Cycle Routes

Discover the best local bike rides on the Peak District borders of Derbyshire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester. With route maps, detailed directions, tips and hundreds of photos, I’m still working on new guides to build a collection of over 30 — so there’s plenty more adventures to come.

Routes are categorised as Gentle, Moderate, Challenging or Very Challenging and can also be explored by Bike Type, by Features, by Trail and by Places.

Pages marked as P+ are unlocked with the Pocket Guide Collection, GPX Collection or complete bundle, or just buy me a coffee — you’ll get exclusive extra routes while helping to keep all the free guides there for everyone!

Popular Paths & Trails

Distances shown as complete loop or out-and-back return ride.

Peak Forest Tramway Trail

Peak Forest Tramway Trail

  • 3.8 miles
  • 112 ft
  • Gentle

Sett Valley Trail

  • 5.5 miles
  • 150 ft
  • Gentle

Manchester Airport Orbital Cycleway

  • 8.7 miles
  • 162 ft
  • Gentle

Alan Newton Way

  • 9.2 miles
  • 336 ft
  • Gentle

Longdendale Trail

  • 12.9 miles
  • 377 ft
  • Gentle

Upper Peak Forest Canal

  • 13.3 miles
  • 56 ft
  • Gentle

A555 Hazel Grove to Manchester Airport

  • 14.9 miles
  • 475 ft
  • Gentle

Upper Derwent Valley

  • 15.1 miles
  • 911 ft
  • Moderate

Manifold Way

  • 15.8 miles
  • 321 ft
  • Gentle

Lower Peak Forest Canal & Marple Locks

  • 16.4 miles
  • 376 ft
  • Gentle

Monsal Trail

  • 19.2 miles
  • 462 ft
  • Gentle

Middlewood Way

  • 20.3 miles
  • 401 ft
  • Gentle

Tissington Trail

  • 26.9 miles
  • 869 ft
  • Moderate

High Peak Trail

  • 35 miles
  • 1034 ft
  • Moderate

Recommended Rides

My own original Peaks & Puddles routes.

Buxworth Bypasses

  • 6.8 miles
  • 708 ft
  • Moderate

Sett Valley Trail with Kinder Extension

  • 8.9 miles
  • 425 ft
  • Gentle

Over Hills Around New Mills

  • 10.6 miles
  • 1358 ft
  • Challenging

Chinley Churner

  • 10.9 miles
  • 1519 ft
  • Challenging

Lyme Lanes

  • 12 miles
  • 984 ft
  • Moderate

Lyme Loop

  • 12.5 miles
  • 706 ft
  • Moderate

Wood Lanes off Middlewood

  • 12.5 miles
  • 528 ft
  • Gentle

Mills and Brows

  • 14.3 miles
  • 1218 ft
  • Moderate

Biggin and the Big Long Dale

  • 14.7 miles
  • 633 ft
  • Gentle

Tame Vales and Valleys

  • 15.6 miles
  • 739 ft
  • Gentle

Quarry Bank By Bike

  • 16.6 miles
  • 496 ft
  • Gentle

Goyt Valley Grinder

  • 17.6 miles
  • 1930 ft
  • Challenging

Beginners’ Brickworks

  • 18.4 miles
  • 1662 ft
  • Challenging

Peaks and Perry Dale

  • 20.1 miles
  • 1919 ft
  • Challenging

Hidden Hills in High Peak

  • 23.1 miles
  • 3319 ft
  • Very Challenging

Cheshire Mountains of Macclesfield

  • 23.6 miles
  • 2987 ft
  • Very Challenging

Cat & Fiddle Climbs

  • 26.7 miles
  • 3501 ft
  • Very Challenging

More Routes

Longer Combined Rides

Station to Station Rides

Pocket Guide Collection

Downloadable mini PDF route guides suitable for both phone and print, with easy turn-by-turn directions and custom maps. Includes all current and future Pocket Guides. Get it here

By Bike Type

By Features & Attributes

By Trail

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