Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Middleton Top Engine House – High Peak Trail loop from Wirksworth

Middleton Top Engine House – High Peak Trail loop from Wirksworth

Moderate

riders

Middleton Top Engine House – High Peak Trail loop from Wirksworth

01:19

22.7km

210m

Gravel riding

Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: June 26, 2026

Tips

Includes a segment in which cycling is not permitted

After 22.5 km for 51 m

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

1.60 km

Middleton Top Engine House

Highlight • Historical Site

Very interesting piece of railway history containing the world's oldest working
steam lift. Take the time to go a little further to theSteeple Grange Light Railway or brave the Sheep Pasture descent to the Cromford Canal.
Refreshments and toilets on site.

Tip by

3.01 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 was built in an odd manner with long flat portions joined by steep sections (like canal locks) where the trains were often hauled uphill by stationary engines.

This means that most of the route is nice and flat but with inclines that will often mean pushing uphill. These include Cromford High Peak junction westwards (1:9 for about a mile), Middleton Top (1:8 with a surface including drainage channels across the track, so beware when descending especially as there are very steep drop-offs to the side), and Hopton (1:14 for about 500 yards or 457 metres).

You can get a good speed up downhill but be careful as surface is very loose.

Tip by

5.02 km

View of Harboro Rocks

Highlight • Viewpoint

Part of the High Peak Trail that takes you past the Harbour Rocks, picturesque for sure.

The rocks are a dramatic outcrop of Dolomitic limestone.

Tip by

7.50 km

View of the Countryside from the High Peak Trail

Highlight • Viewpoint

Stunning views over the surrounding countryside from the High Peak Trail

Tip by

8.11 km

High Peak Trail

Highlight • Viewpoint

This trail offers some stunning scenery and the surface is perfect for cycling

Tip by

11.4 km

View of railway embankment

Highlight • Cycleway

Great views of the old railway viaduct curving round over valley. The trail goes up this old railway

Tip by

17.4 km

Harboro Rocks Ruins

Highlight • Structure

21.1 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 part of the Eroica Britannia route for the past few years – imagine that gradient with barely functioning, pre-1979 gearing. At the top of the incline there's the Middleton Top Engine House, as the track used to be the High Peak steam railway.

Tip by

22.7 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

21.4 km

787 m

221 m

196 m

107 m

Surfaces

19.8 km

1.65 km

974 m

221 m

107 m

Elevation

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

Highest point (330 m)

Lowest point (210 m)

Weather

Friday 10 July

28°C

15°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 20.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

Want to know more?

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Edit route

Download GPX

Move start point

Embed on a website

Report an Issue

Report restricted access

Nearby routes

Hard

4.8

499

Ladybower Reservoir loop from Bamford — Peak District National Park

03:25h

42.3km

480m

Hard

4.9

357

Monsal and High Peak trails gravel loop

05:40h

68.3km

670m

Hard

4.7

352

Shatton Moor & Ladybower Reservoir loop from Hathersage

04:50h

55.2km

780m

Hard

5.0

Mam Tor loop via Hope from Hathersage — Peak District National Park

03:25h

40.1km

820m

Hard

Sherwood Pines, Clumber Park & the Rother Valley loop from Mansfield

08:22h

102km

740m

Hard

4.5

Redmires and Ladybower Reservoir loop from Hathersage — Peak District National Park

03:30h

39.4km

790m

Hard

5.0

Chatsworth loop from Thornbridge — Peak District National Park

02:18h

26.8km

470m

Hard

Blidworth Wood & The River Trent loop from Burntstump Country Park

04:24h

55.4km

560m

Hard

4.2

Broxtowe Country Trail

02:16h

29.3km

250m

Hard

3.8

Sherwood Pines & Rufford Abbey loop from Mansfield

03:44h

48.0km

370m

Hard

4.0

High Peak Trail and Derwent Valley Loop

05:38h

66.8km

1,010m

Hard

4.5

Tibshelf & North Wingfield loop from Matlock

04:14h

51.7km

850m

Middleton Top Engine House – High Peak Trail loop from Wirksworth

Middleton Top Engine House

High Peak Trail

View of Harboro Rocks

View of the Countryside from the High Peak Trail

High Peak Trail

View of railway embankment

Harboro Rocks Ruins

Middleton Top Engine House and railway wagon

Nearby routes

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️