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Hello,
After seeing a few posts on here, have been inspired to try to organise a two-night three-day trip with my son in the Peaks.
He's 8 and we'll both be on cross bikes so looking for quiet roads or smoothish bridleways. He'll happily do 25 miles in an afternoon here in the fens, and is ok up our local 1:10 "hill" (all 60m of it...).
Thinking a route like this:
Day 1) Start at High Peak Junction, going up the High Peak Trail to Hurdlow, camp (at Royal Oak?)
Day 2) Loop: to Bakewell, then along the Monsal Trail and back to Hurdlow (so we can leave tent there and go light)
Day 3) Hurdlow to Parsley Hay then Tissington trail and route 54 back to start point.
I haven't been to the peaks for at least 25 years, so not sure what it is like these days! Any major gotcha's with that route? Any ideas of best routes from Hurdlow to Bakewell, and from the west end of the Monsal trail back to Hurdlow?
I understand there are a couple of steep climbs early on, but anything else to look out for?
Also, any suggestions for places/activities inbetween the cycling?
Thanks!
Someone posted on here a month or two back for similar advice, used the bunkhouse at the Royal Oak. (Food there is excellent though not cheap btw)
To get from High Peak Junction up to Middleton Top is a horrible grind. First pitch is about a mile at 1:8. Not great with a little one.
To miss that out, maybe camp near Carsington reservoir, ride either the Tissington or High Peak Trail to overnight at the bunkhouse at Royal Oak, and back down the other, or Monsal Trail. Not sure how to link the Monsal Trail in really, but will think some more with a map tonight
Thanks MoreCashThanDash.
Any idea what the section of the Penine bridleway from the west end of Monsal trail south to Hurdlow is like? Looks like a steep pull up towards the A6 - how rough is the ground? Easy enough to push?
Any idea how busy the B5055 east into Bakewell is?
Thanks.
Reporting back: for logistical reasons ended up doing loops from the Royal Oak.
Day 1 was last mile of High Peak trail then Penine Bridleway north to the Monsal trail (fine on cross bikes, walked down the steep descent in the Nature Reserve towards Chee Dale), Monsal trail to Bakewell, then back to Royal Oak via Stanedge Road and Horse Lane.
Great little loop, much quicker than I thought (we did it in 4 hours with plenty of stops to look at views and take photos). Hardest bit was the pull out of Bakewell with stomachs full of Bakewell Pudding.
Day 2 down the high peak trail to Middleton Top, back to near Miniglow then west along Cardelmere Lane (route 548) to the Tissington trail and back.
Both enjoyable, pretty easy loops. Might be a bit tame for an older kid, perfect at this age.
Thanks for the advice.
Good to know
I can help with lakes advice for next year for similar ages
Sorry I've been away and never had a chance to get back to you properly.
Anything is hardwork with a stomach full of Bakewell Pudding. Foul stuff!