Bicycle ride around the Tissington Trail to Hartington

Hartington and the Tissington Trail

Difficulty level: 1 (1 to 5 scale)
Distance: 16.00 km
Estimated time: 2 hours - excluding stops
Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 map sheet(s): 119

This cycle ride is a pleasant and not too strenuous outing along the Tissington Trail, taking in the pretty village of Hartington and returning to Parsley Hey along minor roads.

Hartington Signal Box

Start from Parsley Hey on the Tissington Trail. Cycle hire is available here. Set off southwards down the trail and, after a few hundred metres, where it forks, take the right fork to continue along the Tissington Trail.

The trail is for the most part a pleasant ride with good views. After approximately 3km you reach the former Hartington Station, where there is a car park, picnic site, a former signal box and some interesting information boards. Continue on past the station, where the Trail goes into a cutting and passes under a bridge which carries a minor road over the Trail. After emerging from the cutting, and about 3km from Hartington Station, you reach a bridge over a minor road near the village of Biggin. Leave the Trail and descend to the road, turning right and following it down through the village, which has a pub and a shop.

Hartington Youth Hostel

The road descends to the head of Biggin Dale, where it meets another road. Turn right - then, when the road begins to climb up out fo the dale, you will see an unmade track forking off to the left. Take this track and follow it, climbing a little initially, then descending steeply before rejoining the road opposite Hartington Youth Hostel. Turn left and descend into the centre of Hartington village. This is a good place to stop for refreshments or just a rest.

Hartington duckpond

Starting from the duckpond in the centre of Hartington, take the narrow road which goes just left of the church. When you come to a T-junction near the curch, turn left. From here the road becomes quite narrow and winds uphill, passing Bank Top Farm, before the country opens out and you emerge into a fine position above Long Dale.

Continue along this minor road before descending into Long Dale to meet the road which winds its way along the foot of the dale. Follow this uphill, past Vincent House Farm, then turn right at the next junction to return to Parsley Hey.

An alternative, longer return route is to via Pilsbury, taking a single-track gated road which follows the River Dove to the tiny hamlet of Pilsbury. From there it zig-zags steeply up the hillside to leave the river valley to eventually arrive at a cross roads. Turn right here to rejoin the main route after about 2km just below Parsley Hey.

Hartington and the Tissington Trail Photo Gallery - click on the images to enlarge- Click Here for a slide show

0 - Hartington signal box on the Tissington Trail

1 - Hartington Youth Hostel

2 - Hartington Market Place and village pump

3 - Hartington village pond

Bicycle ride around the Tissington Trail to Hartington - Derbyshire Peak District cycling

A short cycle ride from Parsley Hey to the pretty village of Hartington and back, taking the Tissington Trail and minor roads.

Hartington and the Tissington Trail