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 Grit and Gears Route Description  19km (12 mile)  4 hours
 Grit and Gears Map
A challenging 19km (12 mile) ride for mountain bikers from Tegg's Nose Country Park.
| Your journey will start at Tegg's Nose Country Park and you will be riding though the wild and windswept landscape of Cheshire's hill country. Conditions can be extreme at any time of the year, so be prepared!
After a roller coaster descent from Windy Way car park, you will be faced with a long ascent to Charity Lane.
A level ride along the ridge brings you to Macclesfield Forest Chapel. This is one of the highest chapels in England. |
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If you pass by on the third Sunday in August you will see the chapel decorated for the Rush Bearing Ceremony.
From Bottom-of-the-Oven descend the valley which gives it's name to Wildboarclough.
The Clough Brook becomes a raging torrent in stormy weather. The road has been rebuilt twice in recent years after local storms.
The track passes Cumberland Spout waterfall. In this area you can still see the remains of old open-cast coal mining.
Moorland terrain is really tiring to ride across, and also very fragile. Please try to avoid damaging the vegetation, as plants grow slowly on the exposed moors and will take years to recover.
Don't panic if you suddenly hear "Go-bak, go-bak, go-bak!" This is the alarm call of the grouse, common in the high moors. Curlews can also be heard with their haunting cry. Listen to the skylarks singing high above, or the call of the meadow pipit as it parachutes for cover as you pass by.
If you're very lucky you may come across a herd of red deer. The herd moves between the Goyt Valley and the Wincle area on a regular basis, and is often spotted in Macclesfield Forest or Wildboarclough.
Enjoy the views from the bridleway as you coast down to the Cat and Fiddle pub, before returning to Tegg's Nose Country Park along the road.
When you have completed this circuit you will have climbed and descended 580 metres.
 How to get there:
The route starts at Tegg's Nose Country Park, signed off the A537, Buxton Old Road.
For all passenger travel and timetable information contact Cheshire Traveline on 0871 200 22 33.
Lines are open 8am - 8pm, every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.
Car park charges: 1 hour - 50p, Over 1 hour- £1.50.
Orange badge holders free.
Permits available, contact 01606 308482.
 Contact:
Tegg's Nose Country Park
Buxton Old Road
Macclesfield
Cheshire
SK11 0AP
Phone: 01625 614279
e-mail: teggs@cheshire.gov.uk
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