Doctor’s & Cut Gates (MBUK 306)

From the visitor centre car park, go back along the road to a cattle grid and car park on the right. Head right on the bridleway, which goes steeply uphill. Go through a gate and right along the top, then through another gate. Keep left through another gate to join a technical descent. Follow the Tarmac to the A57, then go right.

Head uphill for 8km on the (horrible) A57. Just before the Snake Pass summit, turn right on to the (signposted) Doctor’s Gate bridleway. Follow this obvious track over varying terrain until it ends at an industrial estate.

Continue straight ahead to a T-junction. Go right, then follow the road left, past the church. Turn right at the T-junction on Woodhead Road. Head uphill, then left on Cemetery Road. At the top, go left on North Road, then immediately right and right again on to a singletrack rail that heads downhill at the edge of the wood.

When you reach the surfaced track go right, back to the road. Turn left, over the railway, then right on Railway Street, to the station. Keep right to join the Trans Pennine Trail (TPT). Follow this path north-east to Woodhead Tunnel. Go up to the right, over the tunnel, signed to TPT East.

Cross the A628, heading uphill. Turn right at the T-junction to cross the A628 again. When you next meet the A628, turn right on it. After 1.5km join the ‘Snow Road’ bridleway on the left, which runs parallel to the road and heads down to the Dog & Partridge Country Inn & Hotel.

Go left on the road, then shortly afterwards turn right on a bridleway. Follow this path (Swinden Lane) to a T-junction and go left. At the next junction go right, downhill, over a stream and through a gate. Keep left, uphill, on the Cut Gate Path.

Follow the obvious track over the moor and then downhill, to Howden Reservoir. Follow the obvious fireroad left, along the edge of the reservoir. When the trail becomes Tarmac, turn right at the junction and head past the foot of the dam back to the visitor centre.


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Routes produced in association with

Rough Ride Guide