Dark Peak monster
DISTANCE 52.6km (32.7 miles) CLIMBING 1,760m (5,774ft) TIME 4hrs to 7hrs
Start/ inish Fairholmes Visitor Centre, near Derwent Dam (grid ref SK 172/893, postcode S33 0AQ)
Route summary A huge, dangerous beast of a ride, taking in Cut Gate, Cutthroat, The Beast and more scary trails, for an epic, leg-wrenching, lung-busting, rock-bashing long day 1
Take the second exit at the visitor centre roundabout, through a gate. Follow the tarmac past the Derwent Dam wall, bearing right, uphill. Turn left at the junction, on what starts o as more tarmac but becomes a gravel track alongside the reservoir. When you exit onto the moors, follow the signs to Langsett, crossing a stream and forking right.
2
Climb the steep zig-zags to the top. Fork right after 3km, towards Langsett and Penistone, downhill. Go left at the T-junction at the bottom, by the ruins of North America Farm. At the next T-junction, turn left, uphill. Rejoin the path from earlier and retrace your steps to the junction near the dam. 3
Keep ahead on the tarmac, which becomes a gravel track after crossing a bridge. A short distance on from here, turn left, through a gate, on stone slabs. Follow this obvious bridleway uphill, through some gates. Keep right, to the top. Then go ahead/left, downhill, on a recently-refurbished trail. 4
Bear left, then keep right at the fork, by the telegraph poles, to descend the rocky Cutthroat trail. Keep right just before the road and pub. Join the tarmac by some houses and follow it down to the A57. Go right on the main road, then right again on the road towards Fairholmes.
5
Turn left, to climb up through Crookhill Farm. Keep ahead along the hilltop for 3km, to a gate and track junction. Turn left, down to another gate. Follow the rocky Hagg Farm track to the A57. Go right on this for 1km, then turn left at the ‘Cycle Crossing’ sign. Continue downhill, then up, through a gate. Turn left, up a long, rocky climb. Keep left for a smoother ascent.
6
At a track crossing, turn left, down what becomes a big, rocky, technical descent. Keep left, to the bottom. Go right, cross the bridge and climb to the A57 (again). Turn left on the tarmac. After 1km, go right, uphill, on a good track to the top. Keep ahead/left, past Lockerbrook Outdoor Centre. Continue uphill, then follow this fast, fun bridleway back down. Turn right on the road at the bottom, back to Fairholmes Visitor Centre.