Planning a bit of Dad-Core at the weekend and fancy taking the little one out in her trailer. Can get to these 3 trails easy enough and was wondering if any of them is more interesting than the rest? (Yes I know they are all railway lines).
If I go for the High Peak I can start around Cromford Wharf and follow it to High Peak junction I think, before coming down the Tissington trail and cutting across and back to the High Peak. This seems like it'll be a little more interesting than the straight out and back of the Monsal trail? Have ridden the High Peak before - it was the start of a route in MBUK in about 1992 I think, but I'm also wondering if there are any Pubs/Cafes that we could stop at along the way?
One other thing - do any of the trails have lots of gates - the anti vehicle gates on the Transpennine trail near Dunford Bridge/Penistone are only just doable with the trailer and I don't want the faff of having to take my little girl out of the trailer to unhitch it and carry through.
Cheers, Ben.
I can only speak for the Monsal trail. End to end and back is about 20 miles or so. My 2 year old loves it. Go up to the Buxton ed first and there is a shop/cafe, down to Hassop for lunch/cake, then in to Bakewekk to feed the ducks. Back to Hassop for more cake. Done 🙂
Really enjoyable for kids with tunnels, bridges/viaducts, lots of rabbits, varied scenery, rivers, dramatic views (into water cum jolly), easy to make up stories based on the landscape also
I've ridden Belper to tissington to high peak with a double trailer, and had no problems with gates - they hire trailers on both.
There is a sustrans link between high peak and tissington at minninglow and biggin that looks like a short cut . It is doable with a trailer, but I would ride to the junction of the two instead, it is quicker than the hilly and loose and rocky 'short cut'. Was a bit scary on a 23mm tyre road bike!
High Peak from High Peak Junction car park at Cromford is the only climb - start and end there, and you get a long descent to finish on. Proper good climb with a trailer too. Tissington trail is probably slightly prettier though.
Brilliant kids playground at Cromford behind the school (little way up the wirksworth road then left).
Foodwise, loads of cafes in Cromford and ashbourne, other than that, Middleton top I think sells food, so does black rocks, oh and a kiosk in tissington , but nothing else. I take a picnic.
Oh and Monsal Trail has amazing views at one end, nice but busy cafes (lots of them at bakewell, plus hassop station) , and I think is fine with the trailer, bit too much of a ride out from Belper for us so far, but mates have done it with a trailer since the tunnels opened and didn't report any problems. If your kids are old enough, if you take em out of the trailer at bakewell just above the agriculture centre and walk onto the footpath that goes over the trail there, just down the path towards bakewell there are usually big furry alpacas in a field - my 15 month old thought they were pretty special!
Oh yeah, in case you don't know about it, another local recommendation is Carsington Water - we've done that a few times. Only an 8 mile loop, so good place for non regular cyclists too, and a nice cafe, big playground etc.
Of the three, Monsal is a bit more interesting, what with the tunnels and the viaduct at Monsal head. Great sausage butties at Hassop as well. The top ends of both HP and Tissington are pretty dull, but you can make a longer route out of them. I wouldn't fancy towing a trailer up the first two HP inclines, mind 🙂
Of the three, my daughter much prefers Monsal. But then she's riding her own bike, not in a trailer.
I wouldn't fancy towing a trailer up the first two HP inclines, mind
My plan for next weekend is to tow trailer with daughter and tent / camping gear up the high peak trail, that could be fun!
Thanks for all the suggestions and advice so far. I'd forgotten about the climbs on the High Peak! Towing really does make you feel them!
the anti vehicle gates on the Transpennine trail near Dunford Bridge/Penistone are only just doable with the trailer
i used to carry a couple of 3ft planks to sort that - strapped on top with bungees - still a pain but avoids waking up and associated wailing by both parties
Ended up on the Monsal trail. My wife has hardly ridden since our little girl arrived 5 months ago, so we reckoned that 20 flat miles would be enough for her, she didn't fancy the climb on the High Peak when she looked at the map!
Food at Hassop was very good and trail is pretty interesting what with all the tunnels etc. However, I couldn't believe how busy it was, I don't think I've ever ridden such a busy trail. The range of people and bikes was a suprise too - we passed people on hire bikes, electric bikes, cross bikes, road bikes, Bromptons and of course the blokes on a couple of grands worth of fully suspended Specialized's with all the gear for an alpine epic and a wife on a BSO trailing along in their wake!
We had a good day out - the little one is happy as long as there is trees to look at and I keep moving fast enough! I'd definately recommend it for others with trailers. I never got a close look at any of the hire trailers, but they looked pretty resonable if your kids are old enough to sit up properly on their own. (Ours has a special insert thingie for tiny tots to give them the support they need, and I'm assuming that the hire centres don't have these).
Thanks for the advice folks!
I went up there yesterday after seeing this post. Enjoyed it - cool tunnels.
Good run on the way down to Bakewell nice and early, however a bit slow going on the back up. Two walkers taking up the whole path, families stopped to look around but taking up the whole path & verge.
Will be doing it again. Varied customers as mentioned above. Full sus cannodales to boneshakers 🙂
I don't think I've ever ridden such a busy trail. The range of people and bikes was a suprise too - we passed people on hire bikes, electric bikes, cross bikes, road bikes, Bromptons and of course the blokes on a couple of grands worth of fully suspended Specialized's with all the gear for an alpine epic and a wife on a BSO trailing along in their wake!
I did it on Saturday with my mate and his 9-year-old twin boys - it was generally ace and they loved the tunnels. If the muppet who almost knocked one of the kids off when he came flying past shouting 'get out of my way' reads this, all I can say is that you should be ashamed of yourself. It's a busy mixed use trail full of families, children, dogs etc and you showed absolutely no consideration for the safety of others.
I asked Oli, the little boy who you caused to crash when you shot past an inch off his bars, what he would have said to you if you'd stopped - I know what I would have said and it wouldn't have been as polite - and he said: 'I'd have told him that I'm just a nine-year-old boy while he's a grown-up and should have more sense than that.'
Good run on the way down to Bakewell nice and early, however a bit slow going on the back up. Two walkers taking up the whole path, families stopped to look around but taking up the whole path & verge.
How very dare they 😉