Text by Margaret Brown
Photos by Jim Duerden, Margaret Brown, Mark Clegg and Sue Wallace
Friday 11th April 2025
- Weather warm and sunny, even had us all wearing shorts.
- High Peak and Tissington trails.
We all met at Jim and Jackie's caravan at Bradley just southeast of Ashbourne. We cycled north past Carsington Dam, Which according to the info board this is the last major reservoir to be built in the UK in 1991, and it is the 9th largest in the UK. We had a short stop to take photos, then uphill on the very steep climb through the village of Brassington to pick up the high peak trail. This is a trail made from the disused quarry railway. First, we rode eastwards for Jim and Jackie to collect their cycle quest clue, at Middleton top. This is site of a steam powered winch system formerly used to haul the quarry wagons up the steep incline to Middleton Top, it is now a heritage site. We had a picnic lunch stop there with lovely views over the surrounding countryside. Then we retraced our ride back to where we joined the trail above Brassington, this point is also the start of the Pennine Bridle way. We continued along the high peak trail to ride the other way following the disused railway again, towards the start of the Tissington Trail, near Biggin. The Tissington trail, goes all the way back to Ashbourne. At Hartington we had the obligatory ice cream stop at a reused signal box. Then followed the trail right into the centre of Ashbourne.
We were very impressed with the Victorian workmanship which included huge embankments, tunnels and cuttings. These trails are both redundant quarry railway lines, which would have been a massive engineering projects, they have now been converted to fantastic walking and cycling trails. A very enjoyable and a respectable 41 miles. Followed by a lovely meal in the Shoulder of Mutton, at Osmaston.
Saturday 12th April 2025
- Weather warm but a little hazy
- Car assisted from the start of the Monsal trail in Bakewell
Again another very popular ex railway line, more scenic than yesterday hence a very slow ride, lots of viewpoints and long dark tunnels that were fun to ride through, and lots of industrial heritage including at Cressbrook, Richard Arkwright’s Litton mill, first built in 1785, behind the mill are the apprentice cottages, used to house the orphan children brought from the cities to work in the mill. At the mill, high quality cotton was spun to supply the lace making industry it ceased in 1965. The Georgian building you see today was an extension built around the 1814. The mill is now private apartments. The line has many high viaducts, massive cuttings and embankments. We had lunch at Millers dale, a repurposed railway station. After lunch we collected the cycle quest clue, then back to Bakewell via Blackwell, Monyash, and Parsley Hay, along narrow lanes with steep uphills followed by long descents to be followed by more steep inclines. Through pretty villages. We had planned to sample the famous “Bakewell pudding” however the town was packed with people and cars so we decided to make our way back to our cars. Although the ride was only 20 miles, it felt more like 40. Though an enjoyable ride. Followed by a lovely meal and very enjoyable evening in the Stepping Stones pub, at Ashbourne.
Sunday 13th April 2025
- Ashbourne to Dove dale
- Weather much cooler, showers forecast, cool wind.
This time we all met at the travel lodge in Ashbourne. We left Ashbourne via the Tisssington trail tunnel, then north to Mapleton, Thorpe (not the Wharfedale one), We were going to leave the bikes and walk up to Dovedale stepping stones, however being school holidays it looked very busy so we carried on to the village of Ilam to pick up the next cycle quest clue from the monument. We then climbed past the hamlet of Throwley with its ruined Elizabethan manor house. Leaving Throwley up a very steep side of the valley, quite a climb. Then a lovely long descent to the village of Calton (not the Malham one). We were all a little chilled and with no cafe in sight we found a sheltered spot by the village hall, to eat our sandwiches then found that little church was open and had a self service brewing up stall, so we did, and left a donation. Setting off much refreshed and warmed. Riding back through Stanton the forecast rain arrived, thank fully this was only a shower but as we were passing the pub in Stanton, we thought we would take shelter in there, for tea, beer, or ice-cream, At this point some of the group left to go back into Ashbourne, Mark, Jim, Jackie and I carried on south through Church Mayfield, then East to the village of Shirley, where we stopped at a very old strange tree to take photos, then on to Osmaston. Here we left Jim and Jackie to go back to the caravan site. Mark and I rode back to Ashbourne and the Travelodge. 35 miles in total, though quite strenuous due to the hills, it’s not called the “peak district” for nothing.
Thanks Jim and Jackie for planning a fantastic weekend, especially arranging for such lovely weather.