March 2017 | 79
The upland area known as The Peak District offers a patchwork of English culture as it spans across numerous regions : mainly situated in northern Derbyshire it also includes parts of Cheshire , Greater Manchester , Staffordshire and Yorkshire . This makes a cycling holiday rather appealing from the outset ; all those café stops each offering local cakes- we ’ re packing the I-Spy Book of Cakes . The National Park was opened in 1951 and with its proximity to the cities of Manchester and Sheffield and easy access by road and rail , it attracts millions of visitors every year . It ’ s an area of great diversity , split into the northern Dark Peak , where most of the moorland is found and whose geology is gritstone , and the southern White Peak , where most of the population lives and whose geology is mainly limestone . Booking is recommended at holiday times and weekends throughout the year . Our trip promised a slice of luxury with the loan of a motorhome from The Caravan Club . The sheer size of it installed trepidation ; the six-berth for mere three would have taken up four places in the local carpark so had to be dropped off a mile up the coast . But there ’ s nothing like a giant Wendy house on wheels to get the kids excited about going away , especially those who have spent many a trip catching droplets of rain from flysheets into saucepans . The Caravan Club website provides a comprehensive list motorhome rental outlets . Our destination is Chatsworth Park Caravan Club Site , Bakewell , Derbyshire . It ’ s set in the old walled garden on the picturesque Chatsworth Estate , established by the Duchess of Devonshire in 1977 . The site caters for the younger visitor with a farmyard and adventure playground . The village of Baslow is a fifteen-minute walk with a couple of good pubs , including the refurbished Devonshire Arms . Bakewell market on Mondays is recommended . One of the first visits should be to the Estate , which includes the grandiose house , where you can escape on one the inevitable rainy days , wandering around the beautifully decorated rooms . There are also the formal gardens , farm shop and café . Scenic strolls and cycling on tarmac roads are a must in the 1,000-acre park laid out by Capability Brown . 2016 is the year to enjoy the landscape designer who changed our countryside and created a style which has shaped people ’ s picture of quintessentially rural England . This year marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of Lancelot ‘ Capability ’ Brown with a lottery-funded festival , the first ever celebration of Brown ’ s extensive works , bringing together a huge range of events , openings and exhibitions . From traffic-free , disused railway lines to climbs that feature in ‘ yet another collection of great cycling climbs ’, there ’ s something for everyone when cycling in the Peaks .
TOUR OF THE SOUTHERN PEAK DISTRICT ON THE TISSINGTON TRAIL
Sustrans ’ National Cycle Network routes on the old Cromford and High Peak , and Ashbourne and Buxton railways lines provide accessible family routes . Following the route of the former Buxton to Ashbourne railway line , the Tissington Trail runs from Ashbourne to Parsley Hay passing through the picturesque village of Tissington and the beautiful countryside of the Derbyshire Dales .
ROUTE DETAILS
From - to Station Road , Ashbourne to Mapleton Road , Parsley Hay Distance 13 miles Terrain Traffic-free with some easy gradients . Dust surface National Cycle Network National Route 68
ROUTE DESCRIPTION
The route follows the former Buxton to Ashbourne railway line from Ashbourne to Parsley Hay passing through the village of Tissington . It nears Dovedale , a dramatic limestone ravine with stunning scenery , wildlife , and famous stepping stones which cross the River Dove . Built as part of the London and North Western Railway , the Buxton to Ashbourne railway line opened in 1899 and closed in 1967 . Once the track was removed , the route was transformed into a recreational trail and opened to the public in 1971 . The traffic-free trail is ideal for walkers , cyclists and horse riders and is mostly flat apart from a relatively steep incline at Mappleton . Ashbourne , where the route starts , is a historic market town , well established in Saxon times and listed in the Domesday survey , where it ' s called `Esseburne '. Ashbourne ' s legacy of more than 200 listed buildings , fine coaching inns and mellow-bricked town houses combine to create the town ' s appealing atmosphere . It ’ s a steady climb from Ashbourne into the heart of the National Park . Arriving in Tissington , Tissington Hall is worth a visit but is only open to the public for 28 days each year so check their website before heading over . If you fancy a spot of lunch on route , The Old Coach House in Tissington is a busy tearoom with outdoor seating . At Parsley Hay , the trail links with the High Peak Trail which runs south east towards Cromford , from High Peak Junction via Middleton Top and Parsley Hay