Family Friendly Cycling in Yorkshire / Derbyshire Area

Sicknote64

hey guys
i would like to take my family on a nice bike trip around this area, somewhere relatively flat for the children and my partner, but a good distance with picnic areas / pubs along the way. Anyone can recommend something then get back to me, im based in Newbury Berks so dont mind travelling for a few hours to get there

Si

Teach

What's a reasonable distance?
There are plenty of good roads, but do you want to take children on roads?
Canal paths with pubs on them, but at times they can get narrow and are close to water.

Mike Healey

Check the Sustrans website, http://www.sustrans.org.uk/what-we-do/n ... le-network or http://www.cycle-routes.org/

PBo

Main problem with coming up this way is finding flat routes for kids!

Look at The Transpennine trail. You can follow the north/south branch from chesterfield up to sheffield. Various pubs/places on the way, and the Rother valley country park is nice too (probably not worth going further north than that if you start Chesterfield)

Tapton lock is on the outskirts of chesterfield - keep meaning to go myself!

poppit

Have a look at this http://www.pedalpeakdistrict.co.uk/home

Sicknote64

cheers guys for the advice,

we are planning on doing something early next year so we will take your words of wisdom and give it a go, will let you know how we get on

Cheers guys

Si

tomilinski1

Try the tissington trail - old railway through the Derbyshire White Peak http://www.derbyshire-peakdistrict.co.u ... ntrail.htm

Malersh

+1 for the Tissington trail. My 6yo (see avatar) managed a substantial ride there and there's a converted signal box with little shop underneath for sustenance.

Also consider:

* The 'solar system' trail from Selby to York which takes you along models of the planets from Pluto to the Sun (keeps interest levels up) and at the end you're in York for a cafe before return journey to the outer reaches of the Solar System.

* Ride into Knaresborough along the Berly Burton cycleway - done many times and again very easy and leads to cafes in Knaresborough

http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Bilto ... te-67.html

Finally, you could consider various sections of the Leeds-Liverpool canal.

Edit: Re-reading the OP the Beryl Burton would be too short for you, but the canal might be a good option i.e. ride from Skipton to Saltaire and back on the train.

Mike Healey

More details on the York-Selby path:
http://www.solar.york.ac.uk/
http://www.solar.york.ac.uk/Sustrans_ro ... route.html

fastbatard

I've yet to try it myself but have been recommended Carsington Water by a colleague.

http://www.peakdistrictinformation.com/ ... ington.php

Mike Healey

See also:
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/recrea ... -to-ride-0

drays

fastbatard wrote:

I've yet to try it myself but have been recommended Carsington Water by a colleague.

http://www.peakdistrictinformation.com/ ... ington.php

I can recommend Carsington. I have been round with my toddler on a child seat on the bike, and have also taken a novice friend round to try out his new bike. Still working on Mrs drays