A Dusting of Snow in the Hope Valley

After the bikepacking ‘getaway’ in Spain in Sept, I thought I’d treat Jenny to a surprise weekend away. I had all intentions of finding us a luxurious day spa… with bikes, of course.

I booked a little cottage in the Hope Valley, Peak District *ahem* with good intentions. Unfortunately, I got a little side tracked with the route planning and sort of forgot about the spa side of things, but I did discover a nearby outdoor swimming pool. Who knew it was not heated in November! Apparently, that doesn’t count as a spa! Okay, let’s face it; I am useless when it comes to pampering.

We arrived in Bradwell, Hope Valley on Friday evening and the temperature had dropped about 10 degrees. We had an early night and then awoke to find some snow on the ground with nothing but glorious sunshine above.

We hadn’t anticipated such a chill and had only really packed our autumn cycling gear, but it would have been a crime to stay indoors. We wore all our clothes and set off for some Hope Valley highlights, thanks to some recommendations from the Ride Sheffield crew.

All in all, two memorable days of riding which left me wanting to get back for more in the summer.