Derby > Holmfirth

I completed this in early April 06 on an audax bike with 28mm tyres. No massive problems other than driving rain.

The sections were as follows:

Derby to Buxton was mainly on old railway line cycle tracks, the section out of Ashbourne was brilliant with simply stunning scenery, especially the northern part.

Buxton to Hadfield was minor roads, with a section just past Buxton that initially looks awful (rough track beyond a gate) but all you had to do was push your bike a hundred yards or so and the tarmac appeared for what was a stunning old roman road with wonderful scenery. The section besides the reservoirs past Hadfield was on one of those rolled-down gravel old railway line tracks that would be perfectly OK in dry weather, but it wasn't! Plenty of grit sprayed everywhere but perfectly easy to cycle.
Then you get to the worst bit! The old railway line cycle route ends at a closed-off tunnel and you have to push your bike up through paths to get to the main road to ride past Winscar reservoir. It was by this time absolutely pouring down but it was still possible to ride alone narrow paths through the heather. This path section so you avoid a very, very busy main road. The traffic on the road comprised of many lorries and would have, in my opinion, been very dangerous to ride on. I deviated from the route at the reservoir, rejoining the route on the moors above Holmfirth. All in all it is a wonderful route which would, for me, been a lot better if the weather had been better.

I completed this section in two days (not leaving Derby until 1345) with an overnight stay at Hartington YHA. Hope this is of help to you.