Tissington & Manifold Cycle Trails: 36 Miles Moderate
Ashbourne - Mapleton - Blore - Waterhouses - Thor's Cave - Wetton Mill - Hulme End - Hartington - Pilsbury - Parsley Hay - Alsop en le Dale - Tissington - Ashbourne
This is a 36 Mile cycle ride starting from Ashbourne, although you could start at a number of points along the route. The time taken excluding stops is approx. 3 hours, but do allow all day. There are cycle hire facilities at Ashbourne, Waterhouses and Parsley Hay.
This route links the Tissington Trail with the Manifold Trail, the two trails are very different not just in riding surface but also the immediate environment.
The Tissington Trail is open with views across both sides of the trail. The surface is mainly gravel based, the route is best done in a clockwise direction to take advantage of the slight gradient on the Tissington Trail.
The Manifold Trail is enclosed in a valley as it follows first the River Hamps and then the Manifold, passing beneath Thor's Cave past Wetton Mill and onto Hulme End. The surface is tarmac although very
bumpy with a short section of quiet road between Wetton and Ecton.
The road section between Mapleton and Waterhouses is very hilly and would be considered quite strenuous, as is the section between Pilsbury and Parsley Hay. The majority of the A road just after Blore
down to Waterhouses can be avoided by taking a rough track that bears left off the major road at Miles Knoll.
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