A good ride from Sheffield into the peaks and back

[Stradageek]

Hi All

Visiting my daughter in Sheffield (lives near the old cinema on Abbeydale road) and have the opportunity for a ride into the peaks and back. Fitness levels are not great (just recovered from two weeks with the flu) so I would like to tackle about 40 miles on quiet lanes enjoying nice views with maybe a pub or tea shop stop.

The challenge is to start and finish on the Abbeydale road, no driving to the starting point, and yes I know this means some busy roads and climbing but I'm OK with that.

Can anyone suggest a nice route?

All help much appreciated

Stradageek

[foxyrider]

Go up through Nether Edge to Ecclesall Road South and pick up Ringinglow Road. It's a long but steady climb up onto the moors at Burbage. Once at the top turn right at every junction which will bring you out at Ladybower Reservoir. You can either follow the water up to Derwent or cross the main road and follow the same RH theme which will get you to Hope (cafes/pub). From there you can go up to Edale (more cafes/pubs) or along to Castleton (yup, more eateries.
Return along the main road to Hathersage (home of the outdoor shop). You can then either go up past the church and retrace the outward route from the top or continue up Sheffield road and either take the next left to Ringinglow or continue up to The Surprise and follow the road back into Sheffield. Take Whirlowdale Rd as you enter the city and you drop through Abbeydale woods to Millhouses - turn left and follow Abbeydale Rd back to your start point.

You'll have @ 800m of ascent there and some of the most iconic views in the Peak District. On weekdays even the A roads aren't that busy but at weekends it can be very busy with grockles!

Hope the weather is fine when you come, we've had daily snow all this week and I can see snow up on the top now.

[D363]

A variation on the above, but presented in reverse order:
Follow Abbeydale Rd to Millhouses and at some lights by a set back pub turn right up Whirlowdale Rd (no through road to cars so you cross a pavement). Up to the end then right onto Abbey Lane, left at end onto A625, plod up to the moors until a left after the fox house pub, the b6521 to Grindleford. Then to Eyam, a right turn but still the b6521, part of which is now closed but passable to bikes. From Eyam turn right towards the museum and youth hostel, then left to Bretton. Follow the ridge until a right fork to Abney. Descend to Hathersage, the head towards Labybower either via Bamford or Thornhill, taking a steep lane up towards Bamford edge and completing the first part of Foxy's route above over Burbage moor. Take a right at Ringinglow by the Norfolk Arms and shortly after a left down Long Line. Rejoin the A625 and retrace the Abbey Lane / Whirlowdale Rd sections.
Possibly not 40 miles, but some quiet lanes and dramatic views. There's cafes at most of the villages named, also one on the A6187 in a garden centre where the window serves as a passerine viewing station by the River Noe.

[foxyrider]

There's cafes ......, also one on the A6187 in a garden centre where the window serves as a passerine viewing station by the River Noe.

If you stop there I hope you don't want eggs and that you have very deep pockets! on my 'do not use unless desperate' list.

[TrevA]

The problem is that you will have a climb out of Sheffield and then another out of the Hope Valley to get back to Sheffield.

I would take in the Strines Road, lovely surface, part of the Tour route and not too hilly if you miss out the most northern section.

[D363]

The Strines Rd is indeed another good option, get to it via Burbage moor and Labybower as per the first suggestion above (it connects the a57 and the a628), then plot a loop through the numerous lanes eastwards of it via Bolsterstone / Bradfield / Dungworth. If it's reasonably dry, Wyming Brook Lane, via ronksley hall farm by the A57, offers a nice, off road but easy enough route back to Ringinglow.

[foxyrider]

The problem is that you will have a climb out of Sheffield and then another out of the Hope Valley to get back to Sheffield.

I would take in the Strines Road, lovely surface, part of the Tour route and not too hilly if you miss out the most northern section.

But unfortunately the views aren't great and it's hard work all around there - great if you are fit but if you aren't - well you'll take a hiding. And not too hilly - compared to what? The Alps? Don't want to kill the OP off first time out!

[Stradageek]

Thanks for the replies and do keep them coming.

A few more details might help. It's a weekend in March, so I will be sharing space with the Grockles and I'm on a recumbent highracer, so whilst hills aren't an issue, rough off-road can be 'challenging'

Thanks again

[TrevA]

The problem is that you will have a climb out of Sheffield and then another out of the Hope Valley to get back to Sheffield.

I would take in the Strines Road, lovely surface, part of the Tour route and not too hilly if you miss out the most northern section.

But unfortunately the views aren't great and it's hard work all around there - great if you are fit but if you aren't - well you'll take a hiding. And not too hilly - compared to what? The Alps? Don't want to kill the OP off first time out!

I did the Strines last year and was pleasantly surprised. At 18st, I'm no mountain goat, but I thought it would be much harder than it was, apart from the very northern bit which has a really steep climb over to Midhopestones, which was a tour KOM. I agree though that the climbs out of Sheffield and the Hope Valley are long rather than steep. I've done the Peaks and Troughs audax a couple of times and the short 60k version, would make a good, if hilly ride, for the OP.

Peaks and Troughs - from Abbeydale Road, take the Dore road and climb up onto the A625, turn left and climb onto the moor. Then go via Froggat to Calver. Take the B6001 and after a mile or so take a right turn to Rowland and Great Longstone. Climb up through Little Longstone to Monsal Head. Stop and admire the view. Drop down into Ashford in the Water. Turn right onto the A6, and after a mile turn left up Kirkdale towards Sheldon (long and quite steep climb). At the top turn right, then take a left towards Monyash. There's a pub and a cafe in Monyash. Go straight across at the crossroads, continue until you almost meet the Ashbourne - Buxton road, then take a left. Continue on this road, then on the long downhill to Lathkilldale. Steep but short climb (Conksbury Hill) continue on this road to Bakewell. From there head over to Baslow, then follow the signs back to Sheffield. Long climb up to Owler Bar roundabout then drop down into Sheffield onto Abbeydale Road to finish.

[foxyrider]

The climb up to Sheldon has stretches of 20/25%!

I did something like Trevs route a couple of weeks ago, 1200 vertical metres! I do at least one PD ride a week from South Sheffield - there's not many roads i've not used in the PD. In fact today is a PD day out to Edale of @ 100km - should get on my way but before I do here's an easier alternative to going west!

Avoiding so much climbing you could do one of my 'easy' rides south down the Eastern Edges. Follow Abbeydale Road out to Owler Bar then follow the Bakewell road to Baslow then follow signs for Chatsworth. Couple of drags in the park then continue towards Matlock. However after @ 1 mile turn left at Beeley (left then immediate right) and go up Beeley Bank.

Over the top then at the end of the straight take second right. Follow this road across all the junctions, its an offset when you go over the Matlock road. After @ another mile there's Rosies cafe on the left or a bit further on the garden centre has a good cafe too.

To return retrace to Beeley Moor but instead of dropping down turn right at the top. Follow this over the hill, drop down through the S bends then turn left at the summit. Follow the lane and at any junction go straight (care at the Chesterfield road) until you are confronted with a farm. Right there, down the hill then take the next left and left at next two junctions. At the end you are back at Baslow Road, turn right and retrace to Sheffield via Owler Bar.

A quick look at a map will give you some short detours from a straight out and back but beware of going east as the lanes are very narrow and often very steep.

[TrevA]

+1 for the above. I didn't realise Kirkdale was that steep! It's certainly a stiff climb up.

From Owler Bar, you can access the road that keeps you on the top of the moor, either A621 or Fox Lane, to Clodhall Lane via Beeley Moor, the top of Slack Hill, all the way to Crich, without gaining or losing too much height. There's the cafe at Scotland Nursery and another tea room which might be Rosies mentioned above. I think there also a tea room in Crich itself.

[Vorpal]

In a similar position once, I had a day out at Haddon Hall, which I enjoyed very much. I rode out, toured Haddon Hall and the gardens, had a nice lunch in the restaurant and rode back.

I picked it because my grandmother had a picture plate with Haddon Hall on it.

[foxyrider]

+1 for the above. I didn't realise Kirkdale was that steep! It's certainly a stiff climb up.

From Owler Bar, you can access the road that keeps you on the top of the moor, either A621 or Fox Lane, to Clodhall Lane via Beeley Moor, the top of Slack Hill, all the way to Crich, without gaining or losing too much height. There's the cafe at Scotland Nursery and another tea room which might be Rosies mentioned above. I think there also a tea room in Crich itself.

Thats the road buts it's a bit boring to just go both ways on the same road!

My ride today was 80km or so and the furthest I got was Mam Nick. OTOH I climbed 1400m - a tough ride with today's cold and stiff wind. Lunch at Coopers Cafe was nice though and warmed me up a tad.

There are so many variations and destinations we could come up with enough excursions to fill a book!