The National Forest

Previously an area of heavy industrial activity with coal mines, slag heaps and potteries scarring the landscape, the coming of the National Forest to NW Leicestershire and SE Derbyshire has transformed the whole area to one that would be unrecognizable by earlier generations.
Along with the greening of the countryside and the planting of millions of trees, have come lots of off-road paths which are ideal for cycling and walking.
Here we look at a few of the options.

If taking your bike there by car, the best free car parking is at Conkers, which is not only well worth a visit in it's own right, but it lies adjacent to many of the best cycling routes.
The entrance to Conkers is on Rawdon Road Moira DE12 6GA.

                  This is the Visitor Centre.

The large free car park is busy at weekends and holidays, but you will usually find space as there is plenty of room. There is also a car park at Conkers Waterside approach by way of Bath Road.

                 Nearby is the Youth Hostel.

And here the caravan site run by the Camping and Caravanning Club.

The Ashby Canal is nearby and there is a well surfaced towpath suitable for cycling. The canal is not connected to the National Canal Network, so you will not see many boats on it.
See video of the ride HERE1

Route 63 of the National Cycle Network runs through the Conkers Car Park and will take you to Albert Lake and this is worth visiting. 
See video of the ride HERE2

The Conkers Circuit 
More off road paths on Route 63 of the National Cycle Network.
See video of this ride HERE3

Hicks Lodge .......
is a purpose built cycling centre between Moira and Ashby-de-la-Zouch on the site of an open cast coal mine. There is a nice cafe, toilets, and a bike shop with hire bikes. Surrounding the centre are miles of off-road cycle paths amongst the trees and lakes. Pay and display car parking here £3 all day, the cash going to maintain the cycle paths.
See videos of
The Lake Ride HERE4

The Cycle Trails are waymarked and some are a graded challenge for mountain bikers. See video HERE5

So lots of choice for off-road cycling here in the National Forest, only about 15 miles from Derby via Ashby-de-la-Zouch or via Repton,Ticknall, Hartshorne and Woodville. Make for Moira.
Enjoy.

Catch the Early Train

Bikes and trains are the ideal combination if you happen to live within easy cycling distance of your local railway station and to get the best value for the train journey you may have to make an early start.

Click HERE for the video of my cycle ride from home at Mickleover  to Derby Station to catch the train for Sheffield which cost only £2.63 with a Railcard.

Derby Railway Station

White Peak Loop

The White Peak Loop is an ambitious project by Derbyshire County Council and The Pedal Peak Project to install a lengthy multi-user path around the Peak District of Derbyshire, joining with some existing paths, notably the Monsal and High Peak Trails.

It is currently under construction at several places and here we look at the section running Northwards from Matlock towards Rowsley, which generally follows the route of the Peak Rail Heritage Railway and the River Derwent. 

If travelling to Matlock by train from Derby, which takes only 35 minutes, costing a little over £4 with a Railcard, you need to ride a short distance from the station along the shared path Northwards alongside the A6 road signed Bakewell and Rowsley.

 Follow the Bakewell Road out of Matlock, turning left at the roundabout ahead.

                                          Watch out for these signs.

This is the short access path which leads to the first railway crossing at Darley Dale. Turn right after crossing the line.

 Yet to have it's top surface laid, the path runs alongside the Peak Rail track.

Although it has been necessary to fell a few trees, some magnificent specimens remain 

 And the scenery to the West side of the path makes this a top class cycle ride.

From Harrison Way Northwood, this path through the woods will eventually take us right through to Rowsley.

The current termination of the path is here at Old Station Close, Rowsley.

A section of the (almost) finished path between Churchtown and Harrison Way Northwood can be seen on YouTube HERE

Pastures Hill, Derby

Pastures Hill was once, prior to the building of the nearby A38 trunk road, the main road Southwards out of Derby, towards Burton-upon-Trent. Subsequently it was subject to a 40mph speed limit, but was a dangerous place for cyclists, having a series of bollards intermittently along the road and no cycle lanes. Each bollard presented a narrowing of the available lane and cyclists were exposed to danger from 40mph traffic overtaking them at these points.

At last, the road has had a makeover, and is now a much safer place for all road users.
The bollards have been swept away, the speed limit reduced from 40mph to 30mph, and a 1 meter cycle lane added to the West (uphill) side.










At the top of the hill the road meets the roundabout junction of  Hillsway and Chain Lane, where the cycle lane currently ends, and we hope that future plans for changes here will continue the good work on towards Derby City via Burton Road.  Currently there are no cycle lanes on Burton Road.

Well done Derby City Council. So far, so good.

Infinity Park

Infinity Park, currently under construction on the South side of Derby, between Sinfin and Chellaston, is a 100 acre technology business park which will attract many high tech firms to the area, providing around 8,000 jobs.
One essential requirement will be good transport links, especially by road, and the site is less than a mile from the A50 trunk road which runs between the M1 and the M6.  Also for the benefit of local people who will work in the park, good cycle access is essential. Both these requirements are to be met by the new road running from Wilmore Road at Sinfin to the Bonnie Prince roundabout on the A50 between Chellaston and Swarkestone.
Two of our local cycle routes are already nearby.  NCN Route 6 runs all the way from Derby City and is almost entirely off road, whilst NCN 66, the Derby Orbital Route links to Sinfin, Littleover and Mickleover.
The new spinal road, Infinity Park Way, will cross both of the existing cycle paths and good provision is being made with Toucan crossings, and the whole 1.25 mile length has good off road paths on both sides.
Much work yet to be done, but you can see that good provision is being made for cyclists.

                                                     Generous width cycle paths.

                                              Good run-off ramps ahead of roundabouts.

                                                   Good signing already in place.

                                                     Plenty of room for cyclists.

                                         This is the Innovation Centre building.

                            Alongside the existing pylons, lots of saplings have been planted.

                                                            Another Toucan crossing.

                       Junction with Wilmore Road.  Rolls-Royce aero engine test beds ahead.                                                                                                                                                    

            Video                                                                                                                                                             

Click  HERE to view YouTube video of whole length of new road as at February 29th 2016.

It will look rather different in the months to come.  

  

Update October 2018

The road has now been open to traffic for well over a year and a new video of the cycle path from Chellaston to Sinfin can be seen on YouTube 

Click Here2

                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Sinfin Moor Lane

Sinfin Moor Lane is a traffic free lane which is a part of  NCN Route 66, the Derby Orbital Route, and is a good link for cyclists between Sinfin and Chellaston, where it joins NCN Route 6 running between Derby and Swarkestone via Shelton Lock.

                            From the South end of Sinfin Lane go straight on at this roundabout.

                                        Sinfin Moor Lane goes straight on at this right hand bend.

                                                 Pass the Recreation Ground on the left.

                                                            And Woodbine Cottage

                              This coded barrier prevents access by unauthorised motor vehicles.

                                A hard tarmac surface runs as far as Lea Farm, but it is rather bumpy.

                             The tarmac surface goes only as far as the entrance to Lea Farm.

                                                             

          A pretty poor surface between Lea Farm and the junction with NCN Route 6 at Chellaston.
To the left here we can see the Rolls-Royce aero engine test beds and to the right are the Trent and Mersey Canal and the River Trent.

 Ahead we now see the new Infinity Park Way under construction. This crosses Sinfin Moor Lane joining Wilmore Road to Holmleigh Way at Chellaston.  When the new road is opened there will be a Toucan crossing here. It will be necessary since the new road will link Infinity Park with the A50 trunk road at the Bonnie Prince roundabout and is likely to carry much motor traffic.
There will be another Toucan crossing nearer to Swarkestone Lock where the new road crosses NCN Route 6.

 Soon we  can see the junction with NCN Route 6 where we can turn right for Swarkestone Lock on the Trent and Mersey Canal, or left for Shelton Lock and Derby.

As we cross the new road we can see much of it's 1.25 mile length and the excellent cycle paths on both sides. This view is looking towards Chellaston where the road meets NCN Route 6 at the narrow bridge over the stream.  See below.

 

Hambleton Peninsular

The tiny Rutlandshire village of Upper Hambleton was indeed fortunate when, in the late 1970s, the land to it's North, South and East sides was flooded to form what was then Empingham Reservoir, but we now know as Rutland Water.  Fortunate in that it was a few vital feet above the height of the new dam to the East and the consequent water level. Not only that, but a narrow ridge to the West side meant that, instead of finding itself on an island, the village remained connected to the "mainland" and the nearby town of Oakham.

The Hambleton Peninsular now forms the centrepiece of Rutland Water  and it's 7 mile circumferential path makes a five star bike ride.
Bikes can be taken by train from Derby to Oakham which is well worth a visit in it's own right having some lovely old buildings and lots of places to eat including a Wetherspoons.  Hourly trains from Derby, change at Leicester.  About £12 return with a Rail Card.

       Not many signs on this route but this is the only one that you need. You cannot get lost.  Just keep as close to the water as possible.

 From Oakham on the A606 road, this road leads us onto the peninsular and Hambleton village. It has a good cycle path alongside. Thith ith the Isthmus.

 First view  of the waters of Rutland Water from the North shore of the peninsular with Burghley House visible on the horizon.
Ignore the private road to the left here proceeding to the narrow off road track after the first hill.

 This is as far as cars are allowed, apart from registered angler's cars, so the only hazards for cyclists are the sheep and the inclines....

               ................................ both in evidence here.

      But the sheep are more interested in scoffing this winter feed.

            The undulating path reveals a new view from each apex.

       Several cattle grids keep the sheep from the woodland areas.

              On the horizon is the dam which holds the waters back.

 More views of the water as we  traverse around the South side of the peninsular.

 On reaching this tee junction turn left to access the tip of the peninsular.

 Down to the water's edge ......................................

     ........................where we can see Normanton Church on the far bank.

              Return to the tee junction and follow the path.............

        ..........................along the South side of the peninsular.

The path becomes a traffic free road, eventually returning us to the public road on the isthmus.
A Merry Isthmus to all our readers.

Verdict
A superb ride with great views.  A few minor gradients but almost entirely traffic free.  Likely to be busy with cyclists and walkers at weekends, Half Term, Bank Holidays etc.
Note that Portaloo toilets are strategically placed around the route and these are for public use to avoid contamination of the reservoirs's store of drinking water, although the sheep do not use them.
Surfaces poor in places but rideable by most types of bike and rider.
Watch out for steep downhill gradients and sheep.

Videos
 To see video of parts of the route on YouTube, click HERE
And for The Official Tourist Guide to the County of Rutland video click HERE2