Hi folks

Off to Carsington with the inlaws for a long weekend tomorrow. I'm after a 3-4 hour escape on the road bike, so rather than just looking at the road map, anyone have any suggestions for a nice scenic loop to take in the best bits the white peak has to offer? Answers tonight if possible please, off early tomorrow!

Cheers

Tom

No one? Bump for the after tea crowd……

I'd take the mountain bike, loads of great rides round there – pretty easy to find off the OS map, and we've had good weather recently, trails are nice.

If you must road bike though, a few ideas, –

A load of stonking good hills but not all on perfectly kept roads (I'd happily ride it on my 23mm tyres) – http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3537188

Flattish ride for the area (although still probably 500m of climbing over the route) http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3537173

Good cafes in Wirksworth (french place on the square, or I think there's a bakery too), Cromford (nice but odd veggie café at Scarthin Books, or the greasy spoon at the crossroads),

Each of those is probably about 2 hours each for me, I'm not that serious a road biker, more of a commuter bike pootler, but I am used to riding in hills!

You can extend either by going out and back on the A6 further to the North – the A6 is a great road bike road – fast, smooth, great scenery in parts and if you ride it at a weekend, you are almost guaranteed to find some other road bikers to draft with. Lots of cafes along it too.

Or just a nice ride on the A6 out to Edensor and Bakewell, some nice hills and lots of fast A roads.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3537203

Joe

Oh, or you could go west through Ashbourne and then out towards Dovedale, which is very beautiful (nice walk too), but I don't know the roads to cycle on.

Joe

Cheers. Hills not a problem, I live in the lakes and have few flat options. Would like to bring the mtb but for various bizarre reasons the road bike is the only choice this weekend!

Out of carsington into hopton, first left up "the dean" this will get your heart pumping , towards longcliffe. At crossroads turn right towards Middleton then left at the t.. Head all the way down past the rising sun pub. Over the crossroads towards bolehill, at the t turn left towards cromford. Fast fast downhill. As stated prior stop at greasy spoon then right at the lights onto a6 towards belper. In belper turn right towards wirksworth/Ashbourne. Carry on into
shottle, at lights turn right and head to wirksworth. Middle of wirksworth turn left up "west end" final death climb back towards hopton/ carsington! Lovely loop not an idea how far but picks up some great scenery and required stops at pubs shops etc 🙂
if you want the road numbers let me know

Thanks all.

Ended up heading west through Tissington, Thorpe to Ilam, then north up and down the moors to Hulme End, east to the main road, left down the A road nearly to Cromford, up and over through Middleton and through Wirksworth, then round the reservoir back to carsington. 45 miles ish, really lovely (hilly) and varied ride. Head wind horrible, tail wind lovely!