Just because of the catchy name, Peak District, you want to visit this national park in the middle of the England. In the Derbyshire county, east of the cities of Nottingham and Sheffield, you’ll find beautiful roads and peaks with names like ‘Long Hill’, ‘Axe Edge’, ‘Cat & Fiddle’, ‘Mam Tor’ and ‘Winnats Pass’. Even place names like Windmill and Bakewell will bring a smile to many people’s faces. We went on a quest to discover some of the highlights in this beautiful region. Will you be cycling in the Peak District next time?
The park itself
This hilly area was the first national park in England in the 1950s. It is not only located in Derbyshire, but also covers part of Cheshire, Staffordshire and other counties. You can roughly divide the park into two parts:
- Dark Peak: this is the rougher, most northern part of the park. You will also find the highest peaks here, including Kinder Scout, with 636 meters the highest point
- White Peak: this is the lower part, mainly in the south, with large limestone plateaus. This part is up to 400 meters high and is actually somewhat surrounded by Dark Peak.
In the park you will find several villages, including the spa resort of Buxton, where a visit to the local Buxton Brewery is a must. Of course, many old castles or manor houses are also located in this park (it’s just a matter of how you look at it. You can find all the information on the site of the tourism agency
Cycling
The park offers a variety of cycling options. There are a significant number of trails that are traffic-free and are excellent for a nice gravel ride or a ride on an ATB/MTB. For example, the Tideswell & Millersdale route runs along an old railway line. In 30 kilometers, you will cover 527 meters of elevation gain (mostly) on unpaved terrain.
The roads around the village of Matlock, from which you can have a wonderful view of the surrounding area, are also definitely worth a visit. They are also quite steep, with 700hm over almost 40km of cycling.
But let’s get back to the road for a moment, because that’s what we’d like to see too. In the park itself, the roads are well maintained and you can go in all sorts of different directions. What definitely shouldn’t be missed on your route is a ride past Winnats Pass and Mam Tor.
Winnats Pass
The name Winnats Pass is again derived from ‘windy gates’ because it can be so windy here. You have to take that into account and definitely don’t put on too high of wheels. This magnificent hill is only 2.5 kilometers long, but the view is truly spectacular. Be careful though, as the average on this climb is 9.2% and there is a difference of 18(!)% between the highest and lowest points. Make sure you get some rest at the top and enjoy the view. When you look from above, it almost seems as if there’s a kind of crater in the earth through which this pass goes through. A must-do if you’re here.
Peaslows
If you’re heading towards Winnats Pass anyway, you can combine this nicely with another tough climb called Peaslows. Start in the village of Chapel-en-le-Frith (what’s in a name) and you’ll go via Sparrowpit to Winnatspas. Then you’ll take this climb. You can’t really call it a warm-up because it’s only 11% on average over almost 2 kilometers. If you’re not already warm, you’ll be puffing at the top.
Peaslows, High Peak, UK, United Kingdom
• Distance: 1.6 km, Elevation gain: 158 m, Average grade: 9.9 %
Mam Tor
This ‘Mother Hill’ in the Peak district is stunning. What more do we need to say with pictures like these? As for the climb itself, you have two options. From the north or from the south. The southern variant starts quite steeply at 7% for a few kilometers but then really flattens out to a total of 0 to go up the last few hundred meters for a bit more steep climb.
The northern variant, from the town of Hope, has a very long uphill stretch of 9 kilometers, between 2% and 5%, before it suddenly shoots up the hill for the final two kilometers. You then drive 1 kilometer at an average of 11%, so that’s quite a bit of effort.
Snake Pass
This one should also be on the list. Especially because it feels like a real climb. You can go up almost seven kilometers at an average of 5.3%. The climb is very gradual, which is why this might be the ideal training climb in this area. The landscape almost makes you think of Sweden or Canada with its trees. But it is really England.
Route and more
If you want to drive through Winnats Pass, you can also take in some other beautiful sights in the area. Here’s a taste.
In addition to the above, there is much more to explore. What more could you want in a park that is almost 1500 kilometers long? All the information about visiting this magnificent area can be found on the website of The Peak District. If it works out this year (2021), you’ll also be celebrating the 70th anniversary of this park. Isn’t that great?
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.