Sunday and mid-week club runs are the most important part of Whirlow Wheelers, so here's the low-down...
Each entry below gives the date and destination of a club run. The start time and place includes a 'What3Words' location, the '///' link. Click that to see the exact start location on a map. Most rides also include a link to a map of the route - usually on www.ridewithgps.com but some route planners use other maps.
Please note: club runs do not have a ride 'leader' as such, we ride as a group of friends. The ride 'guide' listed below is simply the club member who planned the route. It is up to each rider to ensure that they are happy to ride the route and can manage the gradients and surfaces involved.
Calver, Bakewell, Hartington, Sheen. Return E’Sterndale, Sheldon.
Start: 9:00am Calver [///]
, Café: Chapel T Room
Route: 45m/4500ft, [MAP], Ride guide: Gordon
Via Shireoaks, Blyth and Sutton cum Lound. Back via Thoresby & Meden Vale
Start: 9:00am Barlboro [///]
, Café: Apron Cafe, Gamston
Route: 53m/1772ft, [MAP], Ride guide: Mike
Starting with a pootle towards Crich before turning east to the Abbey. Returning to the east of Chesterfield and an interesting route through Stavely.
Start: 9:00am Owler Bar [///]
, Café: Newstead Abbey
Route: 64m/4085ft, [MAP], Ride guide: Paul
Out via Tideswell to Buxton and up Axe Edge to Flash Bar - then down the wonderful road to Longnor and back via East Sterndale following well trodden route.
Start: 9:00am Calver [///]
, Café: Flash Bar
Route: 48m/4140ft, [MAP], Ride guide: Paul
Out via Owler Bar, Barlow, Eastmoor and Ogston. Back over Eastmoor and Baslow Road.
Start: 9:00am Top of Froggatt [///]
, Café: Tansley Garden Centre
Route: 44m/2926ft, [MAP], Ride guide: Andy
Via Cromford, Via-Gellia, Newhaven & Biggin. Back via Longnor & Monyash
Start: 9:00am Calver [///]
, Café: Beresfords Tea Rooms
Route: 51m/3287ft, [MAP], Ride guide: Andy
There's no printed runs sheet for the current season - the above is all you get!.
Looking for inspiration? Check out some of our previous clubs runs here.
Mostly it happens on a Sunday morning while decent folk are in bed doing Wordle (or whatever), starting at 9:00am (summer) or 9:30 (winter) from Calver. Some ride there and some (sharp intake of breath) drive there. (And some park out of site and pretend to have ridden out.)
So we don't get bored we sometimes start elsewhere, typically Barlboro for a flat(ish) ride out east, or Malin Bridge for a decidedly unflat ride oop north. The exact start point and time is published on the website along with a 'what 3 words' location - click the '///' link to see it on a map.
Club rides are generally fairly civilised and meander up hill and up dale trying not to get lost, or have anyone get differently lost to the rest of us, but just occasionally (?) someone will have a rush of blood to the head and go steaming off up some big 'ill. They slow down at the top and wait for the rest of us to catch up - mostly.
We typically have 50-ish miles on the clock by the time we get back and average around 12-14 mph - maybe a little more if it's flat. (Hah - who are we kidding!)
A couple of short video clips from recent club runs.
A club run in June 2022 to Hulme End via Axe Edge! A fabulous descent from Flash down to Hulme End but easy to miss the turning!
A flattish (?) ride around North Notts
