Day 2 Cycle - Trans Pennine Trail Stockport to Sheffield

Join us for the 2nd Day of our Liverpool to Sheffield Ride, approximately 75km and mostly traffic free  using bridleways, and a significantly length of disused railways.

For Day 1 Liverpool to Stockport -  https://www.outdoorlads.com/events/day-1-cycle-trans-pennine-trail-live…  

Unlike Liverpool to Stockport Section, today's ride is more challenging with several climbs and is NOT suitable for beginners, except the final section from Penistone to Sheffield.

For more experience cyclists, slighting doubting their abilities the ride does pass several railway stations, allowing the chance to join or leave the ride, these are Broadbottom & Hadfield with direct trains to Manchester, and Penistone with direct trains to Sheffield and Huddersfield. Should you wish to start at an intermediate station, sign up for the event and message leader for approximates times expected as we pass these stations.

We join the Trans Pennine Trail passing through Stockport Town Centre to the confluence of the Rivers Goyt & Tame where the River Mersey starts. We then follow the Tame Valley through Reddish Vale, Tameside and Broadbottom to Hadfield.   

Hadfield is now the terminus of the former Manchester Sheffield Woodhead route closed in the 1980s. We follow the old rail route for some 10km passing the 3 reservoirs of the Longdendale Valley, before arriving at the Entrance to the Woodhead Tunnel. The tunnel is now used to convey electric cables and we have no option then to climb over the Woodhead Pass, this section is steep and will need to be walked, but once on the top a landrover track descends gently to the road to Dunsford Bridge at the other end of the tunnel. Alternatively we do have the option of following the main road for a couple of miles, this can be decided on the day. Once at Dunsford Bridge we rejoin the former rail route which gradually descends all the way to Penistone.

Penistone was the junction where the Woodhead line was closed from in the 1980's, but we are still able to follow offroad trails towards Sheffield. The route closely follows the valley for a few miles before entering into Wharncliffe Woods where the official route climbs significantly to Grenoside before following quiet roads through residential areas descending into Sheffield. As we approach the last section of the ride, depending on the group, we may decide to stay low in the valley and head directly towards the city centre using a shared path along the main road to finish at Sheffield Station, this will shorten the ride by approximately 3km and 150m less ascent. Whilst there is a significant climb on a gravel track through Wharncliffe Woods, this can be walked, or we may well avoid by taking the main road.

Whilst the ascent may appear significant, many of the ascents are gradual given the nature of the route following old rail routes, the only significant climbs are out of the Tame Valley, after Broadbottom,  the climb over the Woodhead Pass and the optional climb at Wharncliffe Woods, these can be walked if necessary. You will need a reasonable level of fitness to complete the full distance which we will be riding at 8 to 10mph. We will ride at the pace of the slowest, wait at the top of climbs should you need to walk and no one we be left behind.

From Sheffield, there are frequent train services direct to Stockport, Manchester & Liverpool.

For this ride a Mountain Bike, Gravel, Hybrid or Road bike is suitable. 

Should you have any questions about the route please message the leader.

OutdoorLads Cycling Events Calendars
You can now go directly to our events calendar pages by bookmarking the follow links:

• All ODL Cycling Events Calendar
• Gravel Cycling and MTB Events Calendar

IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement

You MUST complete the Cycling Participation Statement in addition to booking your event space before attending a cycling event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each cycling event you attend. 

Image credits: All photos provided by leader.