Carsington Water – Tissington Trail loop from Wirksworth

Carsington Water – Tissington Trail loop from Wirksworth

Hard

4.4

(14)

154

riders

Carsington Water – Tissington Trail loop from Wirksworth

03:12

58.8km

480m

Gravel riding

Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: June 21, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Peak District National Park

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

5.08 km

Carsington Water

Highlight • Structure

Carsington Water is the ninth largest reservoir in England. When full it can hold 7,800 million gallons of water. The reservoir has good quality tracks around it to enjoy the good views and wildlife.

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7.97 km

Carsington Water

Highlight • Viewpoint

can get very busy with people if its good weather

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19.3 km

Tissington Trail Start (Ashbourne)

Highlight • Parking

Very polite and friendly staff. Young chap spotted the ti gravel bike a mile off, so we got chatting for 10-15 mins.. I found most people rather friendly around here...

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25.9 km

Tissington Trail

Highlight • Cycleway

The Tissington Trail is a 13-mile (21 km) traffic-free trail that links Ashbourne to Parsley Hay via the spectacular White Peak countryside. The compacted gravel trail is relatively smooth and …

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40.4 km

Parsley Hay Visitor Centre and Bike Hire

Highlight • Cycleway

Great snack bar and bike hire centre. Makes for a good target to aim for when riding on the Tissington or High Peak Trails.

The snack bar doesn't have inside …

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41.0 km

High Peak Trail

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

The High Peak Trail runs from Cromford to Parsley Hay. It is built on the route of a railway which itself was built by a canal company. They used the …

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57.5 km

High Peak Trail

Highlight • Cycleway

Great route for traffic-free cycling, the High Peak trail is a gravel track which follows the course of an old railway. This railway was owned by a canal company, so …

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58.8 km

Middleton Top Engine House and railway wagon

Highlight • Historical Site

Notorious for its steep gradient, Middleton Top is a super climb with majestic views at the top. Plus, there's bike hire and a small cafe here. It has also been …

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58.8 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

38.0 km

6.45 km

5.39 km

4.68 km

2.66 km

1.66 km

Surfaces

23.0 km

19.4 km

11.3 km

4.97 km

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (350 m)

Lowest point (120 m)

Weather

Friday 11 September

20°C

10°C

68 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 33.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

January 24, 2026,Peak District Gravel Ride

Taking in the High Peak & Tissington Trails, with an extended Cafe/Repair stop

June 11, 2023,Tissington water and Carsington trail 🥵

The last minute decision to go back onto gravel tyres was the right one 😇

August 9, 2024,Windy 2 trail ride

High peak trail and Tissington trail great for traffic free rides even with the head winds , sidewinds and tailwinds💨 into Ashbourne which was very busy with HGVs passing through. Stopped off at The Miners Arms which has a lovely beer garden 👌🏻 and then missing a turn and doublingback to camp 😅

December 29, 2024,Old Smithy tearoooms, Monyash, from Carsington

Great day out not for the faint hearted unless you're on a ebike 😁
On a warmer day it would be worth checking out the Tagg Lane Dairy parlour for ice cream 🍦👍