Bikepacking has been getting a lot of traction in recent years; the temptation to get out there in the wilderness and be able to cover more considerable distances on a bike is the perfect combination.

So, earlier in the year, I spent slightly too much money on some shiny bits of kit (unnecessarily). I loaded up my bike and explored the freedom of the glorious picturesque Peak District.

So I called my route the Tour de Peaks (GPX files are available at the end), and I packed enough kit on the bike for 3 nights, though in the end, I only did two nights camping. I stayed at campsites because England has no legal wild camping outside of Dartmoor National Park. This did little to detract from my experience, though, as this was my first trip. The comfort of having actual toilets and showers and the ability to refill water bottles without filtration made my bike that little bit lighter and my experience more pleasurable.

*My fully loaded set-up, crossing the River Trent on the approach to Alveston Castle. The tent bag isn't rubbing against the wheel and is tied up onto the top of the saddle bag post-picture.*

I was well prepared for the trip. I've been riding 80 Km per day with a completely weighted bike (all my kit). It's been doing similar ascents to see what my proposed route was. I had some fantastic support from TrailMed, where I worked with Dan West (Exercise Physiologist), who facilitated a Sweat Test to determine the amount of sodium I lose in my sweat, the knowledge of which ensures that I maintain the right electrolyte balance during my trip (more on this later). I was also lucky enough to partner with Base Camp Food, which supplied me with dehydrated meals.

Before we delve into the details of the first day, let's learn from the first lesson of my bikepacking adventure: preparation is key. While you can gather information from articles and videos, it's crucial to be honest about your capabilities and preferences when planning a trip like this.

My bike was too heavy, and even though my fitness was good (having trained with a weighted bike), I took too much food, forgetting that I love to stop for coffee and cake when riding. If you have never been to the Peak District, buckle up for all the bakeries, coffee shops, and pubs that adorn each village! In hindsight, I would have dropped the number of snacks, protein bars, and meals I was carrying. I also took too many spare clothes for the route. I would have been okay if I had been in the Cairngorms rather than Derbyshire!

“If you’ve made it this far, I want to express my sincere thanks. By sharing my bikepacking journey, complete with its highs, lows, and valuable lessons, I hope to ignite in you the same passion and excitement for the adventure that I feel.”

Andy’s Bike Packing Set Up

Sleeping Bag
Roll Matt
Pillow
Stove
Gas
Lighter
Coffee Bags
2 x Power Bank
Charging Cables
Towel
Wash Kit
Book
Head Torch
Flip Flops
Microfibre Towel
2 x Flap Jacks
1 x Cash
2 x Spare PF 30 Gels
2 x Protein Bars
Hiplock Reuseable Tie
Sun Cream
Tools
Air Pump (Mini)
Tubeless Tire Sealant
Chain Link & Tool
Wet Lubricant
Dehydrated Meals
Long Spoon
1 x Tube Electrolyte Tablets
4 x PF30 Gels per day
Waterproof Jacket
Insulation Jacket
Spare Clothes
Gloves
First Aid Kit
2 x 750ml Bottles (1 Water & 1 Electrolytes)
Tent (Strapped to the top of Handlebar Bag)
2 x PF30 Gels (Jersey)
1 x Clif Energy Blok (Jersey)
Mobile Phone in Waterproof Case (Jersey)
Cycling Computer
Back and Front Lights

*The disused Cromford Canal towpath provides safe riding up the into Amber valley and into the heart of the Peak District.*

Day 1

I'm fortunate to live close enough to the Peak District to sleep a solid night in my bed and leave my house well-rested and suitably caffeinated!

The first third of day one was stunning; setting off from Northwest Leicestershire, I quickly landed on a dirt road cycle path and then tarmac roots leading along the banks of the Trent River in view of Alveston Castle. Before long, I was heading into the city of Derby, the largest city in Derbyshire, home to many cycle paths and parks. Well, ahead of my estimated time and keen to remind myself That I was on holiday, I stopped for a Starbucks coffee and a cake. You don't need much specialised equipment for a trip like this if you've got a bike. If you've got a camping kit, you just need a couple of bags. However, I will say that this small quick lock from Alpkit, priced at £12.99, was perfect for the trip; it allowed me to secure my bike quickly and prevent those walk-away opportunist thieves.

Fuelled up and ready to go, I headed out into the heart of Derbyshire via the Amber Valley, home to an array of attractions, coffee shops, and bars with a post-industrial vibe. However, time was getting the best of me. With plenty of distance ahead, I made the most of the secluded (yet hilly) back roads. I could get on the towpath alongside the now-disused Cromford Canal.

*Feeling the burn halfway up the 1:8 slope on the High Peak Trail!*

The miles were being eaten until I was presented with a hard left at High Peak Junction and the memory of that long sustained 12% hill, rapidly turning into a leg-burning, sapping reality. Still, after a sustained push, I made it to the halfway house using my legs, able to inhale fluids and gels before the second half, which continued with the same merciless steepness before dropping to a relaxing 7%. There really is no such thing as free hills! Still, after passing the dominating shape of Black Rocks, the delightful coffee shop at Middleton was open and selling ice cream; as I never wanted to be rude to anyone, I bought two, telling myself I must be in a calorie deficit by now.

At this point, I was feeling fantastic. I had conquered the major ascent of the day, rewarded myself with ice cream, and was now cruising on the High Peak Trail at around 20 km/h, taking in the breathtaking scenery of the Peak District.

Except my campsite wasn't in Hartington as I thought – so cometh the second lesson, always, and I mean always, check your route! Check it with training rides or an OS Map, at the least! Slightly embarrassingly for a Winter Mountain Leader, I quickly looked on the campsite's Facebook page and saw that it was close to Hartington. Que Andy flew down the Hall Bank to arrive at the excellent Village Store for a pasty and coffee (rather than eat all the food I was carrying on my bike). In conversation with the staff about my trip, the inevitable question came up about my campsite. So I learnt it was just off the Tissington Trail….back up the hill. Oh well, the snacks were good, and I secured some beer for back at the campsite, so there was nothing for it but to crack on. Incidentally, you should also enjoy good cake, coffee, and beer. In that case, I have left the unplanned diversion in the GPX file, which you can download below – you're welcome 😊.

Camping

You could complete my route or a tour of the Peak District by staying in one of the many (and excellent) B&Bs, Youth Hostels or hotels. I chose to camp mainly because I wanted to be fully self-sufficient (wild camping is now permitted in the Peak District). So I could test my riding/endurance ahead of more extensive adventures planned in Scotland and the Continent.

As I've mentioned before, you don't need to buy specialised equipment; if you already have a tent, then as long as it doesn't require a trolley to move it. If it fits onto your bike, then it will fit. I decided to buy a new tent because my existing tent was either a Terra Nova Quasar (4-Seasons) or a Solo Tent (that I use on TrailMed weekends). I wanted something that would last, be 2-person (so I could dry kit inside), fit on the bike and be lightweight. I opted for an MSR Hubba Hubba 2, the new bike-packing model with smaller poles to fit between the handlebars. It wasn't cheap, but I can't fault it. It performed well; there was loads of space for the kit (minus the bike), so I could stretch out and cook on the porch. The only gripe is that you have to put it up inside first, but it goes up quickly and dries quickly, so it isn't that much of an option.

It felt surreal that first night; I arrived self-supported with all my kit on my bike to find myself at a campsite with hot showers and a half-decent phone signal. Still, I resisted the urge to walk into the village for a beer and devoured my way through some excellent dehydrated food and one of my Hartington-bought beers (it was worth the detour!).

Day 2

I had always planned for the middle day to be my longest. Still, with the unfortunate detour, the distance looked similar to the day before. The biggest challenge on this leg was the terrain (I really wish I had done more preparation) and the height gain of 1,263m.

The first third passed without incident, cruising down the Tissingtron Trail and easy backroads until I joined the Monsal Trail. Hitting Miller's Dale, I climbed steeply off the trail and up the hillside onto what Strava was calling "Gravel Trail", but it looked like "Mountain Carnage" nay a dried stream bed. I was riding an aluminium flared drop bar, which gave greater comfort over distance. With an SRAM Apex1 group set and hydraulic brakes, it performs precisely on rough terrains but doesn't have suspension. So, my arms turned into the only suspension available. Boy, they were jelly when I reached the first blessedly tarmacked road!

30km in, my arms feeling like they had been doing the peddling for the last hour, it begins to hail. It's not just "ooo hail in spring" but proper chunks of ice cracking down. The ground is hilly, wet, slippy and broken; I curse Strava Routes (clearly at fault) as I push, lift and drag my bike across the terrain until I drop onto Sheffield Road at the top of Winnats Pass. A simple right turn would have dropped me through the atmospheric pass into my next planned coffee stop in Hathersage. Unfortunately, my armchair planning this route left me with the steep, hail-filled climb up to Mam Tor Saddle. Mercilessly, for a spot in the Peaks, which has become overwhelmingly popular (thanks to Instagram), there weren't too many people, and more importantly traffic, around. So I could set up a Starva PB to descend into Edale.

Standard British weather creating type two fun.

*Slowly defrosting in the thankfully warm Penny Pot Cafe in Edale.*

Arriving at the (thankfully open) Penny Pot Café in Edale, I locked my bike up. I staggered in to be greeted with the view of the fire roaring away. Shivering, I asked for all the calories (2 x scones, 2 x coffees, a pasty and a Bakewell slice if you're interested) before setting myself close to the flames to rewarm and dry my kit out. Edale, if you've never been, is nestled below Kinder Scout and is often a popular starting point for walkers attempting the highest summit in the Peak District. If you're planning a trip, make sure you factor in an early start to drop into the Café. The staff are great, and the food is just fantastic.

My rewarming stop lasted just over two hours. Still, it was worth it to be rewarded with warm, dry clothes and the sunshine breaking through to reveal the damp, sparkling countryside. Unfortunately, this meant that every man and his god emerged to drive their cars. After being forced off the road (don't read this, mum) and ascending a hill out of Nether Booth, I headed back onto the "Gravel Trail".

Sometimes, I really wish I had suspension; you can, you know, get gravel bikes with front suspension… it's worth considering. Anyway, I didn't, and so my poor arms had to deal with the 14% inclines over loose bricks and sheep shit. Still, the sun was out, and I actually overtook a D of E group on my bike, so there's a win. Dropping around the back of the Edale Skyline and Win Hill brought me to the shore of Lady Bower Reservoir, where, thankfully, a wide cycle path led me into Hathersage. Swinging into Alpkit, I met some friendly faces (thanks for filling my water bottles), and the discovery of Clif Bloks meant that the final third of the day pretty much sailed by on good-quality cycle paths and quiet roads.

Remember that second lesson? Well, the universe really wanted me to learn it; not only was the final 5km into the campsite a repeat of the broken stony incline, but I arrived at my campsite to find every teenager ever attempting to complete their Duke of Edinburgh award at the site. It was probably karma for having cycled uphill past a group early (still proud). Still, I put myself in the farthest corner of the field possible. Tent up, bike locked to the fence, I showered and changed before walking down to the Druid Inn (great pub) to meet friends who'd come to how I was getting on, confident that Bronze D of E teenagers wouldn't be permitted.

Day 3

Following a hearty meal, great company and a beer, I was tucked up in bed by 8pm and asleep by 8.01. My final day was an easy 60km (ish), starting with a "free" downhill leg linking me back onto the High Peak Trail and onto my original route. Rather than recounting my return journey (that 12% hill was epic apart from the gravel at the bottom), sharing my reflections on the trip would be worthwhile.

My big lesson for the next adventure is to pack for you, which differs from the trending literature on bike-packing. I like stopping at places on my travels, meeting people and enjoying coffee and cake, so I lose the excess food. If you like to stay in hard accommodation, do it; if you want restaurant-quality food every night, go for it but lose the dehydrated meals and stove.

*Breakfast on the final day, courtesy of Base Camp Foods.*

Secondly, research your proposed route; Strava or Komoot suggested routes look great on the laptop with a brew. Get the OS Map out before you leave – or even better, do a training ride on a section you think maybe "interesting".

It wasn't all "I wish I had done this". However, I was greatly supported by Base Camp Food, who supplied a range of dehydrated meals from Adventure Food to Summit to Eat (my favourite).

*Participating in my pre-adventure* *Sweat Test* *with TrailMed Exercise Physiologist Dan West.*

Also, a massive shout out to TrailMed, who supported me by conducting a Sweat Test, where it emerged that I am a particularly salty sweater! I lose around 1300mg of sodium per hour. Historically, I used SIS electrolytes that only have 300mg of sodium per tablet! This insight was a game changer as I could use Precision hydration tablets to ensure that I was regulating the right level of electrolytes during the trip; combined with the PF 30 Gel, those hills stood no chance!

Bikepacking trips, like other outdoor adventures, often leave you with a wealth of reflections and stories, each unique and personal. For me, backpacking is a logical step, combining a love of cycling with access to adventure in exceptional locations. It acts as a catalyst towards a transformative lifestyle that influences your perspective on career and relationships.

On this trip and in others, I cherish the freedom, the unexpected challenges, and the kindness of strangers. For me, the essence of bikepacking – a mix of adventure, self-discovery, and connection with nature and people should be available to all. Whether it's your first-time experience or a seasoned rider's sharing a tale, backpacking journeys are a canvas for reflection, offering insights into personal growth and the world around us.