Want to ride to Leicester in the coming week rather than taking the car. Any ideas on routes as there are a lot of main roads that I would prefer to miss.

Currently thinking Sheffield via Chatsworth and Matlock but then my knowledge of the roads runs out.

Any ideas?

On mtb or road-bike? If you’ve got a smartphone the bikehub app* will give you a route which includes the sustrans network and other cycle paths.

*EDIT: free on android phones

Will be on the road bike – want to keep to the roads for speed but don’t want to be cycling down the side of a duel carriageway either.

I can make it to Matlock on nice roads but then I have no idea on which roads to take.

If you want to do Matlock, then I don’t think you can avoid doing Derby too – unless you’re happy with a really contorted route.

Cross the Trent near Melbourne and keep heading south to Ibstock?