Peak District Cycling - which bike?

wayneabs

Good morning,

Looking for some advice/local knowledge for those who have cycled in the Peak District area (staying in Wetton). I'm heading there for 5 days at the beginning of September, I have a road bike event on one day which leaves 3 full days to explore the area and I would like to do some off road as it looks amazing.

I have room in my car for another bike, I have both a gravel bike and a hard tail mountain bike I can take.

So to those who have cycled in the area which second bike should I take?

I will be going solo so probably don't want to tackle anything too dangerous on the mountain bike but if a gravel bike isn't going to cut it then I will take the hard tail.

Any recommendations for routes would also be great. Wetton is in the Southern area of the Peaks.

Thanks

ugo.santalucia

Deffo mountain bike

DeVlaeminck

It really depends what sort of cycling you want to do - I do a lot of gravel routes round there but on a rigid MTB.

DeVlaeminck

If you want routes how far/long?

I can't really advise on MTBing routes though.

wayneabs

I have the whole day to explore so anything between 50-100k would be good, but I live in Suffolk which is very flat so maybe I'm overestimating?

But I'm usually happy cycling between 4-7 hours.

I have a Vitus Substance Gravel bike which is fitted with 47mm Tyres so hopefully that can cope with most of the gravel routes.

Thanks

mooro

used to live in Ashbourne - there are lots of gravel routes but you can do those on MTB and there are some great mtb tracks too. there is a great guide on white peak mtb routes

https://www.bikemaps.co.uk/peak-district-mtb/white-peak-district-mountain-biking.htm

wayneabs

mooro said:

used to live in Ashbourne - there are lots of gravel routes but you can do those on MTB and there are some great mtb tracks too. there is a great guide on white peak mtb routes

https://www.bikemaps.co.uk/peak-district-mtb/white-peak-district-mountain-biking.htm

Thanks, very helpful indeed

DeVlaeminck

If you want a long loop ride up the Tissington trail from Ashbourne to the very end (a mile or two past Parsley Hay).

From there you want to get to the Monsal Trail - there are different options but I'm going to suggest at the end turn right 100 yards to the A515 - turn right along the path 50 yards and cross the A515 onto the Pennine Bridleway (it's actually a road you cross onto then fork right onto a path).

Cycle to Priestcliffe and take the left at the farm there onto a Bridlepath which is a bit winding (it's on Google maps) and leads on to the bottom of Long Lane and down to Miller's Dale /Anglers Rest pub. From there climb up onto the Monsal Trail at Miller's Dale Car Park.

The alternative from the end of the Tissington trail is just get onto the Pennine Bridlepath and follow it to the Wyedale Car Park off the A6 which is the far end of the Monsal Trail.

Ride to the extreme end of the Monsal Trail in Bakewell and descend the steep path to the dead end roadbelow.

Follow the dead end up the farm track (it's a bit rough this bit) through the farm and all the way to Rowsley (where it forks go left/stay high).

Drop down a steep tarmac road into Rowsley - to A6 - go into Rowsley Station car park on opposite side of the road and follow the cycle track all the way to Matlock (it pretty much follows the route of the A6 going south).

In Matlock get on the A6 and ride 2-3 miles to Cromford. Turn left at the junction past the first mechanised factory in the world (they claim) on your left and turn right onto Canal Towpath.

Follow that a mile to High Peak Junction (small cafe and bridge over canal) and get on the High peak Trail up a long draggy ascent.

Follow that all the way back to Parsley Hay where it meets the Tissington Trail which takes you back to Ashbourne.

OR

A shorter alternative mixed with quiet roads. Start the same to end of Tissington Trail.

Instead of going right on the bridleway go left to the road.

Drop down into Earl Sterndale.

Take a minor road up to Buxton Raceway

Take a left at Buxton Raceway it sort of doubles back, drops down go over a cattle grid and fork left taking a bridleway track (not too bad apart from 20 yards at bottom where a small bridge crosses a stream) to Hollinsclough.

Go past the former school take the left along a track that crosses the river with Chrome Hill on your left.

Then go Longnor, Crowdecote (or make it easier go via Sheene), climb the hairpins towards A515 but before A515 go right and take Long Dale to Hartington

then go back to Ashbourne via Hulme End, Wetton Mill (not Wetton itself) and Ilam.


Loads of cafes eg Hartington, Hulme End, Wetton Mill, several on Tissington, High Peak and Monsal Trails, Hollinsclough at weekends etc.

wayneabs

DeVlaeminck said:

If you want a long loop ride up the Tissington trail from Ashbourne to the very end (a mile or two past Parsley Hay).

From there you want to get to the Monsal Trail - there are different options but I'm going to suggest at the end turn right 100 yards to the A515 - turn right along the path 50 yards and cross the A515 onto the Pennine Bridleway (it's actually a road you cross onto then fork right onto a path).

Cycle to Priestcliffe and take the left at the farm there onto a Bridlepath which is a bit winding (it's on Google maps) and leads on to the bottom of Long Lane and down to Miller's Dale /Anglers Rest pub. From there climb up onto the Monsal Trail at Miller's Dale Car Park.

The alternative from the end of the Tissington trail is just get onto the Pennine Bridlepath and follow it to the Wyedale Car Park off the A6 which is the far end of the Monsal Trail.

Ride to the extreme end of the Monsal Trail in Bakewell and descend the steep path to the dead end roadbelow.

Follow the dead end up the farm track (it's a bit rough this bit) through the farm and all the way to Rowsley (where it forks go left/stay high).

Drop down a steep tarmac road into Rowsley - to A6 - go into Rowsley Station car park on opposite side of the road and follow the cycle track all the way to Matlock (it pretty much follows the route of the A6 going south).

In Matlock get on the A6 and ride 2-3 miles to Cromford. Turn left at the junction past the first mechanised factory in the world (they claim) on your left and turn right onto Canal Towpath.

Follow that a mile to High Peak Junction (small cafe and bridge over canal) and get on the High peak Trail up a long draggy ascent.

Follow that all the way back to Parsley Hay where it meets the Tissington Trail which takes you back to Ashbourne.

OR

A shorter alternative mixed with quiet roads. Start the same to end of Tissington Trail.

Instead of going right on the bridleway go left to the road.

Drop down into Earl Sterndale.

Take a minor road up to Buxton Raceway

Take a left at Buxton Raceway it sort of doubles back, drops down go over a cattle grid and fork left taking a bridleway track (not too bad apart from 20 yards at bottom where a small bridge crosses a stream) to Hollinsclough.

Go past the former school take the left along a track that crosses the river with Chrome Hill on your left.

Then go Longnor, Crowdecote (or make it easier go via Sheene), climb the hairpins towards A515 but before A515 go right and take Long Dale to Hartington

then go back to Ashbourne via Hulme End, Wetton Mill (not Wetton itself) and Ilam.


Loads of cafes eg Hartington, Hulme End, Wetton Mill, several on Tissington, High Peak and Monsal Trails, Hollinsclough at weekends etc.

Thanks for that, very detailed and helpful

Can't wait to get there