The Monsal Trail is a great cycling experience. It is well surfaced and has easy gradients. The Monsal Trail runs from Bakewell to just near Buxton and there are cycle hire locations on the Trail at
Hassop Station – http://www.monsaltrail.co.uk/
Blackwell – http://www.peakblackwellcyclehire.com/
The Monsal Trail also takes you to a lot of locations with good cycling opportunities (particularly around the Bakewell end)
Unfortunately, the Monsal Trail stops just short of Buxton at Blackwell Mill just near the A6. Whilst the A6 is the most direct route to Buxton, it is not a pleasant ride by cycle due to the narrow road and traffic. Here are three alternatives if you would like to cycle all the way to Buxton (marked on the maps as Red, Blue, and Yellow)
RED ROUTE
Take the stone overbridge near the western end of Monsal Trail, and head up the path that leads south-west (up hill) towards A6 near Calton Farm, then down the A5270 to A515, cross A515 then up the Harpur Hill Rd to Buxton. The benefit of this route is that avoids all but a few metres of the A6, but the footpath up the hill from Blackwell Mill is narrow and very steep (you would need to push your bike) and the A5270 is hilly.
BLUE ROUTE
This route avoids the hills in the RED ROUTE. Go west on the A6 access road from Blackwell Mill. It is obscured on many maps as it is partially hidden under the railway viaducts. This access road is a public cycle path and flat. It ends at the car park at the northeast corner of the Topley Pike quarry on the A6. Cycle 1 km west on A6 turn southwest on track towards King Sterndale (you need easy push up hill on wide track 500m to sealed road). Alternatively cycle 2 km west from the car park to the sealed road to Cowdale and Harpur Hill – shown in green on map – (this doesn’t need pushing). Continue to Harpur Hill and Buxton as per the RED ROUTE.
YELLOW ROUTE
As you approach Blackwell Mill from east on Monsal Trail, take the northern branch of the railway trackbed as it forks off the main line 500m east of Blackwell Mill. Its then a relatively easy push north up the hill on the Pennine Bridleway to Mosley Farm. There is relatively a flat sealed road from Mosley Farm to Tunstead. Then a pleasant country road to Buxton approaching from the northeast.
Finally, the Route 65 bus will take you from Topley Pike (near end of Monsal Trail) to/from Buxton – usually every 2-3 hours. You will need to lookup the timetable online. This is the same bus route that goes to Angler’s Rest in Millers Dale (nearest stop to Litton Mill).
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