4th july 2026

There is something reassuringly familiar about arriving back at Barn Farm on the first weekend of July.

The tents begin to appear. Riders nervously eye each other's bikes, wondering who has overpacked and who has dramatically underprepared. Volunteers get busy transforming a quiet Derbyshire campsite into Pure Peak Grit HQ, while conversations inevitably drift towards weather forecasts that nobody really believes.

Before a wheel had even turned this year, Kostüme had everyone well looked after with freshly made pizzas, before Fergus Coyle's film In at the Steep End reminded everyone exactly what happened twelve months earlier.

It probably wasn't the most relaxing pre-race viewing but by Saturday morning though, there was no turning back.

Originally fifteen riders had entered PPG26, but the usual combination of injuries, illness and life had reduced the field to eight riders taking on the full event and three women lining up for the very first Pure Peak Grit Prologue.

A New Chapter

The biggest change for 2026 wasn't the route.

It was the introduction of the Prologue.

We've always wanted Pure Peak Grit to be more accessible to female riders, given how PPG started back in 2019, and those wanting to experience ultra-distance riding without committing to three relentless loops of Peak District hillage. The Prologue offered exactly that, a single loop of the full course, complete with all of the scenery, all of the climbing and, unfortunately for the riders, all of the gradients.

Kate, Jess and Ally became the first three riders to ever tackle it.

There was no leaderboard. Just three riders taking on a proper challenge.

We couldn't have asked for better ambassadors for the first ever PPG Prologue.

The Full Route

Lined up alongside them was an interesting mix of returning riders and first timers.

Andrew was back for his third consecutive Pure Peak Grit, determined to improve on last year's Lantern Rouge after refusing to let an early mechanical stop him. Ross and James had both returned for another helping of Peak District suffering, while Alan finally made it to the start line after having to withdraw at the last minute in 2025.

Making their debuts were Michael, Henry, Sean and JJ.

The weather looked... reasonable, which, in the Peak District, generally means "give it an hour."

The Calm Before the Climbs

The opening miles gave everyone the opportunity to settle into the ride together before Pure Peak Grit quietly reminded them what they had signed up for. As we are always reminded by the riders, there may, or may not, have been a few climbs that weren't mentioned in the route description, but this just adds to the fun.

By Winnats Pass the elastic had already started to stretch.

Henry and Michael looked immediately at home at the front of the field, with James and Alan keeping them honest, while Sean and JJ sensibly resisted the temptation to get caught up in the early pace. Experience has shown us many times that riding your own ride is usually the smartest decision at PPG.

The first loop served up its usual collection of Peak District favourites, and even the leaders found themselves joining the annual Bakewell Carnival parade before eventually dropping back into HQ via the Matlock Loop.

Meanwhile on the Prologue...

It didn't take long for the Prologue riders to realise that we'd perhaps understated the climbing.

Jess admitted only 35 kilometres into the ride that she'd begun to suspect there might be "a few more hills than advertised." She wasn't wrong.

Despite some challenging weather over Holme Moss and plenty of knee-testing gradients, all three riders attacked the course with brilliant determination.

Kate was first back to HQ after an excellent ride, with Jess and Ally following later that evening to complete the inaugural Prologue.

Perhaps the most surprising moment of the entire weekend came when Ally admitted she'd actually enjoyed the route. Seasoned Pure Peak Grit riders remain unconvinced that this is possible.

HQ Never Sleeps

If the route is the heart of Pure Peak Grit, Barn Farm HQ is undoubtedly its soul.

Stevie once again kept riders fuelled with enough food to satisfy even the most depleted ultra rider, while volunteers, Laura and James (PPG25 first finisher might we add) somehow managed to stay cheerful throughout the weekend despite fielding increasingly bizarre conversations as sleep deprivation took hold.

Sean and JJ, after riding much of the opening loop together, returned with appetites that can only be described as chaotic.

Between them they demolished crisps, pasta, crumble, Pot Noodles, Haribo, biscuits and anchovies in no sensible order whatsoever before launching into late-night discussions covering the viability of deep-fried malt loaf, Ronald McDonald's personal wealth, the aerodynamics of cows and why chicken sushi should never become a thing.

Ultra-distance riding does strange things to people.

The Hills Fight Back

As the hours ticked by, the inevitable battle of attrition began.

Alan's ride came to an early end, while James was unfortunately forced to retire after aggravating a pre-existing injury, both after completing the first loop in good time.

Sean and JJ, having worked brilliantly together throughout much of Loop One, both decided one lap of Pure Peak Grit was enough for this year.

At the front, Henry and Michael continued to produce astonishing rides, reaching HQ for a second time in the early hours looking remarkably fresh before heading straight back out into worsening conditions.

Then the Peak District remembered it was the Peak District.

Cold, wet weather on the exposed tops eventually forced Henry to call time on his ride, leaving Michael alone at the front.

Different Ways to Ride

One of the things we love most about Pure Peak Grit is that there is no single way to ride it. Andrew demonstrated this perfectly.

His steady progress northwards was occasionally interrupted by particularly inviting patches of wild berries before sensibly grabbing a short bivvy sleep somewhere out on the hills. There was never any panic. Just quiet determination.

Ross, meanwhile, made what proved to be one of the smartest decisions of the weekend.

After completing his opening lap physically capable but mentally exhausted, he opted for a proper night's sleep before heading back out on Sunday morning. It paid dividends.

His second lap was every bit as strong as the first, proving that sometimes stopping is exactly what keeps you moving.

One Rider Left

While everyone else battled weather, fatigue and difficult decisions, Michael simply kept riding.

Calmly. Methodically. Making one of Britain's toughest cycling events look almost routine.

At one point we even heard he'd left HQ without a waterproof.

Confidence or optimism? We'll let you decide.

Supporters gradually gathered back at Barn Farm as trackers suggested a finish wasn't too far away.

Andrew timed his second arrival back at HQ perfectly, joining everyone else to cheer Michael over the line.

Michael’s finishing time of 33 hours and 42 minutes was just thirty-nine minutes outside the course record and one of the strongest debut performances we've ever seen at Pure Peak Grit. An outstanding ride.

The Final Decisions

Ross eventually rolled back into HQ after over ten hours on his second loop, having rallied brilliantly after his overnight rest.

Two loops of Peak District hillage was enough this year and he decided to hand in his tracker. There was a rumour Andrew might head back out for Loop Three if Ross continued. Thankfully for Andrew's knees, Ross made the decision for both of them.

And with that, Pure Peak Grit 2026 drew to a close.

One official finisher. Three successful Prologue riders. Countless stories. Exactly as it should be.

Thank You

Pure Peak Grit has never simply been about finishing.

It's about turning up, making good decisions, looking after each other and seeing just how far you're prepared to push yourself.

Congratulations to Michael on an exceptional debut and a phenomenal finishing time.

Congratulations to Kate, Jess and Ally for completing the first ever Pure Peak Grit Prologue.

And congratulations to every rider who stood on the start line willing to find out whether they really could hack the hillage.

Thank you to our volunteers, whose endless encouragement, cooking and good humour somehow improved as everyone else's sleep deprivation got worse.

Thanks once again to Barn Farm Campsite for providing such a brilliant home for the weekend, and to our incredible partners: Kostüme, Restrap, Bum Butter, Print My Ride and Thornbridge Brewery.

Finally, thank you to everyone who entered this year's event. Together, rider entries and additional donations raised money for a brilliant local charity in Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, who help protect the landscapes that make this event so special.

We'll leave you with the same question we ask every year...

Can you hack the hillage?

We'll see you in 2027.

Supporting Derbyshire Wildlife Trust