Peak District motorcycle routes Ride Peak District.

Motorcycle routes in the Peak District

The Peak District became the first national park in the UK in 1951, and it has been drawing riders ever since. It covers around 555 square miles, mostly in Derbyshire but reaching into neighbouring counties, and it packs an unusual amount of variety into a small space. If you are looking for motorcycle routes in the Peak District, the hard part is rarely finding roads. It is choosing which kind of day you want.

Our routes are planned as loops that start and finish in the same place, and they are put together to avoid U-turns, dead ends, motorways and unpaved tracks. You load the GPX onto your satnav and the plan takes care of the rest, so you can spend the day looking at the scenery rather than at a map.

White Peak and Dark Peak motorbike roads

The park splits neatly in two, and the two halves ride very differently. The Dark Peak, to the north, is open moorland and gritstone edges on a base of gritstone and shale, with long views and few buildings. Expect exposed, sweeping roads that feel big and empty, and that can turn cold and windy even when the valleys are mild.

The White Peak, in the centre and south, is limestone country. Here you find most of the farmland and villages, with steep-sided dales, stone walls and narrower, more intimate roads. The pace is gentler and the scenery changes every few miles. Many riders enjoy combining the two in one day, climbing onto the moors and dropping back into the dales, and that mix is exactly why Peak District motorbike roads suit such a wide range of riders.

When to go and what to expect on a motorcycle in the Peak District

This is a popular area with riders, and it gets busiest on dry weekends from spring to early autumn. Police in Derbyshire have said they expect more motorbikes as the weather warms, and they have run patrols aimed at riders, including checks on speed, with enforcement vans and drones also reported. Keep an eye on the speed limit signs, because the open road does not mean open throttle.

If you can, ride on a weekday or set off early to enjoy quieter roads. Check the forecast before you leave, because conditions on the high moors can differ a great deal from those in the valleys, and wear layers you can add to or take off. Roads in a National Park are shared with walkers, cyclists, horse riders and farm traffic, so leave yourself room to slow down when the road narrows or the view opens up.

Peak District rides start from Ashbourne, Bakewell, Buxton, Glossop, Holmfirth, Leek, Matlock and Matlock Bath.