(Route suggested by Richard Attwood)
This will be a nice max 30 mile route, quiet and scenic if you have the time (5-6 hrs?) – this way of describing it is based on/makes most sense using an Explorer scale OS map (paper or app)
We know most of it, some is a punt using Cyclestreets – https://www.cyclestreets.net/ journey/70641524/#quietest – (eg the track from Calver to Rowland – which avoids horrid road so worth a go, and not tried the Great North Trail bit up from the end of Monsal trail to Blackwell.)
If you don’t have it, I recommend the £24 OS app – https://www.ordnancesurvey.co. uk/shop/os-maps-online.html – its a no brainer showing sustrans cycle routes and Bridleways and I have used road colours in route description below – its a massive help.
Start @ Norfolk Arms
– up yellow ringinglow rd to burbage
– L where cars park through gate down new bridleway (BW) tracking along below burbage rocks
– x red road below fox house pub and L through woods on path running // to rd along/up to brown grindleford rd
– x straight over brown rd and str on down drive to Longshaw caff
– R down onto path/BW past front of caff, through kissing gate and all way along good tracks to join red calver rd just above grouse pub
– down red rd past grouse/chequers inn and L @ T to calver xrds
– str over xroads and on up brown rd toward Hassop
– just after calver high st on L, take long BW track on R steep up and sharp L along past deep rake to rowland (CS says take footpath (FP) off road on the R opp high st and push along to said BW, joining at the sharp L) – this section of track calver to rowland is hard work/push, but avoids section of fast narrow brown rd to hassop)
– at rowland take yellow rd down to join the hassop to great longstone brown rd (CS says take long FP L to gt longstone!!)
– L along this to and through gt longstone, direction little longstone
– as leave gl take yellow rd L past school down to monsal trail
– go R/west all way along trail to Buxton end
– take BW L steep up (push/use walk Assist!) – should be named ‘great north trail’ and/or ‘pennine bridleway’ for next few sections
– L at top and track R round to blackwell
– join yellow rd @ bend and go short L to red rd
– x over red road on to track
– L @ T junction with Senner lane track (CS says take short FP diag R to avoid this junction…?)
– L uphill on pilwell lane track
– this becomes a yellow rd
– on past yellow rd joining from L to yellow rd xrds
– str over and along track – this is midshires way for next few sections to the high peak trail (HPT)
– join yellow rd and along to red rd
– x over and turn R on short cycle route other side of hedge
– L down rough track
– L onto HPT
– down HPT past Royal Oak pub to parsley hay then get off HPT and go L up brown road past Darley farm
– L @ T junction and down fab brown rd (long dale) to T junction
– R on bigger road down into hartington
– from here to Lea (15 mile) is pretty straightforward using route 548 (be careful to take SECOND left track when cycling up out of Hartington!)and on through Biggin (good pub) and still on 548 to join HPT and along and down inclines and over A6/canal and R, then L up Lea Rd….
Gorgeous!!
Rich