Our second bike ride in the stunning Derbyshire Peak District took us along the High Peak Trail which runs for around 17 miles in each direction from the High Peak Junction just south of Cromford towards Parsley Hay where it joins the Tissington Trail. This route forms part of the National Cycle Network being numbered 54.
We decided to join the route at Middleton Top where there is a pay and display car park £3.40 all day, a cafe,toilets. tourist information shop and cycle hire. Joining it here cuts off 2.5 miles plus a rather steep incline! Jill wouldn't have a problem as she was test riding her new claret M6R. We both have a M3L which we find adequate for our basic touring needs.
From the first ride we had on Jills M6R in the nearby park adjacent to Compton Cycles in Catford, we both realised the ease of both first and second gear that this model has to offer. As we plan on camping with the Bromptons and carrying all our kit this will be a welcome addition indeed. We have been keen motorcyclists for many years camping in the UK and Europe so travelling light is nothing new to us! You just can't beat life on two wheels!
Here we are then at the start, the weather was very hot, so with copious amounts of sun cream applied we set off. We each carried 3 litres of water plus a flask of tea! We rode this route on a Sunday, we were suprised to find out that the route was rather empty, the Tissington Trail appears to be the more popular (and busy) route. We liked both routes very much but the less crowded paths makes this one far more appealing for us.
Within a very short ride you find yourself riding into Hopton Tunnel which is 133 yds long which is made and hewn from the local limestone. Although very short, you can feel the damp as soon as you enter, the floor is smooth plus in good condition. This was built is 1880 where sadly 3 men were killed during construction where the roof collapsed in on them.
Here I am cycling out of the tunnel. The Cromford and High Peak Railway was completed in 1831 and was used to carry minerals and goods between Cromform to Whaley Bridge where it dovetailed into the canal network into and from Manchester. Along the route is still a working brickworks at Friden, the volcanic minerals were used in bricks that lined all the steel furnace bricks. As you cycle along the path its very much darker in places and shines at you as though it contains elements of diamonds or similar. The whole path is cindertrack with rolled stone gravel in places, again no problems for the brompton and schwalbe marathon plus tyres in particular.
You can't help but feel the sense of what it most have like to have been here in the age of steam trains whether the cargo was passengers or freight.
The scenery from the saddle is the same as the views you capture along the Tissington Trail, just rolling hills and outcrops of stone, it reminds me very much of a cross of Salisbury plain and Dartmoor in places.
The scenery surronding the trail is made up of farmland whether it be arable farmland of wheat or cattle and sheep, sprinkled with woods, and rocky outcrops, whoever they be they are great custodians of the land as its beautiful.
In 2.5 miles you cycle past the Friden brick works which have a potted history of the plant which makes interesting ready whilst one pours a cuppa!
The next 2.5 miles see's you joining the Tissington Trail from the left, before arriving at Parsley Hay where we had lunch and a rest.
We consulted the OS map as to where we had been, the route back to Middleton Top could be extended by coming off the High Peak Trail and cycling to Carsington Water via Hopton but we decided to stay on 'track' so to speak and cycle there another day.
The area of the Peak District is famous for its dry stone walls all quarried locally, from the route you can still see working quarries in action.
There are many picnic tables situated along the route where you can park up the bike and just admire the views.
Distance cycled as we missed out the section from High Peak junction to Black Rocks was 21.18 miles. maximum speed 18.7 mph as per cateye velo 5.
This trail forms part of the Pennine Bridleway which is a 130mile route starting at Middleton Top and includes 73 miles in Derbyshire to the South Pennines which then forms part of the Midshires Way a long distance footpath and bridleway which runs for a further 225 miles from Bledlow in the Midlands to Stockport.
The same OS map can be used for this trail as for the Tissington Trail map number 119
Middleton Top can be found at map ref 275552
Friden can be found at map ref 172607
My M3L coped with this route very well cruising along in second gear for most of the way, I am awaiting delivery of a bike the same as Jill's second bike a M6R in racing green so we are already planning our next ride and can't wait to collect it once it arrives at Comptons Cycles in Catford.
This bikes first major ride will be the Monsal Trail from Bakewell towards Buxton, this will be our next blog.
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