. Torside Road out of Glossop is nice but a bit bumpy and the Fury skips about a bit on it and misses out one of the best bits of Woodhead. Woodhead is OK if you get a clear run but unless you know the bends overtaking can be a pain. Weekdays is wall to wall trucks and weekend is Sunday drivers doing 30 in a 50 zone. Also the best overtaking spots are now double whites while some of the ones they've left dotted are suicidal.

adrian

time for a re-think colin?

Personally I'd do The A57 Snake Pass both ways.

adrian

Gotta agree with Adi, do the snake instead. The woodhead is just a pain the vast majority of the time and even if clear the snake is still a better road.

There's a B road that connects the snake to Langsett which is just off the Woodhead near the Flouch roundabout. It's been a while since I used it but me and my old scooby used to have some good fun on that stretch )))

pumpers

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Originally posted by pumpers
Gotta agree with Adi, do the snake instead. The woodhead is just a pain the vast majority of the time and even if clear the snake is still a better road.

There's a B road that connects the snake to Langsett which is just off the Woodhead near the Flouch roundabout. It's been a while since I used it but me and my old scooby used to have some good fun on that stretch )))

That'd be the Strines road otherwise known as Little Switzerland. Nice road but very bumpy; A few 1 in 5s and hair-pins but you'll be airbourne in a BEC. Guess how I know?

adrian

pumpers

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I was planning a loop of the snake and Woodhead passes with an unclassified road from Midhopestones to the Ladybower reservoir. Perhaps we should aviod the Woodhead pass then.

What's the road round Edale like? It looks like a good one but does it have a 30 limit or anything?

The road from Hope to Edale is nice if uneven. 60 limit from memory but a lot of walkers/cyclist/etc. Very nice cafe just by the train station in edale. Winnets Pass out of Castleton shouldn't be missed either just for the dramatic scenery. Personal Favourite is Long Hill from Chapel-en-le-frith to Buxton and then you can left turn onto the Cat and Fiddle to Macclesfield.
Don't forget that the Peak District is the most visited national park in the country so can be busy on the roads. Watch the speeds as well; Many major routes through it are now 50mph and it's enforced regularly, especially the Snake and the Cat' (which is regularly top 3 worst in the roads list).

When are you planning this trip for?

adrian

i agree with Adi. if you are coming from birmingham and that means M6 then get off at j17 and run into congleton then follow into macclesfield. from macclesfield go cat and fiddle into buxton, from buxton long hill down to whalley bridge, up the by pass to old ferodo works at chapel and follow rd to hayfield then glossop then get on to A57 snake to ladybower resovoir. hang a right and go to castleton and up winnats pass, back to chapel en le frith then up bypass through dove holes and back to buxton and from there either over to leek and back south and home or reverse run cat and fiddle but take the left split before the pub on the top and follow back to congleton avoiding macclesfield.

as others have said great roads, great views, great stops and cafes etc but can be bumpy, very fast only for the very brave and most weekends and sunny days speed vans every where. often seen them hunting in packs so when you have passed one and then speed up you come very quickly to a 2nd and third. cat and fiddle and snake are patrolled by plane too

Cheers Pif. Be long hill, do you mean the A5004 or the A6?

Have to agree with Pifs route, long hill is the A5004 and is usually quiet during the week. Another good road in the area is the B5470 from Macclesfield to Whaley bridge.

Duncan

yep just to confirm long hill is the A5004.

b5470 is a great rd too. just do it for the sake of it
when you thinking of - I am in glossop could join up if i am around.

This is the way I'd do it but as said B5470 is good as said.

I'd do Macclefield - Cat' (best side) - Buxton - Long Hill - Whaley Bridge - Chapel' - Edale - Hope - Bamford - Ladybower (big lay-by with butty van) - Snake' - Glossop. Then turn around and do Snake - Ladybower - Bamford - Castleton - Winnets Pass - Sparrowpit - Chapel - Whalley Bridge - Long Hill (best side) - Buxton - Cat' - Macclesfield.

The Midhopestones is pretty slow, twisty and bumpy. I did it last year knowing the road and expected it to be great and was disapointed with it to be honest; never got out of 2nd.

adrian