Harder Day in the Peaks 2020 edition

Excellent shout about missing out the B6049.

Updated Route:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32061746

Do you plan on abseiling that descent at 30 miles in?

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You should see the bridleway that drops down into Bradwell...

My return route is sorted (well minus the actual routing that is), I'll be taking the train back from Lancaster. Getting quite excited about this now!

I guess you know but the route from Marple bridge up through brabyns park and over the canal to winnington is totally rideable but it’s rocky and muddy at the moment so might eat road tyres. Good route choice though as straight up station road into Marple is a fucker
I live two mins from the bit where you join winnington road in Marple so if anyone wants to pm me for a mobile number I’ll be around in case of any emergencies, mega bonks, run out of water etc?

Is there’s a halfway stop in the route? (Intend to meet girlfriend halfway and head back to Sheffield).

I thought the idea was to find a place somewhere before Snake's Pass / Hope/ Bamford area? Looks about halfway and a 6km climb right after lunch sounds perfect

Cheers @Tallboy no I don't know shit about the area, this was put together by @%~} I was just updating it! Route kudos to them.

I'll PM for your number, the offer for last minute / bonk-aid is much appreciated

This reminded me to check the life in my brake pads

Marple is logical- you can get train direct to Sheffield and no issue getting hikes on. Or anywhere around glossop, Charlesworth, marple etc if you plan to ride back?

It’s a good route choice- it’s what I do- but I’m usually on 35mm marathons or bigger and gears! Either way it’s a sod of a hill.
Libby’s in Marple bridge high st is a great cake stop- back garden over the river for bikes. Norfolk arms on the corner as you come into Marple bridge good for beer and food- big front garden where you could sit with the bikes. Dutsons on the high st does ice cream but no bike parking

Ladybower inn does food, might be a bit fancy - maybe @Landslide has some more local knowledge...

A few options:
Cafe Adventure at Hope, you could take a left down Eccles Lane at mile 31. There's 18 Bikes there for any mechanical issues.
Taste Buds Cafe at Bamford garden centre, Stay on the A6187 at mile 33. There's Bike Garage there for any mechanical issues.
Angler's Rest at Bamford, Yorkshire Bridge Inn, Ladybower Inn all do food. Angler's is probably my favourite. None of them are especially fancy, they're all geared towards the outdoors brigades.
The Ladybower Cafe at mile 37 is a mobile cafe in a layby. No idea what the menu covers.

Stations at Hope and Bamford for anyone who needs to bail, and/or if Ed and his girlfriend are using the train at all.

You could take in Parsley Hay and the bike cafe there? Hope the recent floods don't affect this.

Or hand a right at the reservoirs on snake pass and go to the visitor centre cafe, see the famous dam busters dam etc. No indoor seating though

tentative aye for riding.

if @fax_yourself sorts my bike out :)

As you'll have almost finished by Bollington, you should at least consider giving some of the local hills a final comedy blast - Beeston Brow, Blaze Hill, Brickworks. It would be a shame to miss some of the best in the area.
If you can avoid the weekend dog walkers on the Middlewood Way and the canal you should get plenty of recovery beforehand.
Lord St (lol) or High Street might also make for a slightly nicer escape route rather than Hurst Lane too.

Middlewood way has been badly underwater of late so expect some extreme grit eating your drivetrain! Someone needs a bell too to clear the dog walkers and kids.
There are mega routes from Marple to macc not using the middlewood but they sure are lumpy

Is Middlewood Way an off road section? Middlewood Road from High Lane, going over the level crossing is a lovely route back to Macc via Pott Shrigley and Bollington.

Sadly I won’t make this ride. If the weather is good enough to ride, I need to be getting out with the house. I’ve lost loads of time in the last couple of months due to rain.

Yeah it's a disused railway line

My preference would - sad as it is to miss some scenic areas - to keep the route tarmac only. It's going to be wild enough making it around without tempting our tyres puncture protection especially after all this gnarly rain.

Totally up for clever ways through the towns though, I'll have a look at what you all suggested

Middlewood way is ok for punctures- it’s pretty smooth gravel and even bits of tarmac. Few motorbike gates at the marple end but it gets going after that. There’s a spar right near the start at marple end too for last minute coke top ups

Personally I’d skip the bit through brabyns Park in Marple bridge and just go up station road into Marple. It’s a brute of a climb but well under 0.5 mile

Cheers. TBH I'll be angling hard to keep it tarmac only. Most of us will prob be on 25s with rubber seeing a fair amount of winter road so I don't want to tempt fate.

Can I ask the locals for some advice on my route from Macclesfield to Lancaster on Sunday? I've tried routing through Manchester as I've never been and thought that'd be the occasion. But the route seems fairly uninspiring until Rochdale as a result. If I persist with Manchester, any tips on route in and out of the city would be much welcome, as well as places to have a coffee and a snack. Also happy to hear recommendations for routing around, I'll have the whole day so upping the mileage a bit isn't too much of a problem. Thanks!

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32076705

I've got a good off-road route from Lancaster back to Manchester...

I'm sure I rode Macc > Manchester> Settle > Lancaster > Macc a few years back. I'll see if I can dig it up tomorrow. Failing that, I wouldn't recommend taking the A34 into Manchester and will get you a quieter route up into the city/Rochdale.