A Bike Ride from Baslow (Report) (Slideshow)

 

Overview

1->2->3->2->4->5->6->3->7->8->9->10->11->1
Note that timings are based on a speed of 15kph, adding an hour for each 1000 metres ascent.  That’s about my pace, excluding stops.  Yours may be quicker.

 

               LOCATION                  HEIGHT        DIST          ASCT        EST TIME

               OS Grid                       Metres          Km            Metres     

 

1             SK 251 723                  113              
Baslow Church – take the main road south, turn right at the roundabout along the A619 towards Bakewell.
Go straight on where the main road bears right, along the B6012, then go first right up a quiet lane to Pilsley.

Past the pub and post office, turn right at the junction with the B6048, then first left up another quiet lane.

Just before a steep section, note a track to the sharp left, and go down it if you want to omit the following optional section.*

1->2                                                                3.75           146           24 mins

2             SK 235 697                  244
Sharp turn to Edensor – ignore the turn and continue steeply uphill towards Ball Cross Farm, which advertises teas but may not actually be selling them.

Shortly after the crest of the hill, and just before the farm, a bridleway heads down towards Bakewell.  Take care, it’s fun.  Stray too far left and you’ll find yourself on a steep footpath leading onto the golf course, so keep to the right down here until you reach the road. 

2->3                                                                1.54           40             9 mins

3             SK 222 690                  146              

Station Road, Bakewell – now cycle gently back up the hill, past Ball Cross Farm, and over the rise to the junction you passed over 30 minutes earlier.

Was it worth it for that bit of singletrack fun?

3->2                                                                2.20           138           17 mins

2             SK 235 697                  244
Sharp turn to Edensor* - a fast off-road section typical of the whole route leads down to the pleasant village of Edensor, on the edge of the Chatsworth estate.     

2->4                                                                1.68           0               7 mins

4             SK 251 700                  121
Edensor – turn right and follow the B6012 around right and left corners.  Leave the road about 300 metres after the left corner.  An indistinct bridleway leads up to the right past a wooden post.  Head up towards the wood, where you pick up a stronger path that goes to the right and after a short while, after passing a gated track through the wood, curve left to a gate leading into New Piece Wood.

Follow the track through the wood, after which it levels out and heads across pasture to drop down to another small wood.  Lunge to the right here, following the bridleway signs, and climb around this small wood to another gate on the left that separates it from an even smaller wood.

The next section looks steep and grassy, but it’s quite easy to cycle up Calton Pastures to the gated entry into Manners Wood.

It was worth the effort – a lovely woodland descent brings you out at a major path junction. 

4->5                                                                4.51           216           31 mins

5             SK 244 669                  200
Junction near point 201, to the SE of Coombs Farm – turn sharp right and take the gated track down past Coombs Farm to a railway bridge.                            

5->6                                                                1.83           10             8 mins

6             SK 230 679                  124
Railway bridge – under the bridge, have a low gear selected for the ramp to the right that leads to the start of the Monsal Trail.  Head along the trail to Bakewell Station, which you may recognise from your earlier descent from near Ball Cross Farm.       

6->3                                                                1.43           48             9 mins

3             SK 222 690                  146
Station Road, Bakewell – after observing the informative board, continue along the old railway line to Haddon Station, by a bridge that houses the B6001, where an extensive café and bookshop provide an ideal opportunity for a short break (not included in these timings).
Continue to a spot where a bridleway joins from the left, noting that as an alternative, you could have gone into Bakewell and headed north along this bridleway to reach the Monsal Trail.

3->7                                                                2.02           46             11 mins

7             SK 213 707                  169
Continue along the trail, which passes over the main road before reaching another road junction (under the railway line).        

7->8                                                                0.93           20             5 mins

8             SK 205 710                  169              

Minor road junction – leave the railway track down a ramp to your right, and turn right, up the quiet lane signposted to Rowland.  After a while turn right onto the Great Longstone to Hassop road, and after a few metres reach a left turn to Rowland.

8->9                                                                1.50           50             9 mins

9             SK 212 721                  216
Turn to Rowland – turn left and head through the hamlet on a gradually rougher surface.  Climb gently up the track which traverses the hillside to reach a junction near signs in defence of a double dyke (Scheduled Monument No 31229).

Turn left here, up Deep Rake, passing to the left of a deep quarry.

After a short descent, just before reaching a minor road take a bridleway to the right, through a gate to the left of a wall, and head pleasantly downhill on a grassy surface for about 1km, to reach a major junction.           

9->10                                                              5.49           200           34 mins

10            SK 206 742                  287
Path junction by disused mines – continue to the bottom gate and turn right, heading down the valley (ignore the tracks heading up on both sides).  This is a footpath, but you are allowed on it.  It leads easily down Rough Side then Coombs Dale to reach the A623 road between Stoney Middleton and Calver.               

10->11                                                            3.36           39             16 mins

11            SK 235 750                  139
A623 junction with Coombs Dale track – turn right onto the main road and then right again at the traffic lights, up the B6001 towards Bakewell.  Continue gently uphill, near the top passing a lay-by that could be used as ‘free parking’ for this ride.  Turn left near the crest, along a narrow lane.  This continues gently to a high point before descending at speed to Baslow, where a left turn over the old toll bridge leads back to the church.

11->1                                                              4.15           113           23 mins

1             SK 251 723                  113

Total trip                                                        34.39         1,067         3 hrs, 22 mins