| 1. North up Fairield Road A6 as far as Selecta Tyre, turn right, past the golf course and then left at the T junction just before the Waterswallows Recycling Centre. Pass the (currently under construction) huge new Buxton Mineral Water Bottling Plant, then right onto Batham Gate.
Up the hill and down again through Peak Dale, over the railway, a slight rise up to Small Dale, and take the right turn for Wheston.
Very pleasant ride across the rolling farmland. Turn right at the T junction (Pennine Bridleway is straight on at this point) then first left to drop very scenically into Peter Dale, up the other side to Wheston, then on and down steeply into Tideswell.
Get to the main road past the parish church: choice of routes! pass Markovitz and Taste of Tideswell on the left and turn sharp right up the steep hill signposted Litton. More rolling farmland.
Left in the village by the cross and follow this road down to the A623 at Wardlow Mires and turn right. First right - beware fast traffic - and then first left at the bottom of Wardlow village.
Grind away now all the way to the top of Longstone Edge: about 160m climb. Worth it when you sweep around to the right just past the summit and get the views over Hassop and the Derwent valley. Downhill all the way to Great Longstone, down to the the main road by the railway bridge and turn left. Away to Hassop station, onto the Monsal Trail, heading west.
Dodge the dogs and children all the way to Wye Dale/Blackwell , then 4 miles back home on the main A6. Because it's a bendy road here the traffic travels at a reasonable speed! |