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I'm trying to put together a long distance (off road as much as possible) route from home up to the white peak and back. I have plotted parts of the route but have got stuck on the bit from Rowsley back to Cromford.
Does anyone have local knowledge they would like to offer on a way down avoiding some of the double chevron road hills marked on the map.
You can get from Rowsley to Matlock along the valley bottom predominantly off-road, using the riverside path to Darley Dale, over Darley Bridge and then a combination of the gated road and railway path. Then it's only a mile or two of road to Cromford.
Alternatively if you climb out of Rowsley up the first bit of Rowsley Bar there is a track along Darley hillside that then turns sharp left and takes you up onto Beeley Moor. From there you can do bit and bit of off-road to the top of Riber then bomb it down Bilberry Knoll to halfway between Cromford and High Peak junction. If you're cheeky you can get right down to HPJ.
Thnaks for that LS
I don't suppose anyone has a GPX of the valley route?
I'd go Rowsley to Darley Bridge (either on a6 or on the naughty riverside path), then gated road to snitterton, then up the bridleway over the hill to Bonsall. I'd then go up the bridleway from Bonsall to above the quarry. At that point I'd get off my bike and walk down the fabulous bit of singletrack into Cromford, on account of it suddenly turning into a footpath there.
The bridleway to Bonsall is stupidly steep, mainly a push for me, but it is over pretty quick and followed by a nice descent.
Although I'd be interested in knowing if there is a good way to Riber from Beeley Moor without climbing up the silly steep road climb from Starkholmes Road?
Oh, and in case you don't know, the canal is closed from High Peak Junction to the other side of the tunnel right now, until late this year - obvious possible detours are via Holloway (stinking great road climb / descent ), or up High Peak Trail, take a left onto the other bridleway, then at the end of that, go round into Shining Cliff, or possibly naughty way round that comes down near the other end of the tunnel, but I don't know the details of that as I've never ridden it.
or possibly naughty way round that comes down near the other end of the tunnel, but I don't know the details of that as I've never ridden it.
Is well worth riding but do it from North to South, i think this is actually signposted as the diversion route for the canal. Seems fair game to me if the canal is closed 😉
Legspin mail me at ssboggy at googlemail.com and i'll send you a gpx of a route i did earlier in the year which should give you a few ideas
Is well worth riding but do it from North to South, i think this is actually signposted as the diversion route for the canal. Seems fair game to me if the canal is closed
Out of interest,Does it have any stiles or sections too narrow for a trailer?
Hey Soggy I think you gave me this route ages back,
legspin have a look at the matlock Beeley Loop, here[url= http://mtbmonkey.com/RoutesDerbyShire.html ]Rowsley bit[/url]
There are some stiles though, the bit straight out of Rowsley by the river might be too technical for a trailer but there is a easier bit which also runs parallel to the river, you will probably end up on this anyway as its easy to miss the single track section by the river
There are some stiles though, the bit straight out of Rowsley by the river might be too technical for a trailer but there is a easier bit which also runs parallel to the river, you will probably end up on this anyway as its easy to miss the single track section by the river
Sorry, I meant the diversion on the canal - any chance you know if that has stiles on it?
cheers,
Joe
Out of interest,Does it have any stiles or sections too narrow for a trailer?
The only stile iirc is getting back on to the top of the tunnel at the south end but there are some pretty narrow sections, the last bit before the tunnel is fairly narrow and very off camber and is interesting to ride in the wet so not suitable for a trailer
I rode down the Cromford canal a few weeks ago, at the closure I just dropped on to the A6 rode about a mile down the pavement to the little visitor centre.
Thanks for the rowsley route my plan is starting to take shape im guessing it will be 70 to 80 miles hope my legs will hold out.
Couple of routes sent Legspin, iirc the longer one was 60miles strting from Ripley
Today I did my route 81 miles in total, A big you to you guys for the route along the river. It was a lot more pleasant than going along the A6.
Thanks Chaps