Day Ride

LEEk & THE PEAkS

Words & Photography: Joe bailey

Above: Cold war relic or lighthouse? You decide

Above: Fine views almost wherever you look Below: No JCBs were harmed in the making of this sculpture A54 – makes you want to be there...

75 miles around leek and the edge of the Peak district

This ride starts and finishes in the town of Leek in the Staffordshire Moorlands, taking you south east to Uttoxeter then north to Ashbourne and the borders of the Peaks – there’s very little town riding but plenty of twisty A roads, which is good news.

Start at the Esso filling station on the south eastern outskirts of Leek on the A523. Turn right for Ashbourne and after about 4½ miles turn right for Alton Towers and Alton. Now follow your nose to Ellastone, leaving all the Alton Towers traffic behind – it should have turned off right.

At the T-junction in Ellastone, turn right for Uttoxeter on the B5032 then take the B5031 and B5030 past JCB’s World HQ at Rocester, complete with some nice landscaping and a digger sculpture. Soon you come to Uttoxeter and the A50 roundabout – take the first exit for M1 and after 4½ miles turn left off the A50 for Ashbourne (A515). Carry on to Ashbourne and find your way through town by following signs for Buxton, and sticking with the A515.

Leaving Ashbourne’s 30 limit there’s a stretch of easy navigation because you’ll be following the A515 for another 17 miles. Be ready for the left-then-right turn for Harpur Hill, turning briefly onto the B5053 which runs parallel to the A515 for ¼ mile – if it does that, you’re on the right road, so turn right for Harpur Hill. In Harpur Hill take a left turn for Leek (A53) and after 1½ miles turn right at the triangular T junction for Congleton (A54) then left (still signed Congleton A54).

After a mile and a half fork left (yes, still signed Congleton A54), which means leaving the famous A537 Cat and Fiddle road which sadly has seen many bikers killed and injured over the years. Average speed cameras, a recent introduction, have saved many from a similar fate.

There are good views along the A54 and about 5½ miles on you see a tower on the horizon. It’s the Sutton Common BT tower, built during the Cold War and intended to withstand a nuclear blast, maintaining communications after the balloon had gone up. It always reminds me of a lighthouse, but see what you reckon.

Carry on past the tower and after a couple of miles turn left at the light controlled crossroads onto the A523 for Leek. From this final stretch there are views to the right of Rudyard Lake – Mr and Mrs Kipling liked it so much they named their son after the place. And so to Leek, the A523 through town (signed Ashbourne) and the end of the ride. Hope you enjoyed it.

What’s your favourite day ride? Tell us about it in 500 words with a few pictures (high resolution please) you could see it later in motorcycle rider and receive a bmF gift! Send to: editor@bmf.co.uk