My ‘go-to’ Peaks ride (I call it the five-up, five-down) is:
Start at Ladybower Inn – climb to Derwent Edge and descend to the reservoir via the flags.
Ride round through Fairholmes to the Bridge End car park and climb from here. Traverse along to Hagg Farm and descend the swithcbacks all the way across the road to the river.
Ride along bank of res to the concessional track to Wooller Knoll. Climb this and turn right at the top, dropping at speed to the Roman Road.
Ride the Roman road northwards and descend Blackley Hey (potato alley). Cross the A57 and climb through Rowlee Farm to the cross-trails at the top of the Hagg Farm switchbacks. Turn left to Lockerbrook and descend the ‘Screaming Mile’ to the reservoir. Turn right onto the road and ride back to Fairholmes.
Now ride back to the bottom of the flagstones you descended earlier and reverse the first climb and descent.
As others have said, there is a cheeky from here – but it seems to be sensitive from the point of view of local riders – and the alternative legit trail is just as much fun IMO. Exercise a degree of sense here – cheeky does not combine well with busy times of day(!)
As mentioned above, Cut Gate out and back is a great ride too – and you can bolt on a couple of bits at the Ladybower end to turn it into a real epic (at least epic in my terminology).