I have a pass out for next Sunday and was thinking about riding this route rather than just driving to Ladybower or Hayfield and riding familiar stuff.

What I really want to know is has any of this route been DCC’d with road planings or otherwise spoilt? It looks a great route, and from my (limited) white peak riding experience, I doubt it could be in much better nick than right now.

All I want to avoid is spending a whole day doing a glorified road ride!

Any advice gratefully accepted.

I did the route last year so I can’t really comment on whether parts of it have been covered in chippings since or not. I don’t remember any of it like that at all, I remember it was mostly off-road though, none of it particularly tech but still great fun, that climb out of darley dale is a killer.
I have done the Linacre classic earlier this year and enjoyed that tremendously, of the two I would say the Linacre route is better, but it’s all subjective and you’ll have fun on either. I have the gpx for both and all the white peak vb book routes, if you need them email on profile.

The first 50-100 metres of the first off road climb out of Darley Dale (the left turn after the hairpins and cottages) has been DCC’d but thereafter the deep rutted gully with large stones is still there.

Couldn’t understand why they’ve done just that bit but it was a bugger of a climb to keep traction on.
Other than that I can’t think of anything else that’s been “improved”.

Thanks for the replies. I have ummed and ahhhhhd for ages about riding this route, then just blasted up to the Dark Peak and ridden the rough stuff. Given the reasonable weather of late, and wanting to ride some different stuff, I’m really looking forward to it.

It’s a great route, one of my favourites,
However between points 2/3 in the book Chatsworth estate have resurrected a quarry and it was horrid last time I went through.
If at point 2 you go straight across the road onto the broken road section to the next road,Turn left here.
Follow road down to the track that takes you into Chatsworth

Once we’re in chatsworth we tend to go through edensor, up and over to the golf course desent which is great!!
Check the bakewell circuit for directions!!