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I've been thinking about a challenge to do over the summer and have come up with cycling the boundary of the Peak district.
I've had a quick nosy around the web but can't seem to find much on routes other than LDWA walking routes.
Has anyone done this or better have a GPX file of the route? I'm thinking road is going to be the best option and then maybe upgrade to off road as a follow up challenge.
Can't help with the route specifically, but we're literally on the boundary on the bit around Lyme Park, so any route will likely go past our house. You're welcome to use us as a pit/water/loo stop.
Thanks @IHN I may just take you up on that offer when the times comes.
Looks like I'll be scouring maps for ideas on best route.
That's some undertaking. Are you going to be faithful to the boundary and cycle the whole cutout round Buxton?
Looks like I’ll be scouring maps for ideas on best route.
To be honest, with any decent online mapping thing like OS Maps or RideWithGPS I reckon it'll only be a couple of hours work tops, just pick the roads nearest the boundary - some might slightly in, some slightly out, but I don't think that really matters.
i'm sure i've got an old book
found it "the high peak trail" - tim woodcock [wheelwright's mountain bike route guide]
1995 looks like a long time ago :0)
Thanks guys, and yes I'd keep the Buxton cut-out in for authenticity. I'm not sure it would be done in a day, not sure my legs would take that but it would be on or near the boundary as much as possible with maybe some diversions for major trunk roads to avoid mad/fast traffic. I've done my local town boundary ride and took the @IHN approach of closest either inside or outside the boundary but trying to stay as close as possible and that wasn't too bad and ended up being about 80 miles. I reckon this will be north of 200 when I get a good look at at it.
I'll see if I can check out the high peak trail book, thanks.
A couple of years ago I thought about planning this. I came across a walking route Peak District Boundary Walk which I figured might be used as a basis for staying as close to the boundary as possible.
I out something together in cycle.travel. It worked out around 190 miles. I haven't ridden it!
I'm sure I've seen a route - might have been something ridden by a mate on Strava rather than an official thing but I'm sure I've seen it done.
I was looking at something similar, but doing a circuit which visited all of the Peak District boundary millstones. It was around 150 miles, with a shed load of climbing. Maybe I should try it this summer...
There's this but no map link... The description gives a rough guide though if you've got a map to hand.
https://www.cicerone.co.uk/the-yellow-line-cycling-the-tour-de-peak-district
Yes. A mate of mine did this years ago, off road, basically nearest trail/path/route to the edge of the NP.
Was about 190 miles IIRC, and ended up about 15-20% on tarmac (mostly country lanes) and a *lot* of cheeky trails and footpaths. Think there were also a handful of small loops where he had to leave the NP boundaries as well.
Also took him about 20 hours.
Was in the mid 90's and he did the whole thing on a GT RTS...
From that Cicerone link, there's an image. Obviously very high level...
To get it a bit shorter you could split it into 2 rides - Dark Peak boundary and White Peak boundary. They may not be all that much shorter individually than the whole thing though.
Wouldn't you be just riding around all the good bits!!? 🙂
I've managed to get hold of a route and I'm planning on doing it this weekend (over 2 days) but need to get parking in or near Sparrowpit/Chapel for 2 vehicles. Does anyone know a good spot to park overnight around there?
Does anyone know a good spot to park overnight around there?
It's not exactly "near", but the spur road / parking above Blue John Cavern is a known and safe campervan spot so there's always vehicles parked up there and it's plenty big enough.
You'd have to ride back to Sparrowpit/Chapel along Rushup Edge which is about 4 miles.
Good point @crazy-legs, I'd not factored that in. Definitely an option.
Good luck. 80 miles a day ?
We just did 2 days on the Pennine Bridleway, 84 miles Settle to Glossop and it was two 8 hour/40 plus mile days with 5500ft of climbing each day. Is there a bit more 'flat' on this route - there was next to no flat on ours (other than across fields on day one which was slow).
You could park right on the top of Peaslows in Sparrowpit. There's a sizeable layby up there and i'd be happy to leave a car there for a few days. Plenty of parking in the residential areas of Chapel too that you could use without inconveniencing anyone. Somewhere along Long Lane would be fine south of the school
@fossy - its a road ride. Not brave enough to off road that far in 2 days. Plenty of climbing though. It works out as 188 miles and 5500 m climbing.
@r9jimbob88 - thanks, that is really useful info.
You could park right on the top of Peaslows in Sparrowpit. There’s a sizeable layby up there and i’d be happy to leave a car there for a few days.
I was also just about to suggest this.
@alanf - I don't know what your route is, but I'm around this weekend so the offer stands of a loo/brew stop, just PM me.
Thanks @IHN, I think you are pretty much at the start/end of the 2 days so may be good in that respect but again, many thanks for the offer and i will give you a shout if needed.
@alanf - I'm just over the road from the #1 waypoint (the red number disc, not the pin) on the above map (Darley Dale), so likewise - if I'm around. In fact, the cycle path runs right past the bottom of my garden.
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Albeit, there are plenty of pubs round here too
This is brilliant, thanks all for the advice and offers of assistance. STW at it's finest.
After some deliberations about where to park it was decided to on street park in Hayfield and extend the first day a little bit, which was probably the right thing to do. Day 1 consisted of riding clockwise (north) out of Hayfield towards Mottram and Diggle and then over the tops to Marsden/Meltham. Through Holmebridge, Hade Edge and on to Langsett. From there over to Bolsterstone, Ewden Village, Dam Flask, Rivelin and a stop at Ringinglow. From there on to Owler Bar and Wadshelf then Rowsley. Round the edge of Matlock, Slaley and Ible and on to Fenney Bentley before crossing through Thorpe and Ilam and finally getting to Swinscoe for overnight. Day 2 started North towards Leek but skirted the edge and on to Meerbrook and past Gun and on to Wincle. Through Wildboarclough, the edge of Macc Forest and down to Rainow and continuing north through Pott Shrigley and the edge of Poynton up to the A6 and on to Disley. turning to head south to Whaley Bridge and on to Buxton. Past Chrome hill and on to Earl Sterndale, then over towards Monyash, Flagg and Chelmorton. Then on to Harpur Hill and Cowdale then on towards Wormhill. From there it was Peak Forest, Sparrow Pitt and Chapel Milton before the final climb back over to Hayfield. 103 and 86 miles and 4000 and 3000 M climbing. A couple of big days out but the weather kept relatively good although a bit windy at times. The old sit bones are a bit tender today though!
Fair play fella, that is an impressive couple of days. I know a couple of the climbs/areas you did and they're decent enough on their own, stringing it all together is a very, very good effort.
@IHN - There was some mad climbs for sure. It's not something I'm looking to repeat in the near future but never say never. I'll keep things a bit more low key for a while. Attempting that lot in a day is for a better man than me.