One aspect of this tour will be a first for me. I have just purchased a Garmin GPS tracking device and have planned and downloaded all the routes before I left home, which means I am relying on electronic maps not paper ones. Lets see how it goes!
Wednesday 24 April
I turn on the GPS and quite correctly it tells me I am outside Leicester railway station, it's first job is to get me out of the city. Apart from a missed turn as a car turned in front of me at traffic lights, no problems, I am out of the city without getting lost and cross the motorway bridge into Newtown Linford.
If I was asked to rate the road surfaces in England's cities Leicester would be off the scale - they are almost on their way to being donkey cart trails, I have encountered some seriously large potholes this afternoon.
Through Leicestershire countryside I travel through the village of Newtown Unthank - now there's a name to conjure with.
Leicestershire does not in general offer much in the way of challenging cycling terrain, what it does offer is interesting villages and attractive countryside - not Yorkshire-style dramatic, but very pleasant. What it also offers to-day is an unwanted headwind. Considering I will be travelling in generally the same direction for the next three days, I hope it does not last overnight.
Destination for tonight is National Forest Youth Hostel near Moira.
This is a modern, eco-friendly building offering a very high standard of accommodation and a first class meals menu - well worth another visit, being handy for many local attractions.
Thursday 25 April
Well, the wind has not given up, with the added disadvantage of being cold as well. I am now in the administrative district of South West Derbyshire, they seem to have the same policy on roads as the city of Leicester.
Using a collection of quiet lanes I am able to avoid the towns of Burton-upon-Trent and Uttoxeter, to make for a very pleasant mornings ride.
Did I take a wrong turn?
I decide to have a morning break at the Staffordshire village of Hollington, to the north east of Uttoxeter. Many is the young cyclist, myself included, who, during the 1960's looked forward to the cafe stop in Hollington, for no other reason than the owner had two teenage daughters who were very pleasing to the eye. To-day there is now longer a cafe.
Through a collection of lanes I arrive at Alton - famous for it's towers. I did not realise Staffordshire was so hilly, Alton sits on a hillside like an alpine village, all it needs is snow.
The ride along Dimmings Dale is pleasant but not so the climb out. Just when I thought I had reach the top the road turned back on itself towards the youth hostel. At this point I will admit taking a 10-minute break to get my heart-rate down before I tackled to final assault.
Dimmingsdale Youth Hostel
By contrast to last night this hostel is very small but set in an ideal location at the top of a hill (not ideal) on the edge of woodland. Compact and comfortable this is an ideal location for an 'away-from-it-all' break or a visit to the 'attractions' of Alton Towers, only two miles away - it could be a world away.
Not a particularly fast day to-day, but at under 40-miles it does not have to be. I will be in the Derbyshire Peak District tomorrow so I can guarantee that will not be a fast day either. In fact my next fast day will be Sunday, on the train from Retford to Peterborough.
Not a particularly fast day to-day, but at under 40-miles it does not have to be. I will be in the Derbyshire Peak District tomorrow so I can guarantee that will not be a fast day either. In fact my next fast day will be Sunday, on the train from Retford to Peterborough.
Friday 26 April
Yesterdays final long climb is to-day's freewheel, but there are more hills to come. From Froghall in just under five miles I climb 845 feet, no wonder I see a long queue at a bus stop, they prefer not to cycle.
I now enter the Peak District - so named after the ancient Peac tribes who once inhabited the area and my lunch stop is the village of Hartington. As I sit overlooked the Devonshire Arms I think of all the under-age drinkers who, in the 1960's stayed at the hostel here and served their apprenticeships in the bar - I am sure I was not one of them (do they still do it?).
On from Hartington I take the gated road along the valley floor before it kicks up to double back on itself and take me over the tops and a drop down to Miller's Dale. That was all very nice but the climb out is along single track drove roads, the first climbing 223 feet in one and a half miles - this is the steepest road I have ever ridden in my life! No walking but I had four stops on the way up. The reward - terrific views whichever way I look.
By comparison, the spring lambs near my home in Bedford were born around six weeks ago and are now growing well, in Derbyshire they are not much more than a week old, on thin legs and with very little wool to keep them warm.
To avoid the main road I put in a two mile diversion over the top of the peaks, two miles into the teeth of the wind. The descent to Castleton is so steep I stop on the way down to rest my arms after pulling the brakes so hard.
The hostel at Castleton was build by a rich merchant who had cotton interests in Manchester as well as mining and agricultural investments. Having seen use as an educational field study centre it has recently been converted to a hostel. The work has been undertaken to a very high standard but retaining the original features of the building. My whole house would fit into the space taken by the grade staircase! The accommodation offered is of the highest standards.
Saturday 27 April
No maps required for the first part of the journey to-day, I have ridden these roads countless times. Unfortunately because of this I know what is coming and make the most of the first five miles along the floor of the Hope Valley to Hathersage. From the centre of the village the road begins to climb. With a short respite at Hathersage Booths the climb continues to pass the National Trust's Longshaw estate before two slight dips take me up again to complete just over five and a quarter miles of climbing.
At Owler Bar, before the descent to Chesterfield it is time to take a break for a drink. On a clear day from here it is possible to see the cities of Chesterfield, Sheffield and beyond. To-day I see columns of rain over Chesterfield. From this spot 50 years ago all that could be seen of Sheffield was a column of black smoke.
I make a good run, generally all down-hill into Chesterfield before making the long climb out along the main road. At this point I turn on the GPS, I have planned a route on quiet roads, some I have used previously, some are new to me. The first takes me past the shell of Sutton Scarsdale Hall, built in the 1720's it has been roofless since 1919 when the interior was dismantled and taken to America. After this it is a steep downhill and an even steeper uphill to Palterton. I had intended to take a break here but the rain I saw earlier this morning has at last found me, so I keep going and have a meal at my final destination, Edwinstowe, of Robin Hood fame, in Nottinghamshire. I also encounter a hail storm.
The hostel here is a new building opened in 1998 again offering a very high standard of comfort. I spent some time this afternoon in the craft centre next door, most items being made on the premises although I am not sure about the African wildlife photographs. The cafe, which offers very good food, seemed to be trading all afternoon but very few people appear to be buying the hand-made goods. In fact I saw no-one taking away a hand-carved toilet seat showing their family crest. Perhaps they ordered them, to be delivered at a future date.
Sunday 28 April
A short ride of 14 miles to Retford railway station this morning. Leaving Edwinstowe before the Sunday Market traffic I turn along Sustrans route 6, a rolled stone trail that leads into the National Trust's Clumber Park. Even this rolled stone is a better surface than the streets in Leicester.
When I lived close to Clumber the park was one of the routes I used on a regular basis for my ride to Retford to earn my weekly packet.
From Retford it is the train to Peterborough then Sandy from where I have a 10-mile ride home.
All-in-all with each nights accommodation less than 40-miles apart the distances were to short. Normally I would add a short ride during the afternoon but this time the weather was so cold I was just happy to sit around and get warm
Just over 174 miles covered in five days.
I now enter the Peak District - so named after the ancient Peac tribes who once inhabited the area and my lunch stop is the village of Hartington. As I sit overlooked the Devonshire Arms I think of all the under-age drinkers who, in the 1960's stayed at the hostel here and served their apprenticeships in the bar - I am sure I was not one of them (do they still do it?).
On from Hartington I take the gated road along the valley floor before it kicks up to double back on itself and take me over the tops and a drop down to Miller's Dale. That was all very nice but the climb out is along single track drove roads, the first climbing 223 feet in one and a half miles - this is the steepest road I have ever ridden in my life! No walking but I had four stops on the way up. The reward - terrific views whichever way I look.
By comparison, the spring lambs near my home in Bedford were born around six weeks ago and are now growing well, in Derbyshire they are not much more than a week old, on thin legs and with very little wool to keep them warm.
To avoid the main road I put in a two mile diversion over the top of the peaks, two miles into the teeth of the wind. The descent to Castleton is so steep I stop on the way down to rest my arms after pulling the brakes so hard.
Castleton Losehill Hall Youth Hostel
The hostel at Castleton was build by a rich merchant who had cotton interests in Manchester as well as mining and agricultural investments. Having seen use as an educational field study centre it has recently been converted to a hostel. The work has been undertaken to a very high standard but retaining the original features of the building. My whole house would fit into the space taken by the grade staircase! The accommodation offered is of the highest standards.
Saturday 27 April
No maps required for the first part of the journey to-day, I have ridden these roads countless times. Unfortunately because of this I know what is coming and make the most of the first five miles along the floor of the Hope Valley to Hathersage. From the centre of the village the road begins to climb. With a short respite at Hathersage Booths the climb continues to pass the National Trust's Longshaw estate before two slight dips take me up again to complete just over five and a quarter miles of climbing.
At Owler Bar, before the descent to Chesterfield it is time to take a break for a drink. On a clear day from here it is possible to see the cities of Chesterfield, Sheffield and beyond. To-day I see columns of rain over Chesterfield. From this spot 50 years ago all that could be seen of Sheffield was a column of black smoke.
I make a good run, generally all down-hill into Chesterfield before making the long climb out along the main road. At this point I turn on the GPS, I have planned a route on quiet roads, some I have used previously, some are new to me. The first takes me past the shell of Sutton Scarsdale Hall, built in the 1720's it has been roofless since 1919 when the interior was dismantled and taken to America. After this it is a steep downhill and an even steeper uphill to Palterton. I had intended to take a break here but the rain I saw earlier this morning has at last found me, so I keep going and have a meal at my final destination, Edwinstowe, of Robin Hood fame, in Nottinghamshire. I also encounter a hail storm.
Robin Hood proposes to Maid Marion, but there will be no celebrations at Ye Olde Jug and Glass
Sunday 28 April
A short ride of 14 miles to Retford railway station this morning. Leaving Edwinstowe before the Sunday Market traffic I turn along Sustrans route 6, a rolled stone trail that leads into the National Trust's Clumber Park. Even this rolled stone is a better surface than the streets in Leicester.
When I lived close to Clumber the park was one of the routes I used on a regular basis for my ride to Retford to earn my weekly packet.
From Retford it is the train to Peterborough then Sandy from where I have a 10-mile ride home.
All-in-all with each nights accommodation less than 40-miles apart the distances were to short. Normally I would add a short ride during the afternoon but this time the weather was so cold I was just happy to sit around and get warm
Just over 174 miles covered in five days.
What a great trip, I think you can truthfully say, you have seen more of this country than most. Well done.
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