Take the A6 north out of Matlock to Rowsley. Shortly after the Little Chef, as you enter Rowsley turn right onto the B6012 towards Baslow. Cross the single track bridge into Chatsworth Park. Cavendish keeps a reasonable garden centre to your left just before the cattle grid. Carry on through the park, watching out for his lordship's livestock. Pass the drive to Chatsworth House - this is one of the best stately homes in England and highly recommended . The house and garden are open to the public in the summer. Here's a thought for your consideration - if Devon is so wonderful, how come the Duke of Devonshire lives at Chatsworth?
Note the model village on your left (picture). Carry on, on the B6012 to Baslow, turn left at the island on the A623 to Calver. You might like to stop a while to look at the mill in Calver, it was used as Colditz Castle in the film. At Calver crossroads, turn right for Froggatt but ignore the next right to carry on, on the B6001 to Grindleford (nice climbing turns). Where the B6001 turns off to the left in Grindleford, carry on down the hill (B6521) to the single lane bridge. After the bridge climb up through the village and the trees onto Hathersage Moor. There's often an ice-cream van and parked cars on the left, as you emerge from the trees. This is a popular picnic spot.
Arrive at a T junction with the A625 and turn left. Note the natural fort of Carl Wa rk on your right (picture). Follow this twisty main road across the moor, and then to descend into Hathersage itself. There is a great view of the Hope Valley from the top of the hill (picture).
Straight on through Hathersage towards Hope and Castleton. No te the A6-13 turn off to the right at a petrol station but don't take it this time. The High Peak Garden Centre on your right, just after a bridge, has one of the best outdoor equipment shops. In Hope take the right turn for Edale. The sign is small. This surface of the Edale road has loose chippings and care should be taken on all corners. Ride up the Edale valley to come to a large car park followed by a turn on your right, take the turn into Edale for coffee and bacon butty at the station cafe (picture).
Grindsbrook Booth at the top of this road is the start of the Pennine Way. (Long distance footpath for masochists only.)
Return to the valley road and turn right to continue up the valley (ignore right turn to Upper Booth. The road crosses the valley and s teeply climbs up, nearly to the top of Mam Tor (picture). Cross the divide and descend to turn sharp left onto the main road. The A625 used to be a busy main route until part of Mam Tor fell onto it. A sharp right turn (with road to the left, now used for parking) avoids the landslip, take the next left signed Winnats Pass, Light Traffic Only. Descend this 1 in 3 (picture), pass Speedwell Cavern entrance. Turn right to pass through Castleton.
Castleton gets very busy with tourists, one of the favourite past imes of local farmers is to drive the combined harvester through on a August bank holiday. Pass through Castleton and then Hope to return to the left turn for the A6013 to Ladybower spotted earlier.
Cross over bridge after passing the dam on your left (picture) and turn left onto the A57 Snake Pass road. (A right turn after a further bridge would take you up to Derwent Dam where the Dambusters practiced their bomb runs.) The Snake road climbs over the Pennines to cross the Pennine way and descend in to Glo ssop. Beware the large grate covers on the descent if wet.
In Glossop turn left at the traffic lights onto the A624. This road climbs over Chunal to Hayfield (start of the Sett Valley Trail), then climbs again to descend into New Smithy. Turn right after th e low bridge, left at the island by the tyre factory, then right onto the A6 Chapple-en-le-Frith bypass. From here you could follow the A6 back to Matlock via Buxton and Bakewell.
Follow the A6 back to Buxton anyway. Pass through a golf course on the way into Buxton, down the hill, turn left at the island by the park. Straight on a the next island to return to Matlock directly. Turn right for an interesting diversion.
You arrive a 5 way crossroads with lights. You want to do straight on, but you will return here from the opposite direction to turn right onto the A515. Follow signs to Macclesfield and Leek to join the A53 / 54 out of Buxton. On leaving the town, take the A54 to the right and in another mile or so take the right fork onto the A537. This is th e infamous Cat and Fiddle road.
The road twists and turns its way to Macclesfield. Where you can turn round and do it all again. So people do this all day, so don't race if you don't know the road. Return to the crossroads in Buxton and take the left onto the A515 for a straight line blast south-east. Turn off the A515 at Newhaven, a left onto the A5012. This takes you down to the Via Gellia road into Cromford. Turn left and left again onto the A6 to return to Matlock Bath.
(I must record some milages next time I do this run - or perhaps someone could e-mail me some)
Map: Under construction