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Travel StoriesA Successful Winter's Break
An Easy Day Out Going Round In Circles
Ride Date 9 March 2025
By Ren Withnell
As I stand outside first thing in the morning the skies are a clear blue and the sunlight is breaking through the morning's haze. Visually it looks like a beautiful summer's day, the goosepimples on my arms remind me we're still officially in winter and the air is deeply chilled. Time for breakfast if her ladyship has arisen.
With our bellies filled we get kitted up and unlock the bikes. It still feels a little odd, almost rebellious, to ride across the pedestrian area to get out of the B&B's car park. It's legal, it's fine, it's just contrary to all previous experience I've gained over the years.
It's the trees that give it away. Wrapped in my many layers and with the sun shining upon me I am warm and comfortable and the roads are dry, it could be a summer's day, save for the leafless trees. They're naked and angular, not heavily verdant. While not as lavish as I might hope the naked trees allow views across the valleys and folds in the land. The Peak District is not jagged nor striking like an alpine vista, here at least the hills are plump.
It could be summer save for the cold air and leafless trees.
I have no plan, I'm just riding. Our first stop is Tissington - presumably the Tissington of The Tissington Trail. The village is but a small collection of stone houses, converted barns and Tissington Hall itself. In the glorious sunshine and the warming air it's all very pretty... but I have no desire to traipse around nice gardens in my bike gear. Onwards!
I look overdressed for the nice weather conditions.
I lead us down a narrow lane in no particular direction. The fat rolling hills, the folds forming valleys, sheep in the road, and the obligatory yoof in a hopped up hatchback thinking he's the reincarnation of Colin McRae. We're just bimbling, 20mph no more. We let cars past and saunter, enjoying the views and chilling out. Lovely.
Aha! A ford, and not just a dribble across the road, I'd call this a healthy stream or perhaps even a juvenile river. It is unwise to cross a ford with gay abandon, they're fickle and changeable things. We stop and I get off to inspect. Hmmm. It looks possibly slimy? It's certainly flowing well enough to push a tyre from beneath a motorcycle if the grip is not all there. I consult with Sharon. No, we don't need a soaking or broken bike bits or even broken bones. Lets not bother eh.
Nice, but errr, thanks but no thanks. Turn around sweetie.
Back along the narrow lane then back to the main road. We return to normal speed once on the main road so as to avoid holding up the traffic. This isn't what we're after though and I spy another side road which I take. Aaah, that's better, back to dawdling in the glorious countryside and sunshine. Biggin - that's where we are apparently. We stop, take a few piccies then continue.
This is rather embarrassing. We ride for another 45 minutes before arriving in a familiar town. Hartington is small, quaint, and popular with tourists such as Sharon and I. The thing is we've been riding for 45 minutes and according to Google maps it's only 1.8 miles from where we last stopped. That's actually quite impressive. I know we're travelling slowly but not that slowly. I think we need a brew.
Hartington is pretty, and perhaps a little too popular.
Refreshed with tea we depart Hartington and continue to meander. Slow and easy on the narrow lanes, traffic speed on any main roads we happen across. Buxton, past The Flash Bar Stores, and lord only knows where else. We must be criss-crossing and zig-zagging as some views are looking uncomfortably familiar.
Aha! Lots of motorcycles. Monyash appears to be one of the many biker hang outs and we stop. A brew would be nice - with the good weather the place is heaving and the queue is longer than we can be bothered with. We chat with a few other riders then make the short trip back to Ashbourne.
A busy afternoon in Monyash
The evening sees us just chilling out in the room, watching crap on TV and doing nothing. Once upon a time this would have really bothered me and bored me, but now I'm rapidly becoming and old fart. This thing about us going round in peculiar circles most of the day would also have bothered me once upon a time, again it's not bothered me at all. Oddly, thankfully, I've rather enjoyed it.
EPILOGUE
There's nothing of note regarding our ride home. The clouds have returned although the rain holds off and we both get back to our respective abodes safely.
So how did we do on this little local late winter micro adventure? Golly gee how lucky were we?!? The weather was perfect, Ashbourne is lovely. The hotel was better than acceptable. The distance was right for this time of year. No disasters befell us. A weekend break like this really helps me get through the seemingly endless darkness of winter. Yeah, we done right well didn't we.
Sharon is smiling, I managed a grimace.
Advertise here - contact ren@bikesandtravels.com
It's A Good Start
After justifying why he's mean to Sharon The Dynamic Muppets take on an arduous and testing journey to deepest darkest Derbyshire. This is a true tale of epic adventure through the harshest conditions... ish.
She Made Me Walk
Poor poor Ren is being made to exercise against his will. After this tragedy there's disappointment too. Still, it could be worse, he could be working.
An Easy Day Out Going Round In Circles
How can you get lost in the days of Satellite Navigation? Turn the Sat-Nav off. Now you can ride around in ever decreasing circles - which oddly enough seems to be just fine with Ren these days.
Reader's Comments
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Some nice spots there folks.
Tissington used to have a decent butcher, but he couldn't make it pay. Shame.
Hartington gets busy because of the cheese shop, if it's still there of course. Plus walkers can set off to Wolfscote Dale and Berresford Dale from the village. But not with your feet Ed.
Nice folks, ta a bunch.
Upt.
03/06/2025 12:16:54 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Well Tissington is tiny Upt' so I'm surprised there ever was a butcher... or a shop of any kind really. Yes the cheese shop is still there in Hartington.
Derbyshire is beautiful in a lovely, cutesy, rolling hills and fluffy little lambs kind of way. I believe there are more wild and ruggedy parts, but not in the area we explored this time. We both really enjoyed this simple little break but we're looking forward to some more grandiose mountains in Scotland later this year.
03/06/2025 13:41:39 UTC
Bogger said :-
I went on a field trip to Hartington in the fourth year of high school.
That must have been eleven or so years ago.
One of our lot got hit by a car on one of the country lanes near to Hartington. He went straight over the roof.
After a week in Hospital he was on the mend.
Happy days.
Bogger
03/06/2025 16:10:20 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren , I'm with you about traipsing around gardens in bike gear but every year I seem to find myself doing just that!
The photo of the ford is interesting, is it just an optical illusion that the road on the far side seems to fall away and if so what is the direction of flow...
@ Bogger , are you suggesting you're still 21 !
Nigel
05/06/2025 12:13:30 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
The far side of the road goes up - I can understand the optical illusion but it is a bog standard round goes down - through the ford - then goes up again on the other side. I'll add a link to Google Maps Streetview so you can explore for yourself nab301.
Bogger is not 21, of that much I am sure.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/53%C2%B003'56.7%22N+1%C2%B042'13.7%22W/@53.065...
05/06/2025 14:12:15 UTC
nab301 said :-
Thanks Ren,
Nigel
05/06/2025 15:15:03 UTC
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Travel StoriesA Successful Winter's Break