Derbyshire Road Cycling Climbs- Hills And Routes To Ride In The Peak District Part 2
Peak District Cycling
The Peak District- Happy Derbyshire cycling
The Peak District National Park is an area of natural beauty which covers northern Derbyshire as well as parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire covering a total area of 555 square miles (1,440 km2)
The area is fantastic for its cycling routes. With many quiet country roads, great vistas and some fantastic climbs which have helped in the development of many British Pro and Amateur Cyclists
The main feature of many Peak District road cycling climbs is that they are generally tough and steep. Your legs know when you're been riding in the Peak District.
I hope you enjoy the below and integrate them into your Derbyshire Cycling Routes in the Peak District.
A look at some Peak District road climbs- Part 2
Below are some of the best climbs within the Peak District. This article will also feature some of the lesser well known climbs of the area and Derbyshire cycling routes.
1. The Via Gellia road cycling climb
2. Monsal Dale road cycling climb
3. Monsall Head road climb
4. Frogatt road climb
Happy Cycling in Derbyshire
The Via Gellia Climb
The Via Gellia Climb
The Via Gellia Climb is from Cromford village just off the main A6 up the A5012 to Grangemill. The road is believed to have been named after Phillip Eyre Gell who was responsible for building the road through what is a steep sided dry valley to connect Gell's Mining interests with entrepreneur Richard Arkwright's Cromford Mill at the bottom of the valley.
The road meanders up the valley gradually- never hitting more than 5% gradient for 6.5 kilometers between the valley up to Grangemill. The depth of the valley means the road surface often remains damp.
The Via Gellia climb is also a favourite with motor cyclists due to it's fast and twisty nature and is a fantastic fast twisty descent to test your bike handling skills.
The Via Gellia road runs along the outer border of the Peak District National Park at it's Southeast edge.
The Via Gellia Climb
Monsal Head Climb
Monsal Head Climbs
Monsal Head offers two climbing options for cyclists within the Peak District
1. Monsal Dale Hill Climb (OS Landranger 119 Ref SK 184 716)
Climbing up from the valley of the River Wye from Monsal Dale up to Monsal Head Hotel the climb is around 0.6 kilometers long however has an average gradient of 16% with fantastic views of the Monsal Viaduct. The climb is home to an annual hill climb event with a record time of 1m 14.2 s by British Legend Malcolm Elliott.
For more info on the event please visit http://www.monsalhillclimb.org.uk/ and be prepared to suffer!
2. Monsall Head Climb
Starting in Ashford in the Water off the A6 from Bakewell this climb gradually heads up to the Monsal Head Hotel and you can keep climbing from there for fantastic views of Monsall Dale. The road climbs up to 330 meters above sea level.
The Climb follows the B6465 road from Ashford in the Water (OS Landranger Grid Ref SK 197 698) and gradually climbs up with Longstone Moor to your right.
Monsal Head Climb (B6465)
The Longshaw Estate from Froggatt Climb
Frogatt Climb
The Froggatt road climb follow the A625 from Calver Crossroads (OS Landranger Grid Ref SK 239 748) and starts to climb as soon as you cross the bridge over the River Derwent. The road continues to climb for 5 km from 132 meters up to 364 meters at the top at the Longshaw Estate- an altitude gain of 232 meters at an average gradient of around 5%.
Froggatt road climb
Happy Cycling
For more inspiration on Peak District road cycling please see the below.
Peak District Cycling Climbs- The Series
- Peak District Road Cycling Climbs- Where to ride in the Peak District Part 1
Great Road Cycling Climbs within the Peak District National Park. Where to ride in the Peak District. Happy Cycling