Miller's Crossing

Peak District Mountain Bike Route Guide


Region:

Derbyshire Dales, The White Peak

Difficulty:
Moderate
(For Experienced Riders)

Distance:
26.9 miles

Map:
OS Landranger 119

Route Text Download:
Miller's Crossing

GPS Download:
GPX and KML
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Miller's Crossing Route

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This mountain bike route of 26.9 miles travels most of the length of the Monsal Trail in the Peak District and takes you through all the tunnels. But don’t let the old railway cycle track fool you this is no easy ride. The cross over point at Miller's Dale station sends you out on three loops into the hills. There may be some big climbs but they are rewarded with some great descents. To keep your strength up there are two chances to visit the café at Blackwell Mill Bike Hire. There are also plenty of facilities at the start point of Hassop Station.

1. Start from the Hassop Station car park (GR217705). Exit the car park to join the Monsal Trail then turn right and follow the trail under the bridge. Continue along the trail and go through the Headstone Tunnel, over the Monsal viaduct then through the Cressbrook and Litton tunnels. A while after this go over another bridge (with a disused bridge on the right) to Miller's Dale Station (GR138733). Directly after crossing the bridge turn right and follow the track through a gate to the right hand side of the station buildings that leads to a car park. Continue straight on to the exit of the car park at a junction by the old Wriggely Tin Café building. Turn right and descend the road underneath the bridge then bear sharp left to a junction at the bottom (GR137732).

2. Turn right and climb the road up the left hand side of the valley. Climb through a long left hand bend to a junction with a broken tarmac track, on the left (GR134731). Turn left and climb the steep broken tarmac track. At the next junction go straight on and continue climbing along a reduced gradient up the rutted double track, to where it ends at a junction with a lane (GR133718). Go straight on and climb gently to the following crossroad junction. Turn right and follow the lane a short way to a junction with the A6 and The Waterloo pub (GR132714).

3. Go straight across the A6 then follow the double track, directly to the left of the pub, towards ridge. The track bears right as it climbs before turning sharp left near the top. At the top keep following the wide, rutted and muddy track to where it ends at a junction with a lane (GR126702). Turn right and follow the lane to the next junction (GR121701). Turn right again and climb the lane to where it becomes limestone double track. Continue straight on along the track to a gate. After the gate descend the steep double track through a couple of bends to where it ends at a lane by the water works. Turn right on this lane, then at the next junction a short distance later, turn left and descend to a crossroad junction with the A6 (GR122717).

4. Go straight across the main road then follow the lane to a gated junction signposted for the Pennine Bridleway on the left (GR123720). Turn left through the gate and follow the double track through a field. The track soon bears left and almost reaches the A6 again at a small, circular fenced off area. Bear right around the circular fence then go through a gate for a steep limestone descent. Continue straight on down the descent to a bridge over the Monsal Trail at the end. Directly after crossing the bridge turn left to a junction then turn left again and go through the gate to the Monsal Trail (GR112726). At the junction after the bridge you can also go right and descend a short way to Blackwell Mill Bike Hire, on the left, for food and repairs.

5. Turn left and follow the Monsal Trail back to Miller’s Dale station (GR138733). At the junction directly before the station follow the track straight ahead into the car park. Go straight on through the car park, passing to the left of the station building, to the junction at the exit by the old Wrigley Tin Café building. Turn right and descend the road underneath the bridge then bear sharp left to a junction at the bottom (GR137732).

6. Turn left onto the main road then after a while go under a railway bridge to a junction with a lane on the right, by the church on the left, in Miller’s Dale. Go straight on along the main road to a junction with a steep lane climbing off to the left almost immediately after. Turn left and climb the lane to a junction with a track on the left signposted as the Limestone Way (GR142374). Turn left and climb the track, which soon bears right and climbs to a farm. Go straight on into the farm then at the far side of the yard turn left through a gate. Climb the double track that after a while goes past a track on the left and through a right hand bend then on to a gated junction at the top (GR138745). After the gate turn left and follow the double track to a crossroad junction at a house (GR137752).

7. Turn left and descend the lane through Monk’s Dale. Bear left into the bottom of the Dale then climb to a gate at the end of the following right hand bend, signposted left for the Pennine Bridleway (GR129752). Go left through the gate then climb steeply straight on through the field, in the direction of the signpost, to a dry stone wall. Turn right at the wall and continue climbing to a gate in the top left hand corner of the field. After the gate climb the muddy and rocky singletrack between the dry stone walls. Near the top of the climb bear right to a junction with a double track and go straight on. Continue along the track, staying between the drystone walls, then after a while go through a couple of ‘S’ bends (left/right then right/left) before descending to a junction with a road in the village of Wormhill (GR122745).

8. Turn right onto the road then almost immediately left into Old Hall Farm. Follow the concrete paving past the left of the farmhouse to a gate. Go straight on through the gate and descend by the dry stone wall on the right, to the next gate. After the gate continue straight on until there is the choice of two fields ahead. Enter the field on the right and continue straight on, keeping to the dry stone wall on the left all the way to a gate in the bottom corner of the field. Go through the gate and follow the double track to the lane at the houses (GR111746).

9. Turn left onto the tarmac. At the junction after the houses turn left and follow the lane as it skirts the woods on the right. Ignore the Pennine bridleway tracks at this point, they go in the same direction but are very soft and covered in deep hoof prints. The lane eventually bears right through a farm and comes to a right hand bend directly after, with a gate on the left (GR114729). Turn left and go through the gate for a grassy switchback descent into Chee Dale. Near the bottom go past the Pennine bridleway alternative route on the right and continue along the singletrack as it turns right under a small bridge shortly after then descends to the banks of the River Wye (GR114727). Follow the track beside the river to the bridge over the river at the cottages. Go left over the wooden bridge then at the far end go straight on, past Blackwell Mill Bike Hire, and up the steep track to the gate at the top (GR112726).

10. Go through the gate then turn left and follow the Monsal Trail back to Miller’s Dale station (GR138733). At the junction directly before the station follow the track straight ahead into the car park. Go straight on through the car park, passing to the left of the station building, to the junction at the exit by the old Wrigley Tin Café building. Turn right and descend the road underneath the bridge then bear sharp left to a junction at the bottom (GR137732).

11. Turn right and climb the road up the left hand side of the valley. Climb through the long left hand bend to the junction with a broken tarmac track, on the left (GR134731). Turn left and climb the steep broken tarmac track to the next junction (GR133728). Turn left and climb the wide dirt track. Climb through a big ‘S’ bend to the top then stay between the drystone walls and follow the track as it bears generally right to where it ends at a junction with a lane by a farm (GR140721). Turn left then go straight on down the limestone double track descent, to the left of the house. After then reaching the bottom, at the next junction, turn right and climb the track to the top of the hill. Stay on this track for quite some time as it follows the ridge of the hill before descending to a farm. Bear right and descend the lane a short way to a small cluster of cottages. At the cottages go through the second gate on the left to follow the track directly past the front of the lowest cottages, to a gate at the far end (GR160715).

12. At the far end of the cottages go straight on through a gate then follow the double track right then left to the next gate. After this gate continue climbing straight on to a tree with entrances into a field on either side. Go into the field on the left and follow the dry stone wall on the right to a gate at the opposite side. Go through the gate and follow the track along the ridge, with views over Monsal Dale on the right. The track soon bears left then right for a fast, rocky descent. At the next junction (GR179717) follow the main trail 90deg left, don't go straight on down the muddy trail into the trees. After a flatter section go through a gate and descend steeply again on rocks to a junction directly before going under the bridge beneath the Monsal Trail (GR178719). Turn right and rejoin the Monsal Trail then go straight on and follow it back over the Monsal viaduct then through Headstone Tunnel and all the way back to the Hassop Station car park to complete the ride.