Five things to do in Sheffield/The Peak District when the trails are under mud

1. CLIMBING, Sheffield's 2nd favourite sport

For years, Sheffield has been well known to climbers for its easy access to the gritstone edges.

You've probably seen them topping out on Curbar or Froggatt as you’ve ridden the Eastern Edges route, or seen them huddled around the giant boulders below Stanage Edge on your descent under the crag.

Well did you know that Sheffield boasts a great collection of indoor walls.

For roped climbing, try The Foundry, one of the original indoor walls and home to the world famous Wave bouldering wall. Additionally, Awesome Walls is one of the biggest venues in the country Both walls have a good selection of both lead and top rope routes, with grades from easy to ridiculously hard.

One word about roped climbing - if you’re a complete beginner, you’ll have to enrol on a course before you're let loose on the big walls. Learn the ropes as it were.

If, on the other hand, you have no intention of tying onto a rope but still want to give climbing a go then The Climbing Works is the place for you. It’s a dedicated bouldering only venue where some of the best in the world come to train. However, don't worry, the route setting is legendary with problems from easy to World Cup standard. With competitions like the CWIF and the BIFF, it's also a great place to watch the best in the world battle it out.

If, however, you want to stay outdoors there are plenty of outdoor adventure companies offering instruction/guiding. One example is Peak Mountaineering based in Castleton who offer outdoor climbing introductory courses.

2. Grab your running shoes

Sheffield has some great parks bordering the edge of the city and the Peak District with way marked running routes.

They're all colour coded giving you the choice of Easy, Medium, Hard or Challenging.

With 30 routes available across 14 locations in parks and woodland around the city, you can explore Sheffield from a different perspective whether you choose to run or walk them.

Details can be found at The Outdoor City Run Route

3. Open air swimming in Hathersage

Some of you may know Hathersage, famed for its collection of outdoor retailers.

Did you know that behind the High Street, across the road from the main pay and display car park, there is an open air swimming pool.

It’s open all year round and is heated, although does also offer sessions of cold water swimming if you feeling brave/daft enough.

Details of opening times etc can be found at Hathersage Pool

4. Put your boots on

The Peak District was the first National Park in the UK. It’s home of the Mass Trespass on Kinder Scout (where hundreds of ramblers took to the hills to highlight the fact that walkers in England and Wales were denied access to areas of open country).

It’s thanks to these protesters that we enjoy the freedom of access we have today, so why not celebrate that fact by seeing the glorious Peak District at a leisurely pace and explore the myriad of footpaths that now crisscross the peak.

Check out Vertebrate Publishing's guidebooks for inspiration.

5. Lend A Hand

If none of the above appeal, then why not come and meet the locals by coinciding your visit with one of the monthly dig days led by one of the advocacy groups (Ride Sheffield or Peak District MTB).

Both groups have done great work in keeping the trails running sweet and are working with land owners and land managers to improve relationships between all users and improve access to more trails.

The opening of permissive bridleways along the eastern edges is only the start.

6. And Your Bonus for sticking with me

You’ve come all this way and you simply must ride your bike!

Well, Sheffield might not have the likes of Gisburn or Llandegla in terms of trail centres but what it does have are a series of purpose built trails in various locations around the city.

Lady Cannings

These were the first trails in the UK to be built with crowdfunding.

There are 2 tracks to chose from (Blue Steel and Cooking On Gas) which are both blue grade trails, professionally built by BikeTrack.

There is a red/black grade trail planned for the future in nearby Redmires plantation.

Parkwood Springs

This is another blue grade trail, but with red grade options, offering jumps, rollers and berms in this 2km long XC style circuit. It has 65m of ascent and descent and is a great place to throw in a few laps to get you fit when the rest of the trails are a mud bath.

Greno Woods

Home of the ‘Biggest Little Race’ Peaty’s Steel City Downhill, Greno has 2 red routes, Pub Run and Steel City (with black options) and DH3 which is a black grade trail with several large but rollable jumps which get steeper towards the end.

All trails are connected by bridleways taking you back to the top for another run. These tracks were also built by BikeTrack with permission from Sheffield Wildlife Trust and funded by Peaty’s Steel City Downhill (which gives all profits back into building and maintaining the trails).

Rother Valley Country Park

Situated a short drive off junction 31 of the M1, Rother Valley Country Park is home to the Rother Valley Riders who have built a network of trail to suit all abilities.

Details can be found here: Rother Valley Trails

Finally, if you really must sample the delights of riding in the Peak, up to date trail conditions can be found by following Keeper of the Peak on Twitter @KoftheP

The good people at Vertebrate Publishing have also put together a free download of what is considered an all weather loop, although this too can be impassable after heavy snowfall.

I hope you find this useful and hopefully I’ll see you out on the trails (once they dry out a bit that is).

Oh, one more thing!

When you're out and about, please remember to.....

Breaking the Habit

If you've read some of my previous blogs, you’ll know that cycling has always been a large part of my life. If you haven't already, check my earlier blog Full Circle

However, so far this year I've been out twice.

Once was on a cold clear day just after the New Year. It was a perfect winter’s day, with the exception of the icy roads.

The other was the Cotic Bikes 'Beat the Winter Blues' Ride in the Peak. Thirty of us, all on Cotics, went riding on a loop of the Peak District’s finest trails. It was another great day, despite the snowstorms and freezing rain towards the end of the ride. Stoke was certainly high that day.

Since then, my bike has been washed and remains locked away, awaiting a full overhaul. New cables, brakes bled and hoses tidied, pivots stripped and greased, bearings checked and replaced where necessary. All those jobs that mean once the weather improves I'll be raring to go with the knowledge that my bike is in tip top condition.

Some might say that this is the hallmark of a fair weather biker, but I beg to differ.

We are in the depths of winter, the trails aren't in the best of conditions and more traffic will only make them worse. Plus all that grit and mud won't do my bike any favours. So I'm putting my Cotic Rocket into hibernation until spring.

Luckily the hotel where I stay whilst working away, have let me put my turbo trainer in a spare room, so I can at least keep my legs turning.

A few years ago, winters were spent indoors. Climbing.

It was good to prepare for the coming summer when the fitness built up over the winter came into its own and the tick list of routes you’d built up thumbing through the various guidebooks were slowly ticked off. Summer’s seemed to get wetter and we got bored of visiting the same crags.

It meant that climbing was slowly replaced by biking, with only the occasional foray onto rock just to remind us how good it felt to play in the vertical world.

After a trip to the Lakes last year, Jacquie and myself have decided that we want to tick off the Wainwrights so there are trips to the Lakes to be planned. We also intend to visit a few of the Scottish islands this year.

There's lots of planning and research to do for both these and the depths of winter is the perfect time, when it's dark by teatime and it's cold and wet most weekends.

Do you know what, it feels good to give myself permission to take some time out and do something different, knowing full well that when the sun shine's, the trails dry out a bit, and the daylight lengthens, the bike will be back out. I know that I’ll ride with a new found vigour, like a bear out of hibernation hungry for eating up some sweet singletrack.

Be Bold Start Cold

Living in the UK and our ever changing weather systems, we can have hot sunny days in the middle of winter and snow in the height of summer.

Choosing what to wear when heading out on the bike can be a puzzling task. Get it wrong and you'll either boil in the bag or spend the whole ride as a shivering wreck.

How to layer and what to wear

The choice of technical materials today, means that gone are the days of the ‘Smelly Helly’.

My go to thermal base layer is the EDZ merino zip neck long sleeve. I chose the zip neck as it allows another degree of venting. Over this I'd have my usual riding jersey.

If it's cold and dry, then I'll wear my Ion soft shell jacket, which is a brilliant piece of kit with lots of stretch in the fabric and a good degree of water repellency. If it's really cold I may wear my Patagonia Nano Air hybrid vest underneath but this is usually if I know I'm going to be doing a lot of standing around, for example when I’m delivering a coaching session.

If it's going to be a cold and wet day, I replace the soft shell with a full on waterproof jacket. I tend to find Mountaineering jackets suit me better than cycling specific ones as they seem to have more room in the arms. Years of bricklaying and bodybuilding have given me Popeye like forearms. I really like my OMM Kamleika jacket as it has 4-way stretch and packs down to next to nothing. It’s aimed at adventure racers and fell runners, so it’s an excellent choice for high energy activities like mountain biking where breathability is important.

On my lower half, I always wear bib shorts. On cold days I will pick a 3/4 length, either my Endura MT 500 with or ones from Gorewear. I then top this off with either my Ion trousers or, if it's going to be a wet ride, a pair of Madison waterproofs. You may also want to consider a pair of knee pads as they have the double benefit of protecting you knees from a fall and also keeping them warm!

I always wear waterproof socks in winter. They help to keep my feet dry and the extra thickness means added warmth ( Sealskinz do a good range or if you time it right, you can pick up a cheaper pair at Aldi supermarkets). One thing to consider is possibly sizing up your normal shoes to fit the extra layering on your feet.

It’s also worth considering a pair of overshoes to keep your feet dry and warm. Whilst they are mainly the domain of those riding clipless pedals, Endura do now offer a pair designed around a flat pedal shoe.

A lot of people I meet say they struggle with cold hands during winter, so here's my advice on keeping your digits warm in the colder months….

The main arteries feeding blood to your fingers are located close to the surface as they pass the wrist, so by keeping this part of your arm warm you stand a chance of having warm fingers. This means that in winter, I wear a pair of Gorewear gauntlet style gloves and tuck the cuff into the sleeve of my jacket. You can also buy neoprene gloves from Gore and Ion (along with our old favourite Aldi supermarket) which I haven't tried, but they would be an excellent choice as this material has great thermal properties.

One thing I would NOT do is add a liner to my usual riding gloves as this could have the effect of restricting blood flow, leading to cold/frozen fingers.

Depending on how cold it is, I will add a neck gaiter and a hat/liner under my helmet. The EDZ merino helmet liner is a great piece of kit.

Finally, I always carry an extra layer in my pack in the form of a lightweight synthetic insulated jacket (something like the Alpkit Heiko), along with a spare pair of gloves and a woolly hat.

So get your layers on, get out and have fun.

EDZ Merino Review

This winter, I have been lucky enough to have been testing an EDZ 200g merino zip necked thermal as my wife www.outdoor-girl.com partners with them to test and review their kit.

Having owned several merino thermals over the years by a well known New Zealand brand, I can safely say that this one from a small company in the Lake District is my favourite.

The fit is superb and after many washes it hasn’t lost any of its shape. Whilst merino is supposed to have no itch properties, I do find that some tops have a rough feel next to the skin - not so with the EDZ merino. It is extremely comfortable.

I've found that the top is brilliant at retaining heat and wicking moisture away from the body. I often get back after a bike ride and find that my layers are damp with sweat and yet my skin is dry and warm, so it's doing its job well.

With a deep zip neck, overheating is taken care off and yet as the cold sets in you can simply zip it up and keep the heat in.

The long cuffs with thumb holes are a great addition as I’m a big believer in the fact that if you keep your wrists warm your hands won’t suffer as much during a cold spell. So coupled with my winter riding gloves I always have toasty fingers.

Body models own

If you want to try merino but balk at the prices of the better known brands, I can highly recommend EDZ. Although I received this top free of charge to test, I will definitely be purchasing more of their products to add to my winter wardrobe.

EDZ are an independent specialist clothing brand from Cumbria & have been making performance outdoor clothing since 1995.

Find them at:

https://www.edzlayering.com/

Full Circle

They say the olfactory sense has the strongest impulse on bringing back memories and feelings of nostalgia. If I happen to get the scent of a certain soap, I’m taken back to a childhood Christmas when I received the gift of soap on a rope in the shape of some boxing gloves. Just one whiff and I'm back as a 7 year old on Christmas Eve, sharing a bedroom with my brother, both excited as to what the morning would bring. Pillow cases on the end of the bed.

The auditory sense has a similar effect. Hearing a classic club hit from the 90's on the radio, I was immediately transported back to Visage nightclub, the noise and the lights. I could even smell the dry ice smoke machine.

But the visual sense is the reason that I'm writing this blog.

On social media I saw a picture of a Pace RC129 in black and gold. Some would say it's done as a tribute to John Player Special Formula 1 Team.

But to me it honours the Raleigh Burner BMX and, in particular, the Ultra Burner which came resplendent in black and gold and decked out in top of the range parts. Araya rims, Suntour stem with V-brace handlebars, Dia-Compe brakes and the classic Kashimax Aero saddle.

So on seeing this picture I was whisked back to my misspent youth.

Bikes have always been a big part of my life, right from when the stabilisers first came off my little blue bike.

I've owned a lot of classics. A Raleigh Strika complete with faux dual crown forks. The pre BMX Raleigh Grifter, complete with 3 hub gears. Two BMXs, one of which was an MRD from the legendary Tim March of which I recently found out there were only about 1500 made. Wish I'd kept that one instead of trading it in for my first mountain bike - a Scott Sawtooth which was more of a chunky road bike than an MTB.

I'd say my next bike was my first proper mountain bike, a Specialized Rockhopper with V-Brakes, Panaracer Fire XC tyres and resplendent with Pace forks. I replaced this with an 26" Orange P7, which was then replaced with my Cotic mk3 Soul.

Now I have both feet firmly in the Steel is real camp as I ride both a 26" wheeled Soul and a 27.5" Rocket. So apart from a minor blip when I rode the aluminium Rockhopper all my bikes have been steel frames.

.

So you could say that I really have had a life behind bars.

There was a real gang of us on our BMXs, several models of Burner including the Tuff Burner in blue with bright yellow Skyway mag wheels. We rode spoil heaps left behind by the housing estates from the building boom and through the school fields, where we were chased by the caretaker - like a scene from ET without the alien in the shopping basket.

Netherton Knights BMX Club and Big Valley BMX, our local bike shop selling all the top brands of the day. With bikes like Hutch, Diamond Back and Haro to name but a few. If we weren't at the track we were at the shop drooling over all the fancy bike bling of the day.

Because the shop was in the basement of a car repair garage, whenever I get that certain smell of oil and grease I’m taken back to those steep stairs that led to the Aladdin's Cave of BMX heaven.

Saturdays through the summer holidays were spent either just riding the track and it's various jumps and ramps, or racing with the Netherton Knights BMX Club.  I still have the trophies in the attic.

In fact I spent all my spare time at that track, even during the week. I'd get home from school get changed out of my uniform and be at the track as soon as I could. This came to an end when the track was finally flattened to make way for houses.

Now, Huddersfield must be one of the only towns in the country without a BMX track.

So a big thank you to Pace for bringing back some great memories.

Now where's my 80's mix tape.......?

The Cotic Owners Club

Way back when, I once owned a 1971 VW Beetle.

I had visions of it becoming a magazine worthy restoration, but financial constraints and the fact the engine packed up meant that it had to go. However during the time that I owned it, I used it as my daily ride and whenever I passed another bug we gave each other a friendly wave. The unofficial Beetle Owners Club.

And so it goes with Cotic bikes.

Everytime I head out on either my Rocket or my 26" Soul there seems to be a similar reaction. Former owners regretting the day they sold their Soul, current owners talking about how much they like the bike, or potential future owners saying how they've enjoyed trying the current crop of bikes on one of the many demo days which Cotic hold.

Talking of demo days I don't know of any other company who will come to you and your mates with a van full of bikes for you to test on your home trails. Sam the demo man spends his time organising official and private demos and travelling the country in Black Betty the Cotic Transit van.

The latest event I entered was no exception. The 14th of May saw the return of the Hamsterley Beast - a 40 mile challenge over varied terrain around Hamsterley Forest. You can read about it on my other blog post.

I'd no sooner got my bike out of the van when I started getting comments on it, or rather how good Cotic bikes were. I took this as a compliment as it came from an employee of a certain Santa Cruz dealer who had got himself a rather tricked out Hightower.

On the start line there were plenty of other Cotics. The Bfe seemed to be the steel hardtail of choice over the Soul. One other Rocket owner was there and we exchanged pleasantries before the off, even stopping for a photo for his mate as he seemed to be amazed/amused there was another green Rocket there on the day. Out on the trail the compliments on both the bike and the way Cotic run their demos continued.

So how did a 31lb Enduro rig perform over a 40 mile course with over 1500m of climbing. All I can say is it certainly tamed the Beast.

Since fitting a OneUp Components oval chainring, climbs have been so easy it feels like cheating. Traction on steep technical climbs on loose ground is unbelievable, never losing grip once. New tyres and the excellent Cane Creek DB inline air shock, that climb switch is something else, may also be a factor.

I've had my Rocket a little over 12 months. It’s my first full suspension bike, having ridden a hardtail for nearly 20 years and before that a fully rigid Scott Sawtooth with Shimano Exage groupset (remember those).

So what do I think 12 months on? Would I change it for another bike, a Flare or Flare Max (I bought the Rocket before these bikes were launched)?

Considering I like my rides to be longer than the normal 20 odd miler and the fact that I relish in the challenge of a tough technical climb, the answer to that is a resounding no. I love this bike and I can honestly say it's quite possibly one of the most capable on the market. I'm still to find its limits.

Its credentials speak volumes from regular podium places on the PMBA Enduro stage to holding its own at Steel City Downhill, even finding itself on the podium in the capable hands of the team Cotic riders - and yet even with these gravity based stats it climbs like a mountain goat.

So you can forget carbon and all those super modern materials, give me a steel bike any day of the week.

Hamsterley Beast

Now in its 3rd year, the Hamsterley Beast mountain bike challenge has gone from strength to strength.

The event was set up as a way to raise funds for the Great North Air Ambulance. In 2015 the first event attracted 150 riders, 2016 saw 350 riders raise over £17,500. 2017 saw rider numbers capped at 500, with camping available the night before for those travelling from further afield.

I first heard about the event through social media and with the rumours about it being fun and very well organised, entering was a no brainer. The entry process couldn't have been easier, no queueing at daft o'clock in the morning continually refreshing the web in the vain hope that you'll fill in your entry form in time. British Cycling took up the role of entry form duties.

Most Challenge events, are around the 30 mile mark but 2017's Beast was going to be different. It promised 40 miles of trail centre riding plus a little off piste thrown in for good measure. At 40 miles, I was going to have to make sure I hit my peak to enjoy the event and give myself a good shot at posting a respectable time without suffering too much.

With a few 20 milers in the bag, I grabbed the chance the week before the event to ride Cut Gate in the Peak District, starting from Langsett and with a lunch stop at Cafe Adventure in Hope. I made a day of it covering just shy of 40 miles and 1500m of ascent. I felt confident I could take on the Beast.

Saturday 13th May arrived and my Cotic Rocket was prepped with new tyres: Maxxis Shorty for the front and Minnion DHF taking care of duties on the rear. It also had the recently fitted new drivetrain, including a OneUp components oval chainring (see Cotic Owners Club blog for more on this).

We packed up the van with camping kit and headed north.

Pulling up at the Grove parking area (Challenge HQ for the weekend) we were directed to the camping field. Already quite busy we opted for a spot in the middle of the field.

With the tent pitched, we went for a wander to get our bearings for tomorrow morning and help Jacquie plan what she was going to do after she'd waved me off. Having never visited the area before, we both commented on how the place reminded us of the Frankejura - a beautiful forested area of Germany, with occasional breaks in the woodland which farms have cleared for cattle to graze. Peaceful.

Back to the tent and it was time for some food.

Opting out of the temptation of the burger van, it was chicken fried rice on the Trangia, followed by several beers from the pop up bar in the cow shed, aptly renamed ‘The Beasts Head’. We then kicked back for the evening listening to the bands. All in all, it was a superb night with several of the organisers coming over for a friendly chat, making sure that we were ok and enjoying the night.

With registration opening at 7am the following morning, it was going to be an early start and despite the overnight rain drumming on the tent (who doesn't like the sound rain makes on the tent fly sheet) I awoke fresh and alert just after six. Coffee on the go, I relaxed while the mist slowly burnt off the forest canopy.

7am soon came around.

Registration was a painless task, no queueing up, just pick up your envelope containing race number plate, cable ties and timing chip, sign the disclaimer and that was that.

Back at the van, people were starting to emerge from their tents and vans, and the pre race faff began. With my number plate attached, I started lending out my track pump and various other tools. The people camped near us (who borrowed tools, extra cable ties, etc) commented on how organised I was, enquiring whether I did these events often. I do like to be sorted well before the start time so that I can relax knowing everything is in place to enjoy the day.

9:15am and it was time to head to the start for the rider briefing. With the start paddock crammed, I sat on the forest fire road with several other riders. Another Cotic Rocket owner came by and asked for a photo of us together, some joke with his mate about not seeing many Rockets.

With over 500 entrants there was a vast array of different brands on display, the usual suspects SantaCruz and Orange probably being the most common. The steel hard tail is definitely the bike of choice for many as there were plenty there that day, most notably the Cotic Bfe, although I do tend to keep an eye out for other Cotic owners.

9:30am and we were off. A steady start as everyone filed over the start mat. Then followed a long fire road climb, great for spreading out the field and warming up the legs, followed by the first of the singletrack sections.

Back through the start arena and out on loop number 2, a steep road climb soon turned into an off road 4x4 track. By now the field was well spread out so there were very few bottlenecks.

What followed, I can only describe as the most varied riding I've ever fit into one ride. From fast and loose fire road descents to tricky technical climbs, stream crossings, open moorland, old quarries and what could quite possibly be the longest climb I've ever ridden (the continuous headwind won't have helped).

At one point, after riding through the car park of Danny Hart's "Descend Hamsterley", we were ushered by a Marshal into the trees onto a trail that wasn't really there - you really had to use the force to find your way through the trees. With no one in front of me it was a game of chance that I took the right turning, eventually being spat out onto more fire road and the usual trail centre red grade stuff.

At another point, we were treated to riding what will eventually become a bike park style section of trail, massive table tops and huge berms all perfectly rollable but if taken at speed there was plenty of air to be caught.

After a shade over 5 hours, I crossed the finish line and collapsed in the sunshine reflecting on what had been a brilliant day's riding. A burger and coke started the recovery process, followed by a leg massage from the onsite therapist. All that was left was to pack up the camping kit and head home, buzzing from another brilliant weekend of biking.

I've got to say big thank to you the organisers, volunteers, marshals and sponsors for making it the such a great event.

Roll on Hamsterley Beast 2018, with the goal of breaking the 5 hour barrier as well as raising funds for Great North Air Ambulance.