Dark Peak Mountain Biking - True Grit Trails

The book contains a guide to twenty-six rides in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District. The rides broadly cover a swathe of the Dark Peak area between Disley in the west and Hathersage in the east. There are a few more northerly routes, around Glossop, Langsett and one near Holmfirth. Altogether a great selection across this great mountain bike terrain. 

At the beginning of the book is an introduction to the area and information about recommended kit, safe riding, night riding, rights of way and rules of the off-road. A general route locator map prefaces the main pages.

The rides are categorised broadly according to distances. These being ‘Classics’, ‘Epics’, ‘Enduros’ and the alarmingly named ‘Killer Loops’. The distances vary from a leisurely 10Km to an energy sapping 100km+ for longest ‘loop’. The rides are also graded from ‘easy through to ‘extreme’ the grading being dependent on a combination of factors such as; distance, terrain, navigation etc. There are routes to suit all levels and moods. Road riding is kept to an absolute minimum.

Each ride is fully described, with an accompanying clearly designed, (large) scaled colour map. Numbers along the route maps correspond with the appropriate direction in the text, enabling you to easily keep track of where you are. There is also a very useful gradient profile letting you gauge at a glance the ups and downs and distances of a particular route. Details are also given for parking, pubs, cafés, and the total ascent. In addition to the circular routes there are also two interesting end to end rides, finishing at points where you can get a train back to the start. For people living in Sheffield there are routes included to enable a ride out from Sheffield itself, then link up with another (Peak) route and return to the city by a different route. A great idea and the routes into and out of the city are surprisingly pleasant.

As if all that’s not enough, there is a ‘bonus section’ highlighting some  Dark Peak ‘Top 10’s. In this case ‘Down Hills’, Climbs, and ‘Singletracks’. An appendices of local cafés, pubs, TIC’s etc finsihes off this great guide. I almost forgot to mention the excellent illustrative and action photography, by Andy Heading and John Houlihan.