Glorious Gravel: The Dark Peak

GPX Files

Pre Ride Briefing

Two Feed Stops

Free pint or soft drink at finish pub

Ride marshals supporting you on the route

Uppermill, Oldham, Greater Manchester

By road: Leave the M62 at J22. Follow A672 and A6052 to Uppermill

By train: The closest train station is at Greenfield, about a mile away, with regular services to Manchester and Huddersfield

By bus: There are regular buses through Uppermill, from Manchester, Oldham and Huddersfield, among others.

Start Time : From 7.45am

Finish time : Between 12pm and 4pm

Our events are open to all off-road bikes. While it is aimed primarily at gravel & adventure bikes, which are essentially fat tyred drop bar bikes, you are also most welcome on a mountain bike or cyclocross bike. We recommend a tyre width of 33+mm for most for our rides.

What to bring: You will be further from van support or facilities you would find in most towns than with our road trips, so it is advisable to take a little more with you: GPS device with route loaded; spare tube or tubeless plug, pump and/or CO2, mini tool, jacket and/or additional layers

We will email you the GPX route & a full breakdown of the route one week before the ride. Our route director will then be at the start to give you last minute advice and tips. You will be asked to select a start window which we will then confirm one week before the ride to ensure you roll out in group sizes based on current restrictions.

A tough & lumpy 77km loop from the outskirts of Outer Manchester to the wild and rugged Dark Peak. The route is on rolling terrain with three main climbs and just one flatter section - an quick 11km sector by the reservoirs. The terrain is mixed including some tarmac, fine packed gravel, single track bridleways and even a sprinkling of cobbles. As a reference, our average speed on the route is 16km/h so it typically takes us nearly 5hrs riding time. The main climb is the classic Chew Road - this is at the end and is an out before finishing with a very well earned pint.