Peak District Adventure Holidays – Mountain Biking
The Peak District is a popular cycling destination at the weekends for cycling clubs that have been formed for almost eighty years including Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, and Derby.
One of the gathering points for cyclists is the Fairholmes Centre in the Upper Derwent Valley. This is an extremely popular location for mountain bikers and road cyclists as it follows a simple route around the reservoirs.
However, it must be noted that some of the route is only suitable for rugged mountain bikes.
Mountain biking has become and increasingly popular sport over recent years, and what better place to undertake this sport than in the beautiful Peak District, especially the White Peak.
White Peak where rallies are mostly held along with set circular courses which run through steep narrow dales, such as Long Dale and Gratton Dale.
Apart from mountain biking and road cycling, there are a number of cycling trails which follow the routes of old railway lines that run through the spectacular scenery of the Peak. These routes are free to use and the ideal ride for the entire family.
When cycling, you will discover that there are six excellent cycling trails for the real leisure cyclist. These trails are located along level railway routes through the Peak and include:
• High Peak Trail;
• Longendale Trail;
• Manifold & Hamps Valley Trail;
• Monsal Trail;
• Sett Valley Trail; and
• Tissington Trail.
The High Peak Trail runs from High Peak Junction beyond Cromford Wharf, to Dowlow which is just south of Buxton. This trail has a distance of seventeen and a half miles.
The Longendale Trail runs along the level floor of the Longendale Valley on the old Light Railway track, offering some fantastic views.
The Manifold & Hamps Trail is on the south and west of the region. It runs from Hulme End to Waterhouses, along the old Manifold Light Railway. There is cycle hire at the old station in Waterhouses.
This trail runs along the river in Manifold valley. It is an extremely popular location for excursions to Thors Cave, which is set high in the limestone hills above.
The Monsal Trail is eight and a half miles long, and runs along the old track bed of the Midland Railway from Coombs Viaduct, which is a mile south of Bakewell Station, to Blackwell Mill Junction at the head of Chee Dale, which is approximately three miles south of Buxton.
However, the trail is interrupted by four closed tunnels, for which parts are unsuitable for cyclists.
The Sett Valley Trail lies in the north of the region, and runs through the breathtaking countryside from Hayfield to New Mills which makes it a pleasant level cycling route.
The Tissington Trail is one that is extremely popular to people that come cycling in the Peak District. It runs from Ashbourne thirteen miles northward to Parsley Hay, along old London and North Western Railway Company’s Ashbourne to Buxton line. There are cycle hire centres located at either end of the trail that are open from Easter to October.
Once you have enjoyed your days cycling if you are fortunate enough to be staying in one of the Peak District luxury hotels or Peak District spa hotels you will of course want to relax and unwind with a nice gentle swim in the hotel pool or perhaps a relaxing session in the Jacuzzi before retiring to bed for the next days cycling adventure.
The Peak District National Park simply beckons cyclists of all ages and abilities to indulge their passion for cycling. It really is no wonder that more and more people are travelling to undertake some breathtaking cycling in the Peak District.
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