This isn’t a fast ride and canter opportunities are few and far between but the views more than make up for that. The Long Causeway was a medieval pack horse route heading to Sheffield and bringing salt from Cheshire so enjoy riding this incredibly old route still preserved and rideable after hundreds of years.
Route Description
1. Exit the car park onto the road, turn left and then left again to pick up the two bridleways that run up and over Stanage Edge. It is best to ride these up, not down and if you are worried about your horse’s capability, use the Long Causeway for both ascent and descent. These bridleways are steep and rocky with a drop to the side but very doable for the adventure horse that know’s where it’s hooves are! This is nothing compared to bridleways in the Lake District but also a bit more committing than some of the flat reservoir trails in Derbyshire.
2. Once at the top of the edge, continue onto the wide track with grass centre, heading towards Stanage Pole (you can’t miss it). Continue past the pole and follow the wide, rocky track down to Redmires Reservoir. This track is now gated to prevent 4×4 use but the damage has already been done and so pick your way down carefully.
3. Once at the reservoirs, follow the tarmacced access road round the reservoirs and past the old pump buildings. As the road dips down, turn left into Wyming Brook Nature Reserve. There is a small car park here. Ride through the car park and onto the wide forest track. Follow the track until you reach a junction. Take the right hand path that drops down lower and follow this until you reach Rivelin Dams.
4. Ride past Rivelin Dams and over the wooden horse style into Fox Hagg Nature Reserve. This is a fabulous sandy track, surrounded by heather bushes. Climb up through the nature reserve. The path contours around the side of a reentrant with a trickling river below. Follow the path (now tarmac) onto the road. If you still have more left in the tank, you can continue left back into the nature reserve here and have a gallop across this field.
5. You will pop out at a circular bus terminus. Turn right and follow this road, past the Sportsman Inn and playing fields until you return to the Wyming Brook car park. Continue back along the road to Redmires Reservoirs and then back over to Stanage Pole. This time, continue following the wider track (Long Causeway) for a more gentle descent back down into the valley. Once back at the road, turn right and return to the car park or layby.
Parking
Use the Hollin Bank Car Park or use the free laybys along the same road. This is a quiet back road with not much traffic.
