Mountain Biking in the Peak District

The Peak District offers a multitude of mountain biking opportunities, with all types of riding catering for all abilities. The area offers everything from short sharp classic loops to longer epics, enduros and killer loops, many right from the cottage door, meaning no driving to and from rides with tired legs and eyes.

Dark Peak Mountain Biking

The Dark Peak offers truly world-class riding. The hills of northern Derbyshire are criss-crossed with ancient roads and flowing moorland singletrack. Fabulous descents come in all varieties - fast, loose, rocky, rutted and rooty - and the Peak has a fierce collection of climbs: uphill slogs, loose uphill slogs, technical, loose and rocky uphill slogs - most, thankfully, within easy reach of refuelling at local cafes and pubs.

The area offers fabulous rock gardens, dry stream beds, silver-grey ribbons of moorland track and perfectly formed flowing rocky drop-offs that max out both suspension and grins!

All this is located in an area of outstanding natural beauty, with breathtaking views and the opportunity to glimpse some very interesting wildlife.

The Dark Peak is real mountain biking: hard on your body, hard on components, and offers plenty of experiences that will leave you eager to return again and again.

White Peak Mountain Biking

It would be a real shame if the southern half of the Peak District, the White Peak, an area so full of potential, of deep valleys, high limestone hills and thick, leafy woodland, were not also full of legal trails. Hapily enough, it's laced with them. Not only that, but they're some of the best trails in the country.

Whether you like to ride smoothly and delicately, flitting through the trees and over roots, or less subtly, being knocked sideways while pinballing downhill, there's a trail for you in the White Peak.

Although less well known, and less ridden than the more broody Dark Peak, the White Peak boasts some tremendous riding and, for some, its quieter trails and relatively unspoilt aspect is of great appeal.

Routes in the White Peak cover not only the limestone plateaux and dales, but also its idiosyncratic areas such as the upper reaches of the River Dove and its rocky byways, the intricate singletrack traversing the open moorland of the Eastern Edges, and the magnificent vista of the River Wye, as it carves its way through the beds of limestone. Routes also venture upon the Peak's industrial past - the abandoned railway lines, viaducts, disused (and active) quarries, mines and waterways.

Information

It goes without saying that a beautiful place like the Peak District demands respect. Please stick to rights of way and please present a friendly, courteous face to the other folks out enjoying this magnificent part of the country.

Rules of the (Off) Road

• Always ride legal, stick to allowed rights of way - footpaths are not bike legal
• Always stick to the trail to prevent errosion - ride through puddles not around them
• Skids are for kids - control your rear brake, don't tear the trails up with skids
• Ride with consideration for others
• Give way to horses and walkers
• Avoid natural habitats, animals and crops
• Leave gates as you find them
• Take your litter home
• Help keep water sources clean - don't take toilet stops near streams
• Avoid the risk of fire
• Keep the noise down
• Be self-sufficient for you and your bike
• Enjoy the countryside and respect its life and work

Remember, take only photographs and memories, leave only tread marks in the dirt

Maps

Between them the following maps cover the whole of the Peak District area, and are even available in waterproof, laminated form:

Ordnance Survey Explorer OL24 (1:25,000) The Peak District, White Peak Area

Ordnance Survey Explorer OL1 (1:25,000) The Peak District, Dark Peak Area

Emergency

In the event of an accident requiring mountain rescue assistance, dial 999 and ask for POLICE - MOUNTAIN RESCUE