The area is ideal for cycling - on a road bike, mountain bike or hybrid type. Enjoy the spectacular countryside on quiet lanes and traffic-free trails. Pretty villages, superb views, interesting history, fascinating wildlife and geology - it's all here for you to enjoy.
Traffic-free Trails
The Derbyshire Dales has the best traffic free multi-user trails in the country, with miles of former railway lines offering quiet cycling and fabulous views.
The White Peak Loop (WPL)
This 60 mile circular White Peak Loop through the heart of the Peak District is currently under development. However the main parts of it are open and offer superb traffic-free cycling.
Monsal Trail
The Monsal Trail is a 8.5 mile traffic free route through some of the most spectacular limestone dales in the Derbyshire Dales. It passes through four spectacular railway tunnels - Headstone Tunnel, Cressbrook Tunnel, Litton Tunnel, Chee Tor Tunnel (which are lit during normal daylight hours) and offers spectacular views of the valley of the River Wye.
The trail runs along the former Midland Railway line between Blackwell Mill, in Chee Dale and Coombs Road, at Bakewell.
Access points with cycle hire include Hassop Station and Wye Dale carpark (on the A6 near Buxton).
Matlock to Rowsley Cycle Path
The Matlock to Rowsley cycle path, part of the White Peak Loop, runs for 5 miles along the valley of the River Derwent and largely follows the route of the former Midland Railway. It provides a safe off road route for walkers, cyclists and is fully accessible including being available for motorised mobility scooters and children’s pushchairs.
The route enjoys great views of the valley and the surrounding hills. It is easy to access from Rowsley (Station Road car park) , Darley Dale (Station Road) and Matlock (A6 opposite ARC Leisure). Why not start at one end and take a half way break at the popular Terrace Café at the Whitworth Centre at Darley Dale?
High Peak Trail
The High Peak Trail runs for 17 miles from Dowlow (53.2059°N 1.8349°W) near Buxton to High Peak Junction at Cromford (53.1004°N 1.5354°W). This traffic-free trail enjoys splendid views of the surrounding limestone countryside.
Originally built as the High Peak Railway, the line first opened in 1831 to carry minerals and goods across the high ground between Cromford Canal and the Peak Forest Canal.
Cycle hire is available at Middleton Top.
Tissington Trail
The traffic-free Tissington Trail runs for 13 miles from Parsley Hay (53.1706°N 1.7828°W) in the north to Ashbourne (53.0196°N 1.7397°W) in the south along the route of the former London and North Western Railway (LNWR). Cyclists, walkers and horse riders on the Trail enjoy superb views across the 'White Peak' plateau.
The railway first opened in 1899 and closed around seventy years later. The beautifully preserved signal box near Hartington is a reminder of the railway days.
Cycle hire is available at both ends of the linear trail, at Parsley Hay and Ashbourne.
Cycle Routes
Complete with OS maps and helpful advice our four 'Journeys by Bicycle' maps are carefully researched routes. They offer the very best of the Derbyshire Dales on two wheels. Each of the 4 maps includes five cycle routes - with OS maps and helpful descriptions. The routes have been chosen to offer you some of the best places to visit using quiet lanes with minimal traffic. Along the way you will find an abundance of cycle friendly places to stop for refreshments. There are a few stretches of main roads, please take special care here as well as at road crossings.
The four maps are included in our Cycle Pack, available to order online for a small fee (£1.10 inc p&p).
