Hope, Peak District

Distance 36.8km (22.9 miles) Climbing 1,400m (4,593ft) Time 3hrs 30mins to 5hrs 30mins

Route summary A big, tough, rocky delight of a ride. Steep and challenging throughout, but never too remote and has bail-out options if they’re required.

Start/ inish Hope car park (postcode S33 6RS, grid ref SK 171/835) 1

Turn right out of the car park, then right on Pindale Road. Go over a bridge and keep right, past the cement works and outdoor centre. Climb steeply. When the road turns right, keep ahead on a rough track, past houses, for a long rocky ascent.

2

Gorightatthetop,toaroad.Headleftonthis.Shortly afterwards, bear right, on a stony track parallel to the tarmac, (gradually) uphill. Bear right to a track crossing with gates and turn right on the Limestone Way bridleway. Follow this grassy then technical rocky track down to Castleton. Go left on the road, keep left at the island and then turn right (Castle Street), past two pubs, to a T-junction.

3

Turn left and continue ahead, leaving Castleton. Keep straight on/right at the fork, on a dead-end road, uphill. Continue ahead as the o cial road ends and the track gets steeper and bears left, through a gate. Warning: Big hidden drop-o s here! At the top, join the road. Turn right at the T-junction, then take the first right, signed to Edale, uphill.

4

As you start to descend, turn right o the road and immediately left at the fork, downhill. Go through some gates. At a gated area, keep ahead/right, climbing to Hollins Cross. Go left at the top, back downhill, past Backtor Farm, keeping left, to a road. Turn right on this. After 1.3km go left on an easy-to-miss bridleway into a tunnel of trees, uphill. Drop and cross the stream, then climb to a track crossing and turn left.

5

This undulating track becomes a long rocky descent. At the tarmac, go right. Cross the A57, climbing past Rowlee Farm. Follow this wide track to the top and keep ahead, past Lockerbrook Farm, through a gate and up a rocky track. Continue on a long rocky downhill. Go through a gate and right on the quiet road, to/past Fairholmes Visitor Centre.

6

After 1.3km turn right immediately after the (Bridge End) car park, by a cattle grid, for a very steep climb. Go right at the top, along the field edge, to and through a gate, to a junction. Turn left, through another gate, for a zig-zag rocky downhill to Hagg Farm. Continue down and across (caution!) the road, cross the water and head left at the bottom.

7

Climb to a sharp right bend. Go left here, through a gate, downhill, then right on a permissive bridleway. Follow this to the top, turn left and follow this undulating rutted track, which becomes a rocky descent and tarmac after a gate. Take a right to a farm, and go left on the road at the bottom. Keep ahead back to Hope, then go right back, to the car park.