THE PEAK DISTRICT
The UK’S most popular biking destination, the Peak District is home to great riding, scenery and cafés
THE PEAK DISTRICT is packed with iconic biking destinations steeped in motorcycling history; so much so they’re not only the geographical heart of English motorcycling, but almost its metaphorical heart too. But they’re also popular with all tourists — go for a ride in the Peaks at the wrong time, and the area will be rammed with motorhomes and cyclists in summer, on a bank holiday or in school breaks.
But there are quieter times, in early spring and late autumn — and this is when the Peak District should be high on every rider’s hit list. The Peaks are criss-crossed in great roads — and plenty of great off-road riding, too. Some of the names are pretty famous: the A537 Cat And Fiddle is a legendary strip of tarmac, rising up and over a line of hills between Macclesfield and Buxton. For decades the challenging twists and turns have tested riders and tyre grip to the limit — and sometimes beyond; sadly, the road’s reputation has a dark side and these days, average-speed cameras stand as a warning to anyone enjoying the corners a bit too much.
Matlock Bath, a quaint spa town, is a magnet for motorcyclists and heaves with rows of parked-up bikes in the summer.
And to the north, the Snake Pass starts at the foot of Ladybower reservoir, runs through dense conifer plantations, then slithers uphill in a series of stone-walled left/right combinations before a long roll down towards Glossop, with big views out across the mossy green moorland.
Other highlights include Mam Tor and Winnat’s Pass, with its associated limestone caverns, or Woodhead Pass running down into Holmfirth. And the spa town of Buxton is a lovely place to unwind after all the riding.
‘Not just the geographical heart but also metaphorical ’