‘The year of cancelled events, races and sporting socials’.
Post lockdown, version one, the Covid rules loosened for a short while; there was a window of opportunity to meet others and socialise, while social distancing. It wasn’t a long or hard challenge but it was a beautiful Derbyshire micro-adventure with Samuel. A quick pack of the bike packing bags containing a small bivvy bag, sleeping bag and mat and we were equipped for a one night wild camp along the beautiful Stanage Edge.
Samuel was riding his trusty gravel bike and I was on my cyclocross bike. The route encompassed a mix of gravel, trails and roads with a questionable national cycleway that was like a downhill mountain bike trail.
Day 1
Distance: 57miles
Elevation: 5800ft
Starting from Ambergate, we cycled along Cromford canal, up the steep, 1mile sheep pasture incline and then along the High Peak trail to Hartington, Derbyshire.
From there we did some more trails to Buxton via a National Cycleway that was incredibly technical and rough; although the views at the top were breath-taking!
After this we went around the undulated hills of Chapel en le Frith until we reached the iconic Broken Road; it runs underneath Mam Tor and beside the iconic climb of Winnats pass. I had never cycled this road before; it was fantastic! A few places required to get off the bike due to severe erosion of 10ft drops, but it was a beautiful part off the main beaten track that I always ride when in the vicinity of Castleton.
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| The fully laden bikepacking kit |
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| The Broken Road |
After this, we spun to Hathersage for our first meal out/ takeaway due to Covid. We then cycled to Stanage Edge to find a wild camp spot. We chose right on the edge, I tucked under a ledge of a rock to get some shelter from the rain that was coming in through the valley while Samuel laid his bivvy next to me (he did have a closed bivvy bag where I just had my full open-face one to pack light).
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| Bivvy spot |
The views were beautiful, one side we had the Peak District; the other side, a contrasting nightscape of Sheffield.
Day 2
Distance: 62miles
Elevation:3800ft
After waking up with a terrible nights sleep, I haven’t mastered sleeping well bivvying and I always sleep like a log at home. We cycled through Sheffield, I hadn’t previously cycled this area at all; I was blown away at how amazing this city is for cycling. Parks and cycle paths galore; it was incredible! I can understand why it’s the greenest city in the UK, I absolutely loved this part of the ride, I always avoid urban rides like Derby, but I desire to ride more of this area as I only have scratched the surface of what it has to offer.
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| Sheffield |
After this we cycled through rother valley, another beautiful part then some lovely trails back home via the 5 pits trails. It wasn’t as spectacular or rugged or as open as day 1 going through the peak district but it was beautiful nonetheless, great to be out again with others, on my bike for more than an hour (another rule outline by the government during lockdown) and to explore a few more trails and canal paths that the beauty of a gravel/cyclocross bike can open.
