UKC

I'm planning some overnight bikepacking trips in the Peak, but I only have a CX bike currently, not a full on mountain bike. So I'd like to plan some routes that are off-road or semi-off-road but aren't super technical rock strewn things that mountainbikers would love but might make my teeth rattle out on my cyclocross. Most bridleways are fine for example.

Does anyone have some suggestions? I don't need whole multiday routes, but any hints like the "bridleway from X to Y is lovely and then you could ride back toward Z on the quiet lane" would be perfect - then I can try and stitch together some suggestions into a two day route (start/finish in Sheffield probably).

I'm not a total wimp on my cyclocross so moderate routes that suit hardtail MTBs would probably also be fine for me.

Cheers everyone!

In reply to TobyA:

Toby, you might want to ask on Bearbones - http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk - just as/more likely to get a detailed response. If you are on STW then there's a few who also lurk/post on there.

I'm not that familiar with The Peak but the White Peak might be better suited than the Dark Peak which is where the rock fests are.

In reply to TobyA:

Also try posting on:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/PeakDistrictMTB/

In reply to TobyA:
The eastern side of Ladybower/Derwent/Howden seems an obvious easy Dark Peak choice. And along southern side of Ladybower (Woodland Valley). And you can connect down to Thornhill.

You could also get up Stanage Causeway, round redmires and back over Houndkirk.

Also Brough Lane up from near Bradwell and round Shatton Moor past the aerial

Sir William Hill above Eyam.


(all can be done other way round)

In reply to TobyA:

Done a few long circuits from Sheffield on my hardtail in the last few years. The monsal trail is a good way of getting easy distance and there's quite a few easy bridleways that branch off it. Goyt valley is a road but very quiet and from the Cat & Fiddle I think you could get to Macc Forest on easy tracks. Lots of semi-roads in the white peak (and the Tissington trail etc). Or go north - I took the Pennine BW from Glossop to Hebden Bridge and I think only the final section was "proper"MTBing (i.e. I dropped my saddle).

Or go the other way - the Robin Hood Way from Creswell Crags to Clumber is lovely and there are very nice easy tracks around there, and down to Sherwood Pines.

In reply to TobyA:

Maybe the best idea would be for you to plan your route and then get me and ChrisJD to check it for you - though I get the impression he's a bit of a nutter and would happily ride down stuff on a CX bike that I wouldn't do on a full-suss !

In reply to Chris the Tall:

Don't worry, I wouldn't sandbag him


Though Cave Dale on a CX bike......

In reply to ChrisJD:

How about Sheffield - Stanage - Howden - Cut Gate (?? - bits are a tad hard) - Trans Pennine Trail to Broadbottom - High Peak Canal to Whaley - Goyt Valley to Cat and Fiddle - Flash to Longnor and then any number of quiet lanes to get back through the white peak and roughly to Padley area. Train home from Grindleford?

In reply to Stig:

I shall need to get the map out to work out where all those places are, but it sounds very nice! Cheers chaps.

In reply to TobyA:
https://www.v-publishing.co.uk/download-file.html?fileID=kg9nXQ8P
this is great on a CX bike, (few rocky bits but mainly fine) links up to houndkirk, wyming brook, rod side road, stake hill road/ughill moors to ladybower then back over new road/stanage makes a nice loop. with plently of hiding holes for bivis and cheeky tails if your that way inclined.

In reply to TobyA:

Basically, there's loads to go at

In reply to Hopevalleypaul:

Thanks Paul, I didn't know that those path above Curbar and Froggat for example were 'legal' on a bike.

In reply to TobyA:

I think the Roman Road above Curbar is a footpath tbh
I rode Sustrans 67 from Stockport to Sheff on my Hybrid recently and my Cyclocross mate struggled on some sections especially around Woodhead.
I've heard about Cut Gate!
Ladybower circuit should be easy enough.

I did a circuit out around Clumber and it was great. Easy roads and good paths. Not very "Peak" though.

The Peak trails tend to be very busy and therefore slow. High Peak Trail, Tissington Trail, Monsal trail are all nice enough, but at the weekend are full of families and dogs.
I think there's a new Pennine Bridleway, that could be ok? Otherwise I'd be avoiding weekends, and maybe checking out some of the minor roads.

Tissington and high peak :
https://www.strava.com/activities/187887226
Clumber from Chesterfield (not a loop but easy enough to link to a circuit of the canal)
https://www.strava.com/activities/287826482
Sustrans 67 Stockport to Sheffield stations
https://www.strava.com/activities/325474829

In reply to TobyA:

Oh and the Sustrans Bikehub app is good. It's free and cycle routes are highlighted (and signposted). Does turn by turn nav. Interface could be better, but functionality is good.

In reply to SiGregory & TobyA:


Just to be clear, the top of Curbar/Froggat is now a Permissive Bridleway.

In reply to ChrisJD:

It's also worth noting that at the southern end of that circuit, at Baslow Edge, is a bw that drops down to Baslow and is a very useful for linking up routes around bakewell. A bit steep, but compact, so Shouldn't be a problem on a CX

In reply to TobyA:

Went out last night on the cross bike and thought of you. There's a lovely route which takes me from Birch Vale (between Hayfield and New Mills) up Overhill Road, which changes from single lane tarmac to farm track, nothing spectacular riding wise (bit bumpy but never a need to dab), but as you ride over towards Chinley it always feels to me like the best view in the world unfolds. Down to Chinley, at the war memorial bear left and you travel up (well, undulating) another long single track road, surface tarmac with gravel in the middle -used just enough that it doesn't grow grass in the centre. Up to the top of that and you hit the A624 but instead of riding on that horror fest of a road you cross it, turn left along the grass verge for a very short stretch and a right turn takes you back onto bridleway, which gently glides upwards past a small quarry. It ends in a bridleway crossroads, any of which are worth exploring - I took a left and meandered down to Hayfield.

In reply to TobyA:

Curbar path is now a concessionary Bridleway.

In reply to all: Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. Some great ideas and resources. I just got a Koala seatpack from Alpkit but unfortunately they had sewn on two different halves to a buckle on it, so it is going to have to go back to them to be fixed, so that's an excuse to not bikepack this week, but possibly its a good thing as it appears on Tuesday night while climbing I cracked a rib and am getting quite a lot of pain from that, although I did ride 40 kms on my road bike yesterday and riding isn't nearly as uncomfortable as walking! Hopefully when I have some spare time next week it will be a bit less sore. I will report back on where I end up going.

Thanks again to all.

In reply to TobyA:

It's ages since I started this thread asking about CX routes, but I've finally written a 'trip report' about a two day bikepacking trip I did two weeks back that traverse a lot of the Peak! Day 1: through the White Peak and along the side of Kinder. Day 2: Down into Glossop, up Longdendale and over the Woodhead Pass, the down the Don Valley back to Sheffield. Lots of pics - although being lazy I only took my phone with me so they aren't the best resolution. http://lightfromthenorth.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/bikepacking-around-peak-dis...

Thanks again for the suggestions.