Stanage Edge and Robin Hood's Cave from Ecclesall Woods

The route

From the Sawmill car park at Ecclesall Woods the route runs west on soft, rooty woodland singletrack, climbs past Whirlow and Lady Cannings Plantation and reaches Ringinglow at around 4km. From there Houndkirk Road takes over: a wide, rough old turnpike across open moor, loose and cobbled underfoot, exposed the whole way and busy with mountain bikes.

Stanage

You cross the top of Burbage Rocks at 8.5km, pass Upper Burbage Bridge and get onto Stanage Edge. The trig pillar at 457m comes at 10km and the next kilometre along the edge top is the best of the route: bare gritstone slab and block steps on the lip of the escarpment, with Robin Hood's Cave tucked beneath at 11km. The route turns north short of High Neb and picks up Stanedge Pole at 12.5km, the old waymark on the Long Causeway packhorse route.

Hallam Moors

This is where the route earns its grade. From Stanedge Pole the line drops northeast towards Redmires, then turns east and crosses Hallam Moors past Rud Hill. Deep peat, sphagnum bog on the watershed where the Porter Brook rises, and very few clear lines. It is slow, wet ground and most Sheffield runners underestimate it. In poor visibility it needs a compass.

The Porter Valley

At Porter Clough the route drops off the moor into a steep wooded ravine and joins the Porter and Limb valleys, Sheffield's green corridor, for a fast finish on flowing woodland singletrack back into Ecclesall Woods.

What you are in for

24.6km and 620m of climb, but the numbers hide it. There is nothing to eat or drink between Ringinglow at 4km and the Porter Valley at 18km, and the peat crossing in the middle is the slowest ground of the day. Carry everything you need.