Pennine cycleway and Alton towers

[stevew]

I've got a 2 day break when I drop my daughter and friends off at Alton Towers. I'm dropping them off at about 1000 on Thursday morning and will be collecting them at 1800 on the next day.
In this rather short time I want to cycle, camp and cycle back.
My thoughts are to either cycle or drive to Ashbourne and then cycle north on the Pennine cycleway (route 68 ?)
I'm trying to make sense of this on the Sustrans web site but it's not much good.
Anyone near here or have experience of this route ?
If this is do-able has anyone a Cycle specific map I can borrow? (I already have OS 119 from the library)
I would appreciate any info you may have.
Other ideas are also welcome.

Thanks.

 

[RedBike]

Right, This is the map you want.
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Derby-to-Holmfirth

From Alton Towers continue up the bank to the B*** (can't remember) and follow that to the A52 and that road down into Ashbourne.

From Ashbourne you want the Tissington trail. The start of which is here:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?...archp=ids.srf&dn=611&ax=417702&ay=346842&lm=0
This trail is about as flat as you're going to get. Smooth enough for a road bike (just) but in wet weather you can expect a lot of muddy puddles.

Follow this trail all the way to the end, the country roads into Buxton then start climbing out of town. The ncn68 route runs almost parrallel to the A5004. If you're on a road bike then I would stick on the A5004 and re-join the offical route back at Whalley Bridge. If you stay on the main road you get to go down the aptly named long hill.

The route goes through the back lanes (it's no longer flat) and through new Mills, Gamesley. If you're on a road bike then ignore the route through Gamesley and stick to the main Glossop road down the hill.

When you reach the reservoirs your on a track i've not ridden. I think it's another well surfaced dis-used railway line. But even if it is a little rough I would stick with it. The main roads in that location aren't the most cycle friendly. (Narrow,twisty and quick).

You will eventually drop into Holmfirth where there is a campsite (holme valley). It's a respectable clean place but the camping field is seriously unlevel.

When leaving Holmfirth take the main road of town through Holme to the summit. This is a climb that you wont forget in a hurry.

Holmfirth is also the START of the pennine cycleway.
The pennine cycleway, bridleway and ncn route 68 are three different routes. - It took me ages to realise that!

 

[stevew]

Thanks for that.
Roughly how far is it from Alton to the Holmfirth camp site ?
BTW it will be on a robust flat bared tourer so the rough tracks will be fine.

 

[RedBike]

I'm not sure. About 100km I think.

 

[RedBike]

At the end of the Tissington (high peak) trail you have a choice. Left goes along route 68, whereas right goes along the Pennine Bridleway.

If you feel confident over rougher terrain then the Bridleway is worth a look. It's a slightly more scenic route. There's still a lot of road (more or less traffic free though) some rather rough sections

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptUOrXawEaM&feature=related
and the most spectacular scenery the peaks has to offer.

It merges with route 68 again just outside Glossop.

 

[PaulSB]

Right, This is the map you want.
Holmfirth is also the START of the pennine cycleway.
The pennine cycleway, bridleway and ncn route 68 are three different routes. - It took me ages to realise that!

Are you sure about this? I've ridden the PCW and it started in Derby when I rode it's full length. I have also checked the Sustrans map and apart from a short section near Derby which combines 54 and 68 it is 68 all the way.

Ashbourne to Buxton is about 24 miles, Buxton to Holmfirth is 36 miles.

I'd say the Tissington trail should be OK on your tourer, it was for me on a road bike, unless there is more heavy rain. You'll also hit the High Peak trail which is a similar surface except for the very end which had big rocks on it when I was there for perhaps 500 yards.

If you're on a road bike do NOT try to use the Longenden trail. It was awful when I rode it and i'm told it hasn't improved. I would avoid the Longenden trail regardless of the type of bike you have, I bailed out and used the A628 Woodhead pass road, you can pick up Route 68 at the top where it crosses the A628. Around the Winscar resevoir area (about 2 miles after you cross the A628) the sharp left turn is badly signed and you can miss it easily if you're flying down the hill.

 

[RedBike]

Are you sure about this? I've ridden the PCW and it started in Derby when I rode it's full length. I have also checked the Sustrans map and apart from a short section near Derby which combines 54 and 68 it is 68 all the way.

I was riding the high peak trail this weekend and I was most upset when I discovered signs for route 68 running along it. You see when I rode route 68 earlier this year following the offical map/guide I had finished at Holmfirth where the map had finished. (Which is why I haven't rode the section between Glossop and Holmfirth)

My discovery of these route 68 signs meant I hadn't done all the route (most upsetting)! I suppose it all depends on which map/guide you read as to where the pcw starts /finishes but route 68 definately goes all the way to Derby.

Good advice on the signs btw. They're somewhat hit and miss along the route.

 

[PaulSB]

My discovery of these route 68 signs meant I hadn't done all the route (most upsetting)! I suppose it all depends on which map/guide you read as to where the pcw starts /finishes but route 68 definately goes all the way to Derby.

My Sustrans map, which I got when I took part in the inaugural ride perhaps 4 years back, starts in Derby. While I know not everyone appreciates Sustrans it's their route mapping so I guess they have the better maps?

 

[RedBike]

It was a sustrans map I was using

This one
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pennine-Cycleway-South-Pennines-Dales/dp/1901389561
purchased just a month or two ago.

 

[PaulSB]

Ah I see. I met someone else with the same problem when I rode the northern section this summer. There are two maps, Derby to Holmfirth and Holmfirth to Berwick

 

[P.H]

There are two maps, Derby to Holmfirth and Holmfirth to Berwick

There's no sustrans map for the Derby to Holmfirth section, sustrans sell the Goldeneye Peak District map which shows that part. The two Sustrans maps are Holmfirth to Appleby and Appleby to Berwick.
I did it in March and enjoyed it, though for several reasons didn't stick strictly to the route;
http://www.derbyctc.org.uk/pictures/PCW/

 

[RedBike]

Did you ever do this ride?
How did it go?