@peakdistrict is made for riding

I spent the last day of summer 2013 (Mon 22 July) out in the Peak District but sadly not on two wheels - it was too hot anyway and the hound can't ride so I was a bit stuck. However, cycling is never very far from you if you know where to look.
Heading through Buxton we decided to go and have a butchers at the Tissington Trail - a bridleway cum cycle track on the bed of a disused railway line.
Parsley Hay is the first landmark on the path from the north and the place where many begin. There's a cheap pay and display car park, one of those cafes which is just a hatch in the wall and, most importantly, a bike hire shop which caters for everyone. You can hire bikes for kids, tandems, those chariot trailer things and wheelchair bike - all in all a jolly good set up. There's also a shop selling a few bike related bits and bobs (picked up some new mits which where on offer) and some standard tourist stuff like fridge magnets and wot not.  
As we were on foot we didn't cover the full 15 mile distance in the searing 25 degree heat, but managed a six mile walk along the flat crushed stone surface.
The path was really good: wide enough to ride and get past couples with their loony dog and well surfaced. 
Its interesting to see the area being reclaimed by nature from its rail days. Sure there are bridges, tunnels and cuttings, but the edges are softened by green stuff. Looks good.
Derbyshire - and the Peak National Park in particular - has really cottoned on to the potential of the region for cycling.
As well as infrastructure like the Tissington Trail, they are, in September, hosting an entire festival of cycling.
The imaginatively named Peak District Cycling Festival runs from September 7th to the 15th and has all manner of events associated with it - I might fancy a pop at the Grindleford Goat. The festival does seem to lack a focal point though. You know, a major event around which the whole festival hangs. Some kind of major launch event or some such. Anyways maybe next time. 
The Peak District is superb for riding and is well worth a visit if you have never been.

That's Winnats Pass in the background

Many will be there next year for the 'Yorkshire' stages of le Tour but how will Derbyshire let them know they've left Yorkshire? One to ponder. 

Le Tour visits Oldham (nearly)

Even though the Tour isn't actually coming to Saddleworth, it hasn't stopped The Oldham Chronicle getting into a big fizz about yesterday's route announcement.

Something is happening close by, next summer

With the climb of Holme Moss confirmed and the route taking the peleton back to Sheffield along the Woodhead Pass, the ride will actually pop into Derbyshire very briefly and this is enough for the Chron to seek out the views and opinions of the town's great and good.
For example, Natalie Goas from The Old Bell in Delph is hoping to put up the entire entourage of the tour in the 18 rooms she has available, while Tim Mitchell from Saddleworth Clarion is excited because '...it's like having the World Cup of cycling virtually on our doorstep.' and finally Larry Wells thinks its great as the race will be '...more or less on our doorstep.'
Can't blame them for getting excited, I am too, even if East Yorkshire has been sadly overlooked.  Oh well, there's always next year, oh, wait...

Beautiful day in the Peaks

Lovely ride out today in the autumnal sunshine. Route was something like: Chorlton, Stockport, Marple, Hayfield, Chinley, Whaley Bridge, Kettleshulme, Windgather, Dead Man's Hill, Blaze Hill, Pott Shrigley, Poynton, Bramhall, Cheadle, Didsburyshire and back to Chorlton.
Plenty of people out on their bikes today too - always good to see.

Hit the North

I've always counted myself to be very fortunate to live in the north west.  Not only for the famed hospitality, humour and fine baked pastry products, but it you have an enjoyment of the great outdoors, you really are spoilt for choice in this neck of the woods.
Within a couple of drive you can get to pretty much anywhere in North Wales, the Lake District or England's best attempt at wilderness around Kielder Forest in Northumberland.
Other parts of this sceptered isle will no doubt lay claim to similar fortuitous locations but if you add in the fact that an hour's ride from Manchester city centre, you can find yourself lost in the magnificent surroundings of the Derbyshire Peak District which bleed seamlessly into Staffordshire and the plains of Cheshire, then the North West does have a great claim to being the UK's best cycling region - especially which you factor in the the wonderful roads around the Trough of Bowland.
It appears that I am not alone in this view.
Every week, Cycling Weekly publishes a training ride with a significant figure from UK cycling.  The idea, presumably, is to provide a bit of insight into the rides 'the pros do' and to inspire and educate the enthusiast to try different routes or expand their horizons.
While the feature covers all four corners of the North West is regularly represented with this week's entry being a case in point.
Russell and Dean Downing take the Weekly readers on a ride along the Hope Valley in Derbyshire along familiar roads to club cyclists from the North West - although we'd usually approach from the west.

Route around Derbyshire in this week's Cycling weekly

Now maybe the region has an unfair advantage as British Cycling is based in Manchester with much of the squad being based here too.
But they're here for a reason or reasons.  One of those must be the access to tough but relatively quiet roads.
Ride safe