Ride The Peak

 Description from Singletrack Issue 55

Along with the 18 Bikes boys, Cy Turner from Cotic helped out Benji Haworth with the Peaks Route Guide in Issue 55 of Singletrack Magazine.

Due to sending the info into them in two chunks, and some sub-editing confusion, the first half of the description of the "Train Out, Ride Back" big route was missed from the mag. Basically the big ride is based on getting a more point-to-point feel on a ride, so you get the train from Dore to Hope, and ride all the way back. Here's Cy's first section missing from the magazine:

The train out, ride back option is great for feeling like you have a destination rather than simply riding in a circle. This will take you about 4-5 hours with only look-at-the-view stops, or as long as you like with lunch breaks, etc. Get the train from Dore to Hope. Out of Hope station, ride up onto Hope Brink from the Aston road, taking in the great views out to Mam Tor as you do. Descend on the swoopy, pumpy section down to the gate on the Roman Road, and climb up to Hope Cross. Bragging rights for no dabs between the last two gates! Take the right turn here, dropping your saddle before you leave and head into 'The Beast'. This is a steep, tricky, technical descent which is completely ace. Drop all the way to the bottom of the hill, cross the bridge and climb up to the A57. Cross carefully, and up the steep climb onto Haggside. From there, straight over the top and through Lockerbrook Farm, and onto the fast, swoopy descent to Ladybower. Roll on the road down to Fairholmes visitor centre and have a well earned brew and cake. Cross the to the other side of the reservoir. Here you have options - if you're feeling good and the conditions are fine, climb up the packhorse slabs, through the stone barns and up onto Winstone Lee Tor. A-Mazing views from the top. Then follow the sweet, fast descent towards Cut Throat Bridge, remembering to cut up and right at the fork to take you back to the Ladybower Inn, and not down to Cut Throat Bridge itself. Once you've descended to Ladybower viaducts, head towards the dam on Bamford Road, but ride past and take the left up onto the road across Bamford Moor. It's a long linking section, but the views are lovely, so spin on and take your time.

And for completeness, here's the section that's in the mag, but leads on from the first bit:

The road will lead you to the North Less Estate car park. Ride past this and up the Long Causeway. This is a super techy climb that'll test the best. No dabs here deserves hero status! Once at the top, take in the view once again, then follow the trail to the right along Stannage Edge, and then turn back 180 deg onto the rocky Stannage Plantation descent. It's pretty exposed, and looks for all the world like you're going to ride off the edge, but hang with it and a fast, bumpy, packhorse stone descent will be yours. Once at the bottom and across the grassland to the road, hang a left (there's some public loos here if you want a civilised pee break) and ride up the road to the top Stannage parking area. I'm afraid this is another fairly long linking section on tarmac, but as usual with the Peak, views are stunning, so take it all in. Turn left at the top and follow the road over to Upper Burbage, and onwards towards the village of Ringinglow. When you see some woods (this is Lady Cannings Plantation), look out for a gate and Byway sign on the right. Follow this byway across Houndkirk Moors, and down to the cross roads of the byways. Turn right and follow the Houndkirk Road westwards. At the gate, turn left along the outdoor centre driveway and left again onto the A625. After a few hundred metres, some more woods will hove into view (Blacka Moor this time), and you need to drop into the top car park on the right just the road junction. Through the gap in the wall and follow some sweet singletrack. This is shown as a footpath on maps, but has just been upgraded to a bridleway so it's fine to ride. When you get to the clearing you can either turn right and drop down 'Off The Front', or straight on through the gate down 'Devil's Elbow'. Both are completely ace technical descents, but Devil's Elbow gets very muddy after rain and is pretty much permanently a bog at the bottom, so if you've had enough of slop and mud by that point, head right. These trails both come out in the same place, so follow the bottom trail out of the woods, and into the village of Dore. When you get to the Hare and Hounds pub, turn left past the parade of shops, then do a quick right/left across Dore Road and onto Limb Lane. Once you've left the village, look out for a Bridleway sign on your right at the top of a driveway. This will take you down through Ecclesall Woods and back to Abbeydale Road South and Dore Station. Peaks out-and-back; DONE!

As mentioned, the maps and various other routes are in Singletrack Magazine, Issue 55. You can buy back issues from them if you don't have it, or check out the OS Map OL1 if you want to find the route for yourself on a proper map. Maybe a different take on your Peaks riding if you're heading up over Easter?