Category: Routes

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The South North Divide

The South North Divide is a two day bikepacking route from Sheffield to Scarborough.

The route is just short of 200km and is a mix of quiet roads, bridleways and cycle routes.

Starting at Sheffield station the route makes it’s way through the east end of the city and heads up towards Barnsley. Following and extensive network of former mineral railways the route heads up into West Yorkshire. At Garforth the route heads east towards York.

After an overnight stop at York (I stopped and York YHA) the second day heads through the Howardian Hills towards the pretty village of Thornton le Dale. From here you head eastwards through the edge of Dalby Forest following an extensive network of trails towards Scarborough.

I tried to keep things light as I had only one overnight stop indoors. I used and ILE Adventure Seatpack for my waterproof and ILE Frame bag for everyday carry items including inttertubes, multitool, pump and snacks. Up front I had a Road Runner Jammer bag for a change of underwear, t-shirt, book and flip-flops ! The bike was my parts bin special singlespeed which I was running 39 x 18 gearing. This got me up most things with the occasional push when required.

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The Cordwell Cracker MTB Route

Sat to the west of Chesterfield is Cordwell Valley. As well as having some very nice houses this area has a selection of bridleways that cross the valley sides. This MTB (or gravel bike if you are feeling lucky) route traverses the valley from one end to another. It’s a lovely evening ride with some punchy climbs.

The route starts and finishes at Barlow. The best place to park if you have driven to the start is the village recreation ground. Please be aware that some of the sections of this route are also popular with horse riders.

If you liked this route a virtual coffee wouldn’t go amiss to fuel my mojo.

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Superfondo

Sometimes a regular Fondo (100km) seems a little too short and a century (100 miles) is a little to long a day on the bike. This is where the Superfondo comes in – the middle ground between the two.

This route is a mash up of a few of our favourite routes – the Gravelfondo and Duke it Out plus a little bit of the Clumber Rumble on the side. We like our local trails in North Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire because they are a bit easier and flatter than the Peak District. Plus they are quieter at busier times during the year.

The route starts and finishes at Chesterfield Station so there is the option to be green and keen and leave the car at home. If you like this and our a other routes a virtual coffee would be appreciated to keep my mojo for creating routes alive.

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The Coal Trail

North Derbyshire has a huge amount of multi user trails which are a legacy from the days when the area was dotted with coal mines. They are great for riding on when the autumn and winter months arrive as the man made surface is less muddy than more naturally made trails.

The Coal Trail route is ideal for when the weather is less clement or you are short on time and only want to be out for a couple of hours. The route starts at Chesterfield railway station and is relatively flat for Derbyshire – I’ve ridden it on a single speed. It is mainly off road and is a mix of former railways, towpaths and quiet lanes.

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The White Peak Wander

The White Peak Wander is a 100 mile bikepacking route in the south of the Peak District National Park.

Ideally ridden over two days, the route is mainly on bridleways, country lanes and disused railway tracks.

We’d recommend using a hardtail MTB for this route – there will be a fair bit of hike-a-bike if you choose to use a gravel bike. The White Peak is often overlooked by mountain bikers who tend to gravitate towards the Dark Peak and Hope Valley. However there are a myriad of quiet trails and pretty villages to explore

The route starts in the middle of Matlock close to the railway station so there’s no need to drive to the start.

When I recce’d the route I camped at the YHA in Castleton which is just off the northern end of the route.

If you like our routes, a virtual coffee wouldn’t go a miss.

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The Transpennine Express

The Transpennine Express is a two day (or really hard one day) route that starts at Sheffield railway station and heads over the roof of England and back.

From the centre of one of the UK’s largest city the route heads westwards and makes it’s way up into the Peak District. It doesn’t take long to leave the urban sprawl – a third of Sheffield is inside the national park boundary. From there it’s across wild moorland and down into the pretty village of Baslow.

There’s a few miles of road and the route picks up the Monsal Trail which is part of the disused Derby – Manchester trainline. After enjoying a few miles of meandering through the Wye Valley we head up to Tideswell with it’s impressive church.

From here we drop down to the western side of the Pennines and New Mills. The route follows a selection of quiet lanes before joining the Transpennine Trail just outside Glossop. It’s virtually all off road from here back to Sheffield.

This is a tough route that I’d recommend doing over a couple of days unless you are planning for an ultra distance event. The return leg is particularly exposed so make sure you have a few spare layers and a waterproof whatever time of year it is.

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Trail Dog

One of many popular attractions in the Peak District national park are there collection of disused railways that have been converted into multi user trails. Starting at Matlock, the Trail Dog route takes in the High Peak, Tissington Trails and the lesser used White Peak Link.

There’s a fairly hefty climb near the start from High Peak Junction which will get you puffing like one of the steam trains that used to run on the line. The High Peak Trail was built in 1825 to take cotton from the nearby mills over the Pennines to the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge. It was built before trains were commonly in existence and was originally horse drawn. At the top you can see the beam engine which was used to haul the carriages up the incline.

From there we follow the trail to just beyond Pratt Hall and follow a track over to Biggin and join the Tissington Trail. You then head northwards to rejoin the High Peak Trail again and follow it to the end.

The route then crosses the Buxton – Ashbourne road and heads across the closest thing that the area has to Strada Bianche. After crossing the A6 at Taddington and passing through Blackwell you have the choice of descending straight down the paved road to Millers Dale or if you are feeling a bit more adventurous down the gnarmac descent -Long Lane.

At Millers Dale join the Monsal Trail and follow it to the end passing though several tunnels that have been cut though the valley. At the end drop down to the road and head away from Bakewell up Coombes Dale. From the top descend into Rowsley and join the White Peak Link. Follow this as far as Darley Dale. Then cross the River Derwent and take the former coaching route through Snitterton back to the start.

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The Ladybower Loop

The reservoirs of the Upper Derwent Valley are popular with mountain bikers but there’s also some rather nice gravel to be had there. This route starts and finishes at Bamford Railway Station so there’s no excuse not to leave the car at home.

The route heads up the Thornhill trail which is a former railway that was used to transport the piano sized blocks of stone that were used in the building of the dams from Bamford up the valley.

You then head around the south side of the Ladybower Reservoir towards the Snake Pass. After crossing the road (take care) head steeply up the hillside at Hagg Farm. Continue over pastures and head back down to the Ladybower Reservoirs.

Follow the road around the edge of the Ladybower, Derwent and Howden reservoirs which were used as a training site for the Dambusters in World War 2.

When you rejoin the bottom of the Snake Pass at Ashopton there is a bike lane on the opposite side of the road that will save you mixing it with the traffic. At Yorkshire Bridge turn left and head up New Road which traverses the hillside .Enjoy the views up and down the Hope Valley whilst you are plodding slowly upwards.

At the top drop downwards towards Hathersage and after a short distance follow Gatehouse Lane back to Bamford.

Members of our Riders Club get access to event more of our routes. Why not join today ?

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The Return of the Mac

For this route we explore the western side of the Peak District venturing across the border from Derbyshire into Cheshire via the Macclesfield forest.

The route has to fairly substantial climbs in it – the fist one at the beginning up to the top of the Cat and Fiddle via a mix of tracks and quiet lanes. The payback for your efforts as some stunning views across the Cheshire Plain. When you get to the top of the Macclesfield Forest you’ll appreciate why we’ve decided to recommend you ride in a clockwise direction. The route’s a roller coaster ride of a descent for several miles which would be a punishing climb.

Don’t be put off by what looks like on the RWGPS map a fairly low percentage of unpaved surfaces. After you’ve left the sprawl of Macclesfield, the route enjoys eight miles of traffic free riding on the Middlewood Way. At Marple you drop down into the Goyt Valley – one of the tributaries of the mighty Mersey River and onto the towpath of the Peak Forest Canal.

Then it’s one final push from Whaley Bridge following the Old Road back over the hill into Buxton.

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The Amber Gambler

The Amber Valley is on the edge of the Peak District. It’s one of those places that’s well known by local riders but is often overlooked by cyclists from outside the area in favour of the national park.

As well as some cracking road climbs and MTB routes, the area also has a selection of bridleways and farm tracks that are great for gravel riders.

The Ambler Gambler route starts in the pretty village of Ashover. From here the route follows a selection of tracks, starting with a pave secteur and then heads up out of the valley with a lung busting climb.

The route heads across the tops with views into the Derwent Valley and Matlock and drops down into the village of Holloway. There’s then a road climb up to Crich. If you have an hour or two to spare, there’s the tramway museum to look around. Then it’s round the back of the village on a bridleway and back into the Amber Valley.

At South Wingfield the route passes a crumbling stately ruin and heads back up the valley. Then it’s through the quirkily named Toad Furnace and across the golf course at Shirland.

The route then hops on a disused railway track – Blackwell Trail. Then it’s up the Silverhill and Five Pits trails which are easy going after the climbs earlier in the route.

At Morton look out for the oak tree which has been planted to mark the villages claim to be the centre of England.

The route has a cracking descent towards the end called Eastwood Lane. It’s more gnarmac than tarmac so take your time and look out for farm vehicles.

The route is around 37% unpaved with several sections of gnarmac too. It’s suitable for gravel and CX bikes.

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The Steel City Circuit

With a big chunk of it being in the national park, Sheffield rightly calls itself the Outdoor City. This route does a lap around the Steel City and is a mix of woodland trails, urban riding and open countryside.

The route starts and finishes at Dore Railway, a leafy suburb around 4 miles to the southwest of the city centre. The first third of the route is fairly lumpy – another of Sheffield’s geographical claims is that it is built on seven hills – just like Rome. Once you’ve passed through Oughtibridge the trails start to flatten out a bit,

There’s a bit of urban riding around Meadowhall, but the vast majority of it is on segregated cycle routes so it’s not as scary as it looks on the map. Once you are past there you pass through a series of urban woodlands.

The southern part of the route dips into Derbyshire and heads up the Moss Valley which has a lovely rural feel to it,

The route is suitable for gravel and cyclocross bikes.