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Start: Tissington Camping & Caravan Site, The Stable, Town Head Fm, Tissington, Ashbourne DE6 1RA
(S/E) Turn left from The Tissington Campsite entrance and left again down Chapel Lane, passing the chapel after a short distance. At the end of the lane, turn left over the former railway bridge (Tissington Trail) and follow the lane beyond for one mile (crossing several cattle grids) before descending sharply to a ford (footbridge to left).
(1) Turn left along the road past Bradbourne Mill and follow the B5056, ignoring the right turn to Bradbourne.
(2) After ¾ mile, turn left (signposted to Ballidon and Parwich). Take the first right (“Ballidon (only)”) and ride past the isolated church on your right, then through the hamlet of Ballidon.
(3) Carry on along the main road towards Ballidon Quarry. Beyond the quarry entrance, keep right along Roystone Lane. Pass a further quarry entrance and keep on along the lane to a cattle grid. Follow the narrow lane beyond up the dale, climbing steadily for a mile to Roystone Grange, passing a former engine house
(now a barn) and a gate.
(4) After Roystone Grange, the track descends slightly to a cattle grid and then proceeds to a gate by some cottages, then climbs again to Minninglow Lane (National Cycle Network 548).
(5) Turn left along Minninglow Lane and descend to Parwich Lane. Cross over the lane carefully and continue along the track opposite.
(6) After another gradual climb, turn right through a gate to continue on NCN 548. After a second gate, the track finally levels off to reach a third. Head straight on, ignoring the turning (signposted “Green Lane”) on your right. Beyond another gate, the loosely surfaced track descends quite steeply (take care).
(7) On reaching the main road, cross and turn right, then turn immediately left (signposted to Biggin).
(8) Beyond a bungalow and just before a railway bridge, dismount and turn right through a gate onto a path that leads up to the Tissington Trail. On reaching the Tissington Trail, double-back left to pass over the bridge. Follow the gently descending Trail through a shallow limestone cutting. Cross two more bridges and pass through a deeper cutting with an overbridge.
(9) When the Trail runs close to the A515, there is an opportunity to leave the trail where there may be a mobile food van (A) on the main road; otherwise continue along the Trail.
(10) Beyond another overbridge you reach a car park on the site of the former Alsop-en-le-Dale Station, beyond which is another possible refreshment opportunity at Newton House tea rooms (B). Beyond Newton House the Trail swings eastwards, away from the main road, and bridges a farm track near Newton Grange Farm on the right, before heading along an embankment and under a bridge. Pass under another bridge.
(11) Just after a third overbridge, dismount at a footpath sign to “Tissington and Parwich” on your right and mount a flight of six steps. At the top turn right, to meet Flatts Lane by the bridge. Turn left and ride the short distance back to the The Tissington Campsite.
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