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Great biker roads, and the risks that come with them

Britain's best-known biking roads are scenic and challenging. They also have records of serious crashes, so enjoy them at a speed that leaves you a margin.

Last updated 2 November 2026

Cat and Fiddle (A537), Cheshire and Derbyshire

The Cat and Fiddle Road links Buxton in Derbyshire and Macclesfield in Cheshire, formed from parts of the A537, A54 and A53, according to Wikipedia. It climbs through sharp bends onto Goyt's Moss moorland and reaches the summit by the Cat and Fiddle Inn, at 1,690 feet (520 metres). The inn closed in late 2016 and reopened as a distillery and bottle shop in 2020, so do not expect a café stop there. The descent to Macclesfield is through sharp, often blind, bends.

What the facts say about risk

• The limit between Macclesfield and the inn was reduced from 60 mph to 50 mph.
• About £500,000 was spent on safety measures, including high-friction surfacing, barriers, signs, carriageway widening and mobile cameras.
• Average-speed cameras were planned in 2009, with installation beginning in February 2010.
• Unmarked police cars and motorcycles patrol the road, and a mobile speed camera van is used most summer weekends, sometimes with a police aircraft.
• Of 264 casualties since 2001, about 70% of those killed or seriously injured were motorcyclists. Cited causes include poor cornering, speeding and misjudging another vehicle's speed or distance.
• A 2008 survey named it the UK's most dangerous road; it dropped out of the top ten in 2015 after further safety measures.

Cheshire County Council attributed the high accident rate largely to rider behaviour, not the road's condition. The lesson is simple: ride to what you can see and stop in, not past, the space you can see to be clear.

Horseshoe Pass, Denbighshire

The Ponderosa Cafe sits at the summit of the Horseshoe Pass near Llangollen, about 1,400 feet above sea level, with the Clwydian Range to the north. According to Devitt Insurance's guide, on clear days you can see the three peaks of Snowdon. See our south, Wales and Scotland page for the café.

Kirkby Lonsdale and the Cumbrian roads

Devil's Bridge at Kirkby Lonsdale is a well-known meeting spot, as the Biker Guide notes. Roads around the Lakes, Dales and Cumbria are popular with riders, so expect company at weekends. See our northern cafés guide for places to stop.

How to ride a famous road well

1. Ride it once at a gentle pace. Learn where the bends tighten and where the surface changes.
2. Look through the corner. Look at where you want to go, and adjust your speed before the bend, not in it.
3. Expect the unexpected. Cyclists, walkers, sheep, gravel and oncoming vehicles drifting over the line.
4. Keep your position visible. Do not overtake into blind bends.
5. Respect speed limits and cameras. They exist for reasons shown above.
6. Take breaks. A tired rider makes slow decisions.

Weather, surface and season

A road you know in summer is a different road in autumn or winter. Leaves, mud, frost and wet moorland make grip uncertain, and low sun can dazzle you on east-west roads. On high roads like those above, temperatures can be several degrees lower than in the valley. Pack for the conditions at the top, not the bottom, and do not push your pace when the surface is damp.

Check before you go

Road closures, resurfacing and weather can change a route. Check council and traffic sites before you ride. For kit and rules, see ride safety, and for riding with others, group-ride etiquette.

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