(This page covers rides from Stations that northern trains call at, some of which are managed by Northern)ChesterfieldChesterfield is the Southernmost point of the Trans Pennine Trail. There are two braids of the route, one heading along the reopened Chesterfield Canal, and the other looping around near Calow, to descend via Poolsbrook Country Park. Both braids can be picked up outside Chesterfield Station and combine at Staveley you can carry on from here towards Rother Valley and Sheffield. NE Derbyshire also has a number of trails which are slowly but surely getting linked up to form a route between Langley Mill, also now a Northern Rail Station, and Chesterfield.
Dent
As the highest main line station in England, it is possible to do some downhill cycling! There is also some stunning (and challenging) Mountain Biking available - you could try the route over to Ribblehead for a start. From Dent Village (about 4 miles steeply downhill from Dent Station) turn left towards Ingleton and follow the Pennine Cycleway to Settle Market Place. A challenging but rewarding cycle. Dore (i) Ecclesall Woods. Turn right out of the Station Car Park and travel along Abbeydale Rd (can be busy) for about half a mile. Near the Miniature Railway you will see a signpost for a bridleway. Take this and you can do a loop of this beautiful ancient woodland (suitable for MTB's or Hybrids) or follow the bridleway up to Limb Lane. Turn right here and at the junction with Ecclesall Road South, cross the road and look for the bridleway at the side of Whinfell Quarry Gardens which, steep and rough at first, will take you over to Ringinglow (MTB recommended). (ii) MTB route. Turn left out of the station car park and travel along Abbeydale Rd (can be busy) for about half a mile. Take the right fork along Totley Brook Rd to the end. Wheel your bike along the footpath (you will need to lift it over two kissing gates - if you can't do this the alternative route is Abbeydale Rd to r.Hillfoot Rd. However this route entails a stiff climb and steep descent.) Turn left on Hillfoot Rd, then right onto Penny Lane. Save the Cricket Inn until later, and at the top turn onto Strawberry Lee Lane, clearly the flipside of Penny Lane if you're a Beatles fan. Follow the lane along and it will bring you onto Blackamoor. You can continue on bridleways up to Fox House. For a circular route, take Houndkirk Lane (very rough) to Ringinglow, cycle down Ringinglow Rd to the Bridleway close to Bent Green school (Castle Dyke) take this down to Whirlow, cross Ecclesall Rd, take Limb Lane to the top of the Ecclesall Woods bridleway, enjoy the downhill, cross the bridge and follow signs to Abbeydale Rd, and you emerge very close to Dore Station (to your right) again. To extend this a bit further, on arrival at Ringinglow by the roundhouse, turn left then first right (with care) Take the sign-posted cycle route at Porter Clough. Take the MTB option a little further down to your left, then follow to Forge Dam. Here there is a Bridleway to your right that will take you up to Bents Green. Here you can join the Bridleway to Whirlow as described above. Edale
Edale puts you in the heart of the Peak District. From here you're not far off a great route between Sheffield and Manchester with plenty of options.
Mountain Bikers might like to head up Jacob's ladder and emerge
at Hayfield. The bridle way across to Castleton also seems to be
popular. Hebden Bridge
As you leave the station you will come across signs for National Cycle Network route 66. Turn Right for Sowerby Bridge, or left for Rochdale. HuddersfieldOut of the Station, turn left past the George and follow the signs to get onto Route 66. The signed route will get you as far as Dewsbury and you can then follow the canal towards Wakefield (see below) or head north on the Spen Valley route towards Bradford. This is the route we took on April 21 2010 for the Northern Rail Bike Ride Leeds Not traditionally a cycle-friendly city, Leeds is increasingly becoming more so. If you don't have a bike you can hire one at the Cycle Point. Head under the railway viaducts on Neville St for the main cycle routes - turn right for Leeds-Liverpool towpath towards Bradford & Skipton, or left for the Trans-Pennine Trail towards Wakefield, Barnsley & Sheffield. A network of local routes is being developed and the planned southern access from the station will make it a lot easier to access the NCN routes. Leeds Cycle Map and some leaflets are available in Cycle Point. Meadowhall
Despite it's highly urbanised location, Meadowhall is at the crossroads of a number of important cycle routes, many of which are on NCN Routes 6 & 67, including the Chapeltown Greenway for routes to Penistone, Manchester, Barnsley, Leeds, York & Hull amongst others, the Five Weirs Walk leading back into Sheffield City Centre, and the canal towpath for Rotherham and the canal network beyond, or an alternative route back to Sheffield.
New Mills Central & NewtownIf you are looking for an interesting (and challenging!!) ride why not go to New Mills Central. Road to canal near Newtown station follow towpath to Whaley Bridge, then up the inclined plane (Cromford & High Peak railway this time), or the road parallel, join the Pennine Cycle Way (PCW) to Elnor Lane Farm, descend to A5004 crossing at Fernilee, few yards along main road towards Buxton and take track on right down to reservoirs in Goyt Valley. Follow waterside path and later road and CLIMB up to Derbyshire Bridge. On moorland at top keep going until you reach the old Cat & Fiddle road (track) go left and descend to Buxton on track. Go through Buxton to Fairfield Common (A6 north), then lanes on east of A6, perhaps as far east as Upper End if you wish. The road from Upper End to Dove Holes encounters the remains of the Peak Forest Tramway (tramway built to carry limestone down to Peak Forest Canal at Bugsworth Basin) just before A6. You can follow it (probably best on foot as it is a public footpath) to the east of the village until PF Tramway crosses under A6 after last houses. Easier to cycle to A6 near Dove Holes Station, cross A6, uphill and ride on lanes to Chapel. On the long steep descent down Ashbourne Lane the remains of the Tramway Inclined Plane are on your right behind the wall. At Chapel, cross main road and follow Hayfield Road to Chinley (trains back to Sheffield or Manchester) and on to Buxworth, left for the Bugsworth (old spelling) Basin and canal towpath back to New Mills. Or if you are not adventurous just follow PCW back from Buxton to Chinley / New Mills - it passes through New Mills. Another Great Ride from New Mills follows the disused railway line to Hayfield, once a lifeline for the millworkers of Manchester. Enjoy some refreshments and cycle back, or continue north towards Glossop and the Trans Pennine Trail. A Sheffield to Manchester route passes through New Mills. Penistone
Leave the station via the available access points that is owned by Sustrans
for the Trans-Pennine Trail towards Dunford Bridge & Hadfield, Barnsley or Sheffield via Grenoside.
Saltaire Take to the adjacent canal towpath for a traffic-free ride back to Leeds, or on towards Skipton via the spectacular Bingley Five-Rise locks. Bumpy in places Wakefield (Westgate or Kirkgate) Cycling links to the TPT and and the Rhubarb Route to Horbury, Mirfield, Dewsbury and Huddersfield are in progress. Bradford via The Spen Valley Greenway is nearly within reach. At the moment all these routes require some riding on busy roads Worksop
Head to the town centre and turn left for the canalside road (NCN6) that will
lead you to Clumber Park, Sherwood Forest and on to Nottingham, or Lincoln or right for the Chesterfield Canal heading back towards Chesterfield and
Sheffield.
York Well served by Northern trains from Leeds (and west), Harrogate, Hull and twice a day from Sheffield, plus many more trains by other companies from all over.
CYCLE HIRE is available on the platform, at the station front, and in North Street.
From the station cycle through the Short Stay Car Park (northern end of station) down the new ramp onto the Riverside Path. Go left for NCN 65 to Beningborough Hall, or go right for the Selby - York Rail Path. Follow the signs close to the riverside (on your left shoulder), passing York's Millennium Bridge (walking and cycling). For a long ride to Beverley and Hull go over bridge and follow Route 66. Stay on the river side however to get to Selby. Path joins road near Racecourse and then follows a track alongside the course, to next run alongside A64 ByPass (on a parallel path). Going left under A64 you join the Solar System - a series of models showing the relative distances of planets from the Sun. The trail is now the former East Coast Main Line railway from York towards Selby. Despite a short street section at Bishopthorpe, the route follows the former railway (Sustrans first purchased railway line away from Bristol). Through a couple of villages the route follows the road, offering access to local shops / pubs etc, but reverts to a path sometimes next to the Selby York road. Crossing the Swing Bridge (once a Toll Bridge) in Selby go into the town for the Abbey, shops, cafes (cyclist's cafe at Bus Station) etc. The station is via Ousegate from the Swing Bridge, or past the Bus Station. Selby Station (pleasant cafe here too) has regular trains back to York (for those hiring bikes) as well as to Leeds. Hull Trains run to Doncaster, Trans Pennine Express to Leeds and west; and all three companies run east to Hull.
to come ... a rail path ride from Lincoln ... and more ...
to be continued...
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