Some photos
The route out of Matlock started easily enough, once I pushed my bike up a steep hill and the route took me along the Derwent canal for a while.
Which was quite picturesque.
Eventually I came to this which is the Cromford and High Peak Railway, one of the earliest railways in the world. It was built for the express purpose of getting stuff out of canal and over the high peak around matlock. Apparently it was never successful :( Safe to say... it's very steep!
Some amazing views as I pushed my bike up towards the high peak trail. Most of this was under canopy, which was good as it had started tipping it down, and would continue until the early hours of the morning. This is where the type 2 fun began.
Obligatory funny signs.... The advisory is no joke! This is a 1:8 incline and very very long and straight. It would be a challenge to stop safely.
Half way up was this static steam engine house, no longer functional. I would enjoy living in there if it didn't mean I had to haul my shopping up.
More incredible views!
Eventually I decided I needed the first chocolate bar of the day. Butterm!lk vegan chocolate bars are SO GOOD.
At the top there was a rather bemused woman and dog, incredible views, a working beam engine (not steaming that day) and a wagon. Very cool.
It was really tipping it down now, and I was getting pretty fed up. I pushed on for a few more km before decided to turn into Carsington water and see if I could find a spot to camp. It was only about 16:00 but the rain made me not very clever and I didn't explore enough.
There was this nice barn that wasn't being used that would have been fantastic shelter, but it was right next to a caravanning club site and they didn't look too happy to see me skulking around.
So, I walked 20m away and pitched on basically the verge of the main road directly into Carsington water, right behind the sign and next to the gate... that the security people come and lock. Oops. (I did not get spotted but it was proper stealth camping.)
This is what my camp looked like. Yes, I do fit in that. It got pretty dark at 04:00 when I woke up...
Night passed uneventfully, I turned in around 18:00 and woke up around 04:00. It was very, very wet the whole time. My tent is single-person and has exactly enough room for me and the essentials, so unfortunately my shoes and panniers got SOAKED. A decent tarp is high on my list to purchase.
Here is the rainshadow I left in the morning xD
Apparently I wasn't too happy..., but I knew what was coming! Set off around 05:30.
This is the main sign on the way into Carsington Waters, I was right behind it.
A nearby horse also just waking up for the day!
Just out of Carsington water, as well as about 3 really good camping spots, I passed this strange looking device. I took a photo and thought to myself, "later, I'll ask the the hackspace, they'll know what it is". I had posted about camping near Carsington Water, and somebody had already brought up this structure, that's hackspace magic!
It's called a VOR and its a radar navigation aid. It works sort of like a lighthouse in that it "flashes" brightly (in radar) and it allows pilots to determine with high accuracy their bearing relative to the VOR. They are gradually being phased (heh) out in favour of GPS, but they're pretty nifty!
Shortly after this I took a detour into Ashbourne to find the most important part of my cycle touring trips... the second day Gregg's. These things keep me going when I'm cold and wet and miserable. Fat and carbs and coffee. This is a vegan roll, glazed ring donut, and black coffee.
Whilst I was in Gregg's with my pride flag printed hi-viz vest facing into my seat, a couple men came in and were chatting. I ignored them and scrolled on my phone but it turned out they were talking about national politics, and they were massive fans of one of our Re- parties (-store or -form I wasn't sure). Then one of them said, "well, it doesn't really matter we have the richest man in the world on our side, so it's only a matter of time" which is a TERRIFYING THING TO HEAR AS A QUEER IN A GREGGS AT 06:00.
Bikepacking might not seem innately political, but my ability to move around the country safely is tied up with who is in government and the sort of attitudes they enable. Don't be a bigot, and don't let your friends or neighbours get away with it.
Cycling to Uttoxeter had some pretty nice views. Quiet rural roads and fields, the least scary way to cycle around the country.
After that, I felt turbo charged with carbs and put some good kilometers between me and Ashbourne. Eventually I got near to Uttoxeter and I got very excited because that's Staffordshire and a part of the world I know fairly well.
Fields of wheat blowing in the wind. I enjoy seeing what is growing. When I cycled to York last year, the potato harvest was just coming in.
This is the first sign I saw that said Stafford on it. Yes, that's the best I could do. I was right alongside a dual carriage way (the scariest sort of road to cycle near).
These selfies were on the way to Stafford, and were supposed to illustrate the fact my box of Scottish oatcakes and Good Old Raisins and Peanuts (G.O.R.P) had ran out. This had been dinner, breakfast and snack this trip. Thank you for your service.
Eventually I got to Beaconside greenway, which was very nice to cycle through. Outer town/city cycle corridors are some of my favourite bike lanes. The High Peak Way one the day before was also pretty fantastic, if difficult to enjoy at the time.
I'm starting to feel proud of myself xD
As a final treat nearing Stafford town centre, I saw this Heron fishing for fish. It really took its time and seemed to savour the catch, so I managed to get lots of good photos. Poor fish :(
Thanks to Stafford's most confused man for taking this photo. Sorry that a stranger spoke to you, I hope you got to tell a good story about it.
And in my happy place... taking my lovely bike home on the train.
Next time, I think I'll be doing some of the North of Wales, maybe Dolgelleau to Chester
Matlock to Stafford, 01-06-2026 and 02-06-2026.