The Cat & Fiddle run
Discussion
Just wondered if anyone else from PH ever goes up there, still?
I enjoyed a couple of runs up and down the stretch from the (former) pub to the edge of Macclesfield yesterday morning and noted just how quiet it is these days.
Circa 20 years ago it was mega busy on a weekend. I know things have changed - biker demographics, enforcement, biker numbers in general - but in the past few trips I've made to ride it I've seen only maybe half a dozen bikers each time.
Someone is still riding there though as there's some very impressive bike rubber laid down through some of the corners
but I guess they're there late at night or very early.
And it still seems quite popular for Supercars up there - an Aston Valhalla passed in the opposite direction on one of my runs yesterday (AGH 1A in the very unlikely event it's a PHer and they happen to see this) it looked fantastic. Last year each time I went I saw groups in cars including Koenigsegg, McLaren, Ferraris, GT3 RS, etc.
I know it's a blanket 50mph now, enforced by average speed cameras, but 50mph is more than enough to have some fun in the twisty bits.
I enjoyed a couple of runs up and down the stretch from the (former) pub to the edge of Macclesfield yesterday morning and noted just how quiet it is these days.
Circa 20 years ago it was mega busy on a weekend. I know things have changed - biker demographics, enforcement, biker numbers in general - but in the past few trips I've made to ride it I've seen only maybe half a dozen bikers each time.
Someone is still riding there though as there's some very impressive bike rubber laid down through some of the corners
but I guess they're there late at night or very early.And it still seems quite popular for Supercars up there - an Aston Valhalla passed in the opposite direction on one of my runs yesterday (AGH 1A in the very unlikely event it's a PHer and they happen to see this) it looked fantastic. Last year each time I went I saw groups in cars including Koenigsegg, McLaren, Ferraris, GT3 RS, etc.
I know it's a blanket 50mph now, enforced by average speed cameras, but 50mph is more than enough to have some fun in the twisty bits.
Yes, there are loads of great roads around the Peaks, Pennines, North Yorks, etc. I fully agree
I live in the sticks on the other side of the Pennines to the Buxton end of Cat & Fiddle and it's pretty much great roads all the way from home for me (Holme Moss, little bit of Woodhead, Glossop, possibly Snake (exact route dependent), etc., etc.
For me, the enjoyable thing about the C&F is the relatively low speeds needed for it to be a lot of fun, and the excellent visibility through most of it making it much safer than some of my other favourite runs if you want to push yourself a bit on the tighter bends.
I suppose I'm just curious as to exactly why so many fewer bikers go there these days. In my previous biker days we used to spend most of our time in North Yorks / The Dales but still went to the C&F a good few times a year
I live in the sticks on the other side of the Pennines to the Buxton end of Cat & Fiddle and it's pretty much great roads all the way from home for me (Holme Moss, little bit of Woodhead, Glossop, possibly Snake (exact route dependent), etc., etc.
For me, the enjoyable thing about the C&F is the relatively low speeds needed for it to be a lot of fun, and the excellent visibility through most of it making it much safer than some of my other favourite runs if you want to push yourself a bit on the tighter bends.
I suppose I'm just curious as to exactly why so many fewer bikers go there these days. In my previous biker days we used to spend most of our time in North Yorks / The Dales but still went to the C&F a good few times a year
Not intentionally anymore, used to a lot back in late 80’s and 90’s.
I did a few weeks ago as that was the route I needed to take but it was busy and no fun, though the line of traffic I was in did go faster that those taking the short cut so God knows how slowly they drove as they arrived at the junction to join back onto the C&F at the same time we were passing.
Prefer the A road further south more of a challenge but it depends what you want in a road?
I did a few weeks ago as that was the route I needed to take but it was busy and no fun, though the line of traffic I was in did go faster that those taking the short cut so God knows how slowly they drove as they arrived at the junction to join back onto the C&F at the same time we were passing.
Prefer the A road further south more of a challenge but it depends what you want in a road?
GSA_fattie said:
Prefer the A road further south more of a challenge but it depends what you want in a road?
A54? I'll have a look next time I'm over that way.In terms of what I personally want in a road, I like them twisty and relatively low speed buy well sighted - I prefer lean angles to high speed stuff these days.
I used to go every few weeks on the bike, but a lot has changed up there...
The road is now a 50mph limit with average speed cameras for the most part... that will be the primary reason many don't bother... you have to remember the likes of MCN called it the UK's most dangerous road. Secondly the C&F pub is no longer a pub, it sells gin and you may be able to get a cuppa there, so again you've lost a lot of footfall through that, thirdly... the car park there needs you to register to use it inside, so many might forget and get stung with a fine.
Also, some of the surrounding roads have also been hit with average speed cameras, so when the C&F became a 50 limit I started going another way to get there, that road is also a 50 limit now, so I don't bother.
As others have said there are so many good roads with zero traffic on you can get lost in the peaks and have hours of fun on a bike or in a car and never see a speed camera if you know where to go. I was in the peaks Saturday morning before the heat came along and had a great few hours hooning around, nowhere near the C&F though.
The road is now a 50mph limit with average speed cameras for the most part... that will be the primary reason many don't bother... you have to remember the likes of MCN called it the UK's most dangerous road. Secondly the C&F pub is no longer a pub, it sells gin and you may be able to get a cuppa there, so again you've lost a lot of footfall through that, thirdly... the car park there needs you to register to use it inside, so many might forget and get stung with a fine.
Also, some of the surrounding roads have also been hit with average speed cameras, so when the C&F became a 50 limit I started going another way to get there, that road is also a 50 limit now, so I don't bother.
As others have said there are so many good roads with zero traffic on you can get lost in the peaks and have hours of fun on a bike or in a car and never see a speed camera if you know where to go. I was in the peaks Saturday morning before the heat came along and had a great few hours hooning around, nowhere near the C&F though.
PorkInsider said:
GSA_fattie said:
Prefer the A road further south more of a challenge but it depends what you want in a road?
A54? I'll have a look next time I'm over that way.In terms of what I personally want in a road, I like them twisty and relatively low speed buy well sighted - I prefer lean angles to high speed stuff these days.
CypSIdders said:
I used to live in Buxton, I always preferred the A5004, Buxton to Whaley Bridge, a better road surface and less traffic!
Not been there for a decade so things may have changed!
The Whaley Bridge to Macclesfield road is a good run as well.Not been there for a decade so things may have changed!
I am not a biker but you can do a decent circuit with the C&F, A5004 and the B5470 with a detour on the a Congleton Road.
Edited by Nicetobenice on Monday 29th June 20:57
CypSIdders said:
I used to live in Buxton, I always preferred the A5004, Buxton to Whaley Bridge, a better road surface and less traffic!
Not been there for a decade so things may have changed!
And now Agros way? I remember you from the car dealership thread last year. We weren’t too far away from each other back in the UK, or nowadays! I’m up your way often on the bike over here. Not been there for a decade so things may have changed!
Cat was ruined by the installation of the average speed cameras, and the state of the road.
Half of it was resurfaced beautifully a few years ago and was a genuine delight if you weren't watching your speedo, but the other half is in absolute s
t state.
The closure of the cafe at the top and for a time closing off of the car park didn't help either.
Half of it was resurfaced beautifully a few years ago and was a genuine delight if you weren't watching your speedo, but the other half is in absolute s
t state. The closure of the cafe at the top and for a time closing off of the car park didn't help either.
starting around 2000 I rode my ZXR400 on it and many other roads around there. I would ride from Nantwich every evening, passing Jodrell Bank on my way. I was reading a book about motorbike riding at the time, A Twist of the Wrist… and after finishing a chapter I would ride there to practice what was in that chapter. I learned a lot and enjoyed it too. Even then there was talk of police helicopter tracking riders for speeding, but I never had any trouble.
I used to ride my GSXR and drive my Caterham 7 up and down the C&F and the A54 all the time in the 80s and 90s before the cameras. People used to come from all over the country to ride it, but there were quite a few that never made it back.
I had a mate who would put his racing slicks on his Caterham and wait for bikes to race on the C&F...Good times!
I had a mate who would put his racing slicks on his Caterham and wait for bikes to race on the C&F...Good times!
So many roads round the Peaks have been ruined. Years back used to commute 2/3 days a week N Derbyshire to West Midlands ish.
There was a time when some days the A38 was a giant car park, and .motorways not much better. So rather than face a 1 hour trip turn into 2+, think the record was 3.5hrs, so then used to cross Peaks to avoid traffic.
Start point was near Lichfield so easy to pick up the A515, then just north of Ashbourne off onto the B5056 @ Bentley Brook Inn all the way up to the A6 near Rowsley. Quick scurry up the hairpins for a final blast over Beeley Moor and drop down into Chesterfield.
Used to be nsl virtually all the way except Ashbourne and Rowsley. Now!
There was a time when some days the A38 was a giant car park, and .motorways not much better. So rather than face a 1 hour trip turn into 2+, think the record was 3.5hrs, so then used to cross Peaks to avoid traffic.
Start point was near Lichfield so easy to pick up the A515, then just north of Ashbourne off onto the B5056 @ Bentley Brook Inn all the way up to the A6 near Rowsley. Quick scurry up the hairpins for a final blast over Beeley Moor and drop down into Chesterfield.
Used to be nsl virtually all the way except Ashbourne and Rowsley. Now!
Kawasicki said:
starting around 2000 I rode my ZXR400 on it and many other roads around there. I would ride from Nantwich every evening, passing Jodrell Bank on my way. I was reading a book about motorbike riding at the time Twist of the Wrist and after finishing a chapter I would ride there to practice what was in that chapter. I learned a lot and enjoyed it too. Even then there was talk of police helicopter tracking riders for speeding, but I never had any trouble.
A bit risky wasn’t it 
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