MCJnr has a meeting in Chesterfield next Saturday morning, so I was thinking of heading out towards Chatsworth end of the Peaks for 2-3 with the road bike after I’ve dropped him off.

I don’t know the Chesterfield/Sheffield corner of the Peaks that well. Where would be a good place to park up and leave the car safely while I ride, and any suggestions for a 2-3 hour loop for a somewhat overweight and out of condition MAMIL?

Cheers

What do you want?
Views, climbs, flat bits, etc?

Assuming you dont want to ride out on a stupid A road then drive to either Walton or Holymoorside and park up
Its pretty tough to go wrong really.

Id suggest looking at Beeley Moor and looping something from there
Turn left at the bottom and head for Rowsley then Alport and Youlgreave
Up Long Rake to almost Parsley Hay then back via Monyash – if you have time then swing to Horse Lane at the back of Monyash for a quieter road back to Bakewell

Not sure how long the above would take you but at a guess 3h would be about right

& why wouldn’t you take a MTB in such a beautiful part of the world?
The white peak’s gorgeous for mtbing, plenty round matlock, bakewell et al.

Cheers, that’s the kind of loop I was thinking of, although I can touch the bottom end of that area riding from home.

A bit of map bothering has just made me think I could use this as an attempt at cleaning Winnats Pass for the first time. Maybe park at the bottom cattle grid to give me a marginally better chance…..

jekkyl – sad to say, in 15 years living in Derbyshire I have only ridden a road bike in the Peaks, never taken my mountain bike. I’m no longer a wannabe roadie, more a was-abe mountain biker 😕

Definitely park in one of the western suburbs/villages such as Old Brampton, Holymoorside, Barlow etc. and head off from there. First few miles all uphill though! If you aren’t very fit then Winnats and back will only really be doable if you ride straight over to the Hope valley, attack it and then head back without any loops. Alternatively drive out to Hathersage and start there.
Wherever you go will be good though, everything west of town is solid road riding.