Ten Great Peak District MTB Trails – Chatsworth Gold

Route details

From Calton Lees car park head along the road through the Chatsworth Estate so that the House comes into your view over to your right. About a mile of easy riding later, you will see a worn/gravely patch in the grass to your left and a post indicating the bridleway. It’s a grassy bridleway, and not overly worn – but if you look, you will see it there.  Turn left up hill onto this bridleway. This will lead you up to the woods. You’ll turn right near the top and then swing left through a gate into the woods. Up hill through the trees and out the other side.

Glorious 400m or so of cycling along the bridleway through the pasture land to another copse. You’ll soon come to a gate – keep going up hill to another gate. Turn left through that and down the trail. Out the other side and up the hill along single-track to the woods. You’re near the top of the first descent now. Follow this along and then down down down, great riding, but watch out for riders and walkers who might be coming the other way! This will spit you out onto an open gravel track on the other side. Follow this down hill to the main road in Rowsley. Turn left onto the A6.

Keep going round and then left onto the B6016, and shortly up the hill right, up the Chesterfield Rd. This bit is a bit steep but it doesn’t last long. Look out for the bridleway on your left – take this. Through the trees, (it forks left after about 300m), through a delightful glade and over a footbridge. Right turn up hill through more gates. Follow the track past a huge barn and all the way to the next road. Turn right, up hill, not far now, and to the top. Follow this round to the left and then down down down a wonderful byway – yahooing it all the way. Try not to ride into any 4WD vehicles coming the other way and try not to wipe out on the way down. From personal experience I recommend, pads, mitts, and maybe a mouth guard too!

Eventually you’ll come back to the main road. Turn right and shortly your car park where you started will be up to your left. Head back to the car, or alternatively head down to the river for a quick (bonus) swim!