The High Peak Trail from Parsely Hay to Middleton Top
Here’s a video of some highlights when I cycled along the High Peak Trail in Derbyshire on a rather wet and cold wintry day in December 2024
I’d ridden up the Tissington Trail from Ashbourne to Parsely Hay, had a quick break and then headed off along the High Peak Trail towards Cromford Junction.
The rain started about halfway along and the wind picked up and I ended up feeling pretty cold and wet despite having, I thought, dressed appropriately.
Because of this I decided not to go beyond Middleton Top to Cromford as I didn’t really fancy slogging back up the 2 gradients (Sheep Pasture/Cromford and this one at Middleton, both of which are ~12%) so I turned around
If the café had been open at Middleton Top I may well have ridden further as I could have had a hot drink – but I imagine that opening on a wintry Friday in December was unlikely to be very profitable
It’s a very scenic route – just not in December so I’ll be back in the summer to enjoy it more
There’s a couple of good resources for the Cromford and High Peak Railway which is the route of the High Peak Trail here:
http://www.pittdixon.go-plus.net/c+hpr/c+hpr.htm
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Cromford_and_High_Peak_Railway
Thanks for watching