Snake Pass

[Wowbagger]

I have read that, as a result of damage inflicted by storms Eunice and Franklin, the Snake Pass (A57 Sheffield - Glossop) will be closed to motorised traffic for at least a month.

I recall some years ago that the same stretch was closed for a few days and that Kim took full advantage. If I lived closer I would be out playing there on my bike.

[offcumden]

Yep, just waiting for a free day and some half-decent weather to get up there and ride it in both directions. A magnificent ride, often spoiled by motor traffic.

[Kim]

I believe our resident cycling vicar made good use of it at the weekend....

[markcjagar]

I've ridden it 4 times since Friday. It's the best thing ever!

[Peter]

Is the inn still open, is the fire still burning, are there crumpets still for tea?

[markcjagar]

Sadly, no. The Inn hasn't been a pub for a while.

[Peter]

Sad.

Thanks, Mark

[orienteer]

Just read elsewhere that the road has now been totally closed due to heavy equipment being deployed.

[markcjagar]

It would appear it's been open to cycles this weekend.

Seems we can use it when they aren't actively working on repairing it, which is fair because reopening it properly ASAP has to be the councils goal.

[Wowbagger]

Is there any clue as to what it was that went wrong structurally? Heavy winds don't normally trigger landslides, do they? Of course, it's not far from the old Mam Tor pass, which suffered landslides and has been closed to motor traffic for almost 50 years.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Saturated soils lose shear strength and can deform/ move from traffic loads or even self-weight. If those soils are well-drained, no problems but a blocked drain or drainage layer (e.g. mud washed into sand/ gravel) can cause a major issue.

https://youtu.be/a-6YbkZJ5UY

I have no idea if that might have happened here.

[Wowbagger]

Saturated soils lose shear strength and can deform/ move from traffic loads or even self-weight. If those soils are well-drained, no problems but a blocked drain or drainage layer (e.g. mud washed into sand/ gravel) can cause a major issue. I have no idea if that might have happened here.

It sounds as though you are right. There's a Sheffield Uni academic who reckons that the problem will only get worse. It's more to do with higher rainfall than strong wind, although the two have a tendency to go hand-in-hand.

https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/transport/snake-pass-closed-landslide-expert-says-a57s-problems-are-likely-to-get-worse-3592364

[mrcharly-YHT]

I've only ridden it once, and found it harder than Holme Moss. That was possibly because:
A) I was on fixed, and Snake pass is a long slog
B) I'd already ridden over Holme Moss (with a bit of camping gear) (the downhill to Glossop, on fixed, half killed me).

It is a good hard ride.

[Canardly]

Did they not cut down a large number of trees recently, pre landslip?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Big trees can help soil stability two ways, reducing the soil moisture content and tying the soil together (through potential slip planes).

[Wowbagger]

Did they not cut down a large number of trees recently, pre landslip?

FFS did they? Some years ago Southend Council did this with precisely the same consequences. Large trees extract vast quantities of water from the soil. The sea front here was completely remodelled to divert around the land slip.

[drossall]

Of course, it's not far from the old Mam Tor pass, which suffered landslides and has been closed to motor traffic for almost 50 years.

Not quite 50 though. I remember riding down it as a teenager, when it was slipping. On one occasion, I think we must have gone past some Road Closed signs, because one of us nearly took his chainset off on a sudden step in the road. That time or another, railway sleepers were strewn by the roadside - they were using them in an ultimately futile attempt to shore up the road.

[Wowbagger]

The road was finally closed in 1979. I passed my driving test in 1976 and my first few long drives were to go and see Jan's parents. I never drove over the Mam Tor road: "road closed" signs were up as early as that, but at that stage I think that they were merely temporary.

[Peter]

you could still ride it (which is not the same as driving it) at least as late as five years ago and maybe still can.  I rode up it with Wyn Evans when we took an unofficial detour on Danial Webb's magnificent Dark and White Peak 200.  I had to lift the bike over one "step" as Drossall put it, but I think Wyn just bunny-hopped it.  There were coach trips to it in the 50s, I think - which won't have helped!

[drossall]

Oh, when I last visited, I think there were mountain-bike rides up it. But at the time I was talking about, it was still officially the main road - just not always passable to motor vehicles!

[Wowbagger]

you could still ride it (which is not the same as driving it) at least as late as five years ago and maybe still can.  I rode up it with Wyn Evans when we took an unofficial detour on Danial Webb's magnificent Dark and White Peak 200.  I had to lift the bike over one "step" as Drossall put it, but I think Wyn just bunny-hopped it.  There were coach trips to it in the 50s, I think - which won't have helped!

I rode my bike up there in November last year. I had to get off and push, and pick my way amongst the debris, for at least half a mile, I reckon. Bits of the road looked like a toast rack.

[Peter]

I think I've probably been up and/or down it, maybe on my BSA sidecar combination or a beaten-up Beetle - but that was a long time ago.......  It's possible to invent memories!

[Wowbagger]

There were quite a few other cyclists around when I was there last year. Most of them were relative youngsters on mountain bikes. Quite a lot of them were impressed to see someone slightly more venerable riding a bike with mudguards.

[Kim]

And the fun police strike again: https://twitter.com/Derbyshirecc/status/1501195447163105283

[markcjagar]

There's talk of a mass trespass at 2pm on Saturday from Glossop