The Peak Disrtict

With a bit of time on my hands I impulsively decided to take a break in the Peak District, booking accommodation in Buxton and trains to and from Derby.

I use National Cycle Network Route 68 to get from Derby to Buxton. Once I find the route, it is fairly clearly signed out of Derby and after a few traffic free miles it continues to Ashbourne along minor roads.

Converted water mill at Longford.

From Ashbourne the route follows the Tissington Trail on a disused railway line which climbs at a gentle but steady gradient.

I briefly leave the trail, first to take a refreshment at the pub in Fenny Bently and shortly afterwards to take a look around the village of Tissington with its imposing 17C Hall.

Tissington Hall.

View from the Tissington Trail.

Just beyond Parsley Hay there is an Isturian dry stone hut, built by Croatian craftsmen to celebrate their joining the European Union.

Isturian Stone Hut.

The final 8 miles into Buxton are on lumpy minor roads, and though the hills are fairly short they are quite steep in places and since I hadn't really expected this I was glad to see the end of them and get to my guest house. My room overlooks the Pavilion Gardens and I later get a good view of the sun setting over the hills.

Next day I retraced my route out of Buxton, but following a good nights rest the hills didn't seem so bad this time. The weather was overcast but this only detracted slightly from the fine views.

Views from above Earl Sterndale.

I didn't rejoin the Tissington Trail, but instead continued on very quiet roads, necessitating the opening and closing of several gates, to Hartington another pretty stone built village. On the way I noticed a small cut on the side wall of my front tyre which was exposing the inner tube. I let some pressure out of the tyre and resolve to effect a more permanent repair at my first break.

Colourful cottage in Hartington.

I was now on National Cycle Network Route 54 which lead me out of the village past Hartington Hall which now functions as a youth hostel.

Hartington Hall.

The route was now following what looked like farm tracks and finally deteriorated into a steep narrow rocky path on which I walked down to Beresford Dale on the River Dove, though I was passed by a couple of mountain bikers on the way.

A very enticing path followed the river into the dale but this was pedestrian only so I crossed the footbridge and continued on Route 54 for now.

Beresford Dale.

It was now getting close to lunchtime so I headed for a pub in Alstonefield where I had a pint as I successfully repaired my tyre with one of the self-adhesive tyre-boots which I'd been carrying around unused for years. This pub had no local ales, so I moved on to another in nearby Wetton for lunch.

Suitably nourished, I headed down through Ilam to the southern end of the scenic and popular Dove Dale.

Dove Dale.

Returning to Ilam I take a quick look around the Hall and adjoining Park on the River Manifold - this hall also serves as a youth hostel.

Ilam Hall.

Ilam Park.

I climb back up out of Ilam but soon drop down to and cross the River Manifold, followed by a long climb up the other side which gets steeper as it progresses and requires me to walk the final stretch.

Manifold Valley.

After dropping down to Calton a short stretch of main road takes me to the start of the Manifold Track - this is another former railway line but in this case it has an excellent metaled surface all the way to Hulme End. It's getting a bit late now, so I don't have much time to stop and admire the fine scenery of the Hamps and Manifold Valleys.

Dafar Bridge.

Spotting the Manifold Inn in Hulme End I decided that a quick refreshment was in order whilst I decided on a route back to Buxton. I settled on minor roads through Sheen and Crowdecote to rejoin Route 68 at Earl Sterndale, but just before I got there my rear derailer started getting sticky and refusing to get into the higher gears. Seeing no obvious cause for the problem I decided to push on back to Buxton and sort it out in the morning, though the stickiness got worse on the way.

After breakfast next morning, I set about trying to sort out my gears. I had wrongly assumed that the blockage would be within the rear section of outer cable, but after much fiddling about to no avail I worked out that the problem was at the less accessible, due to my Ergo levers, bar end of the cable. After a bit more fiddling, I noticed a single strand of cable separating and this was clearly broken inside the housing. At least I now knew the cause of the problem, but I couldn't get the stuck cable to come out. Getting rather frustrated, I went off to find a bike shop for assistance. After a bit of a struggle the very helpful assistant was able to cut the cable inside the lever and get the nipple end out so that I was then able to haul the rest of the cable out through the housing. It was quite tricky to feed a new cable in through the lever, but once this was done I quickly got the gears set up and functioning again.

I now belatedly set off on my planned ride down the Goyt Valley and beyond. To get there I had to climb up the A54 towards the notorious Cat & Fiddle, but luckily the traffic wasn't too heavy and there were no motorbikes. A minor road dropped me down into the valley where I found a no entry sign on the onward road. I chatted to a local cyclist and enquired whether the no entry also applied to bikes. He informed me that numerous cyclists carried on down and that he only knew of one being turned back by a policeman. Not wanting to completely waste my morning by returning on the main road I decided to take my chances.

Goyt Valley.

The one-way stretch of road turned out to be only a couple of miles, but it was a beautiful ride and I met only one very considerate motorist on the way. I paused to take in the view overlooking the river and an old pack-horse bridge.

I crossed the dam wall of the Errwood Reservoir and then took to a track alongside the Fernilee Reservoir. At Whaley Bridge I joined the towpath of the Peak Forest Canal and continued the short distance to the Buxworth Basin where I found a pub for lunch.

This basin was originally an interchange between the canal and a tramway, and I now continued along the path of the old tramway and then onto minor roads which took me into Chapel-en-le-Frith.

Chapel-en-le-Frith.

It was a steep climb up to Dove Holes, requiring me to push the bike once more, but from there it was mostly downhill past quarries back to Buxton, though the weather had by now turned a bit damp.

The Monsal Trail, another former railway path, was my first target for the following day. The trail started a few miles east of Buxton but getting there whilst avoiding the busy A6 forced me further north onto some very lumpy minor roads. I drop down to join the trail at Miller's Dale where the road and River Wye are crossed by a pair of viaducts.

Millers Dale.

Views across the dale near Ravenstor.

After passing through the Litton Tunnel I pause to admire the stunning views over and into Water-cum-Jolly Dale, and a little further on through the Cressbrook Tunnel I find myself overlooking the former Cressbrook Mill.

Water-cum-Jolly Dale.

Cressbrook Mill.

The fine weather has brought cyclists of all ages onto the trail, and this is particulary evident around the Monsal Viaduct, where the most spectacular views of all are to be found.

Monsal Dale and Viaduct.

Here the trail leaves the river and rather than continue through the next tunnel I climb a steep footpath to Monsal Head for more wonderful views over the dale and viaduct.

I continue by road to rejoin the river at the pretty village of Ashford in the Water.

Ashford in the Water.

Sheep Wash Bridge.

I pedal past Thornbridge Hall to the Packhorse Inn in Little Longstone where I have a pleasant lunch break.

Returning to Thornbridge I rejoin the Monsal Trail and follow it around Bakewell as far as it goes. I can't visit Bakewell without sampling its famed pudding (not tart!), which I do in the Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop.

Bakewell.

Leaving the Wye Valley I climb up to Over Haddon where I enjoy another pint whilst overlooking Lathkill Dale. From here I return to Buxton on minor roads through Monyash, Flagg and Chelmorton.

Lathkill Dale.

It's a dreich morning as I set off on my return trip to Derby. At Parsley Hay I pause for a bit of shelter from the blustery showers and warm myself up with a cup of coffee. I branch off the Tissington Trail to follow the High Peak Trail which since it was originally intended to be a canal is fairly flat till I reach a sharp descent at Middleton Top. The steam powered winding engine which previously hauled the wagons up the incline remains in place.

Middleton Top.

Leaving the trail I find a pub for lunch at Wirksworth Moor, but have to fix a puncture before moving on. It's an easy ride on minor roads gradually dropping down into the Derwent Valley and crossing the river at Milford. Continuing down the valley I rejoin the National Cycle Network at Little Eaton for the final few miles into Derby.

I have a bit of time to spare before catching my train, so following a friend's recommendation I head for the Brunswick Inn near the station. This is a superb place to end my trip with a selection of 16 ales to choose from - I opt to sample a couple of those brewed on the premises as I wish that I was booked on a later train.