For me, the Cat & Fiddle has always been about a laid back ride on a Sunday (or any other day) in lovely High Peak countryside...I'll leave "the challenge" to others and the numerous average speed cameras that now line this route. The Cat & Fiddle road is mostly above 1000ft and very exposed in moorland parts so please watch out for crosswinds and also the cold
Been biking just a few years. Obviously heard about the Cat & Fiddle and wanted to try it for years. First go this morning at 7am. Not another bike in sight (although the fog was majestic). Everything commented & that Ive heard has truth & has been helpful. However, things I learnt: You really have to be on the ball - PAY ATTENTION - this isnt the road to ride idle minded. Intense, fun, technically challenging. The road surface is crappy in places, there are loads of awesome corners, but feels more like a test of skill than an enjoyable ride. Rode it both ways, but preferred Macclesfield > Buxton as its more uphill / better grip. Followed by A5004 to Whaley Bridge (also great, perhaps better) then A57 Snakes Pass which is more flowing / higher speed. Just go and ride it, but BE CAREFUL. I cant wait to come back (from SE England) and ride it again.
Ive been riding this road fairly regularly for 20 years. Its good, but with lots of hazards as mentioned in the previous reviews. Since April there are AVERAGE speed cameras the whole route. The average is not just recorded between consecutive cameras but they are all interlinked. As the countys most dangerous road FOR BIKERS they felt that something had to be done. Interestingly if you take out the motorbike statistics its near the national average for deaths and injuries. Its still a great road but you cannot go for a fast ride anymore. There are certain sections with slow parts where you would have to seriously speed on the rest of the section to exceed the 50 mph average but youll need an average speed satnav to be sure you e not going to get a ticket. Good road for a cruise when its quiet.
Its a fun road. I can compare it to many in the UK so maybe it is the best, but after a recent trip in Northern Spain I would have to say any 4 star road there was 10 times as good as this one. All relative I suppose.
Again a very good route which I have done a few times but needs respect as it has unfortunately claimed many lives. I once did the route in the middle of an ict winter in a 26 ton 6 wheeler LGV ... defo twitchy bum time !
Bugger it I though as we turned onto the A537 this morning, 3 cars behind a coach. Still we got past,I started to smile, what a road! It had everything, scenary, sheep in the road, very tight corners and enough straight to pass the 4 wheelers. The road can bite you as it did today, a little rain and it got greasy, boy did the road bite back. Still came off it with a grin from ear to ear. Nothing for it back the other way. Just as good back the other way. Definately worth the track from Birmingham, lucky people who have this on their doorstep
Visited the Cat and Fiddle for the first time on the 15th of March. Met with a load of mates up there. Fantastic road, but youve really gotta be careful, and think about what your doing.
A classic. Fun to do when visiting the area. With all the accidents it is sobering to be told how many bikers have died in recent years.
Everyone should experiance the cat and fiddle. Recently did it in the pouring rain - not adviseable! In the nice weather you can gain loads of experiance handling bend, keeping to the 50MPH limit, all the way! A few toe scrapping moments.
I live on the Cat and Fiddle road. Please go away, its my road. Youve already got a 50 mph limit slapped on it. Only kidding. Please be realy careful of the first tight left hander, sometimes very slippy. Parts of the lower section are getting a bit rutted. The upper sections are getting very polished by lorrys. Ive been pulled up three times this year (2007), so be warned. To avoid the boys in blue, try weekdays, as early as possible.
Tried this route for the first time from the Macclesfield end, quite simply superb. Definalty doing this route again and again, I was buzzing for the rest of the day, got to treat this route with respect though as the corners just keep coming and coming. An exceptional route, we started it about 9am and not one plod in sight.
did this route over the weekend also followed hampo69 suggestion and did the a54 at the same time would recommend doing both as a circular tour at least once either way but as mentioned elsewhere keep half an eye open for plod
The best ride out I did in England.Unmissable!I rode up and down 3-4 times, and I never found police.Probably I ve been Lucky.(On wednesday and thursday)
If you do this ride, stay focused! Hazards include sheep, hill walkers, cyclists, farm vehicles, caravans, slow trucks and plod! Also near the C & F out of control hang-gliders swoop dangerously low over the road as they take off from nearby hillside launch pad ! Tarmac in parts is severely worn, especially on bends The route is very twisty and there is a certain magic that can draw you in - resist - just cruise the route In the early 80's I blasted the run on a Honda Britain 750, on reflection how I was not killed I just don't know, but if I remember correctly I only saw a couple of cars the entire length! I would not even dream of trying it now!
If you can keep it at 50 mph for the entire length ,then you have earned your stripes
I grew up on this road from a qoung lad on a fs1e to r1 its a right of passage you need to ride it at least once ! better 3/4 times on a nice day (week days are best coz lot less plod ) I / we use the cat for a warmup to a long day out in the hills and ride it from the mac end to buxton then take one of the many other brilliant roads into the hills .
A good route, especially if you can avoid the weekends and summer evenings. Try taking this route from the Cat and Fiddle back to Macclesfield, left along the A523, then left along the A54. You will meet the Cat and Fiddle run just beyond the pub in Derbyshire.
I wouldn't bother due to the above comments. Except midwinter, early mornings or very late evenings in the summer, and midweek. Or typical combos of these timings. That way if you bin it YOU are definitely at fault!
First road I learnt not to speed on. After having ridden it for about 30 years it still presents a technically challenging ride. As other people have said, beware coppers, oil (angry local at one time) and more recently be aware of the road surface - it's degrading pretty bad in some parts, particularly on the down stretch to Buxton. A legendary road on UK Mainland
If you ride one road in England, this must be it, lethal stone wall lined corner after corner, it fully deserves it's reputation as most dangerous road in the UK, the only reason you won't actually die is you can go that fast, it's too twisty. Do it from Macclesfield end and that first REAL left corner will catch you out at least the first 5 times.
Fantastic piece of road, just need to watch out for diesel and coppers. At the Buxton end, turn onto the A5004 to Whaley at the Pavilion Gardens. Road is as good as the best bit of the Cat but I've never seen any Police and the traffic density is lower. At the first set of lights in Whaley, turn left onto the B5470 to Macclesfield which taks you back to the beginning of the Cat.
What a brilliant piece of road, but it really has become a nightmare over recent years because of it's popularity.
The much loved and notorious Cat & Fiddle run. A brilliant road with excellent corners, it's reputation is also it's biggest problem, loads of bikers ride the route, and loads of police there standing by waiting to catch them!! This is officially Britain's most dangerous road.
In case youre wondering what to look for.
Too early for lunch. But fortunately also too early for speedtraps.
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