Bikeability Level 2 then gained reasonable confidence and awareness on the road). The later ones are more suited to those who’ve gained good experience in a variety of conditions on- and off-road, sometimes in heavier traffic or on main roads.
Of course, there are occasions where the only route available to cyclists is on a busy A-road or crosses a short hard-to-ride section of technical off-road trail. In these instances the balance of quality of route, surrounding landscape, width and nature of road and length of difficult sections are all taken into consideration as to whether the route justifies it. In most cases it doesn’t, but for a rare few (for example Saddleworth Moor, or the descent from Lees Hill to Tintwistle) the compromise is worthwhile. Every effort has been made to ensure that A-road sections are downhill, keeping time on them to an absolute minimum, and that unavoidable technical off-road sections are not intolerably long.
Trail grading
The routes have been subjectively graded Easy, Moderate and Hard. However, everyone has different opinions about what makes a route hard: is it the length of the route, or the steepness of any uphills? Perhaps it’s the combined number of hills in a route, or the terrain underwheel? Perhaps it’s the inclusion of an A-road – whatever its nature – or the steepness of any descents? For the purpose of this guidebook I have adopted the following approach:
Easy routes are no more than 25km (15 miles) long, are not overly steep, have a maximum cumulative ascent of 400m and avoid using A-roads (although they may have to cross them). They should be suitable for someone who hasn’t previously ridden off-road, and will use trail-type surfaces as much as possible.
Moderate routes range from 18 to 50km (11 to 30 miles), have steeper (but not extremely steep) ascents and more hills in general (ideally less than 1000m total ascent over the route). They may have steep downhills, tackle busier roads where needed to join up parts of a good circular route, and will encounter rougher terrain – expect some mud, loose stones, lumpy but solid surfaces or sandy patches. These rough sections will never last too long, and (in dry conditions!) should be rideable by someone with limited experience of rougher surfaces than rail-trails.
Hard routes tend to be from 35 to 60km (23 to 36 miles) and rarely have less than 1000m of ascent over the route as a whole. (The Peak District is a hilly place!) Where mention is made of awkward or challenging sections, many riders may need to dismount and walk for a short distance, but although these may edge towards mountain biking in places (with the exception of TdPD Day 3), they are never unrelenting technical off-road challenges. They may contain short sections that some cyclists will consider unrideable and may involve substantial amounts of off-road riding (eg 25 or 30%).
One of the types of terrain a reader will encounter on a Hard route (Route 16)
Tour de Peak District: this route deserves a category of its own as riders should not underestimate the cumulative effect of fatigue on a multi-day route if they have never attempted one before, particularly where there is a considerable amount of off-road riding and/or hilly terrain (Days 2 and 3). It is recommended that riders have ridden the equivalent of all the moderate and hard routes in the guidebook before attempting such a route. At the other end of the scale, keen and experienced riders will probably wish to compress this route into a three- or four-day challenge.
A NOTE ON TERRAIN
Bear in mind that the surface of off-road trails can change surprisingly quickly – from newly resurfaced smooth trail to deeply eroded and unrideable. All off-road trails are described in dry (summer) conditions; outside dry weather they may be significantly tougher, or unrideable. In wet conditions, remember that braking distances are considerably extended on all surfaces and that potholes fill quickly into small ponds on off-road routes in the Peak!
Road bikes
Can the routes in this book be ridden on a road bike?
From Route 6 onwards (moderate and above) all route descriptions give on-road detours to avoid the more awkward off-road sections, although they do use Sustrans-like trails to avoid busier roads where the option exists. Unfortunately, a lack of viable easy-grade detours mean the ‘Easy’ routes are rather less performance road-bike friendly. However, both they and some later off-road sections may still be viable on a sturdier road bike, or if you don't mind walking short sections. Lighter riders will get away with more than heavier riders. Use the percentages, and any extra information given in the text, to judge whether you will be committing yourself to a long walk before you set out.
Conventions and abbreviations
Major and minor roads
These follow Bikeability conventions, so a major road is not a main road or an A-road but simply the one with right of way over the minor road at a junction. Following on from this, a major crossroads will be one where you have to give way to a major road, and a minor crossroads will be one where you have right of way (although it’s always worth checking that no vehicles are about to emerge!).
Level of detail and side-turns
As the routes become progressively longer, the detail decreases. Cyclists riding the more challenging routes should have less need to know in advance about A-bars (access-restricting gates designed to keep motorised vehicles out but allow wheelchairs through: their name comes from the shape of the obstruction they create), gates, track crossings, minor junctions etc, and omitting these makes the description significantly clearer, for most.
Likewise, for reasons of space and clarity, most side-turns are ignored in route descriptions unless they are particularly important to navigation. More information is given on these in the first couple of routes than elsewhere, but if no indication is given at a junction, then it is expected that you will stay on the major road and not turn off it. Of course, roads do occasionally change their priorities – especially on quiet country lanes. If in doubt, then the map is a helpful guide – as are place names that each road may be signposted to.
Gates
These are only mentioned where they are navigationally important. Over the lifetime of a guidebook, new gates can come and old gates go!
Sustrans National Cycle Network routes
These are abbreviated to, for example, NCN68 for National Cycle Route 68 or NCN54 for National Cycle Route 54. (This has been brought into line with commonly used standards since the first edition.)
Former railway lines
Many of these are now used as cycle trails, and major waymarked cycle routes are abbreviated in many places throughout the guidebook:
HPT – High Peak Trail
TT – Tissington Trail
TPT – Transpennine Trail
MW – Middlewood Way
TdPD – Tour de Peak District
TVW – Tame Valley Way
WPL – White Peak Loop
PBW – Pennine Bridleway
‘To’ or ‘towards’ a place
Where a signpost or route description says ‘to’ a place, the route directly goes there without further directions. However, if ‘towards’ is used, the place is either off-route
