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Middleton Top Engine House – High Peak Trail loop from Wirksworth

Middleton Top Engine House – High Peak Trail loop from Wirksworth

Moderate

4.8

(5)

riders

Middleton Top Engine House – High Peak Trail loop from Wirksworth

01:49

27.6km

360m

Gravel riding

Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: June 20, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Peak District National Park

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

216 m

Middleton Top Engine House

Highlight • Historical Site

Very interesting piece of railway history containing the world's oldest working
steam lift. Take the time to go a little further to theSteeple Grange Light Railway or brave the Sheep Pasture descent to the Cromford Canal.
Refreshments and toilets on site.

Tip by

1.62 km

High Peak Trail

Highlight • Cycleway

Great route for traffic-free cycling, the High Peak trail is a gravel track which follows the course of an old railway. This railway was owned by a canal company, so was built in an odd manner with long flat portions joined by steep sections (like canal locks) where the trains were often hauled uphill by stationary engines.

This means that most of the route is nice and flat but with inclines that will often mean pushing uphill. These include Cromford High Peak junction westwards (1:9 for about a mile), Middleton Top (1:8 with a surface including drainage channels across the track, so beware when descending especially as there are very steep drop-offs to the side), and Hopton (1:14 for about 500 yards or 457 metres).

You can get a good speed up downhill but be careful as surface is very loose.

Tip by

1.97 km

Hopton Incline

Highlight (Segment) • Climb

This is the shortest of the three remaining inclines on the High Peak Trail. 1:14 gradient.

Tip by

3.63 km

View of Harboro Rocks

Highlight • Viewpoint

Part of the High Peak Trail that takes you past the Harbour Rocks, picturesque for sure.

The rocks are a dramatic outcrop of Dolomitic limestone.

Tip by

4.10 km

Harboro Rocks Ruins

Highlight • Structure

13.2 km

Green Lane to High Peak Trail

Highlight • Trail

Farm track leading to the High Peak Trail can have some big ruts leading to big puddles if its wet.

Tip by

16.9 km

Track with View of Minninglow

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

A little bit rockier and muddier in places than the High Peak Trail but it does have a great view over Minniglow

Tip by

27.5 km

Middleton Top Engine House and railway wagon

Highlight • Historical Site

Notorious for its steep gradient, Middleton Top is a super climb with majestic views at the top. Plus, there's bike hire and a small cafe here. It has also been part of the Eroica Britannia route for the past few years – imagine that gradient with barely functioning, pre-1979 gearing. At the top of the incline there's the Middleton Top Engine House, as the track used to be the High Peak steam railway.

Tip by

27.6 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

11.4 km

9.71 km

6.33 km

< 100 m

Surfaces

20.2 km

4.69 km

2.59 km

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (370 m)

Lowest point (240 m)

Weather

Thursday 9 July

32°C

18°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 17.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

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Middleton Top Engine House – High Peak Trail loop from Wirksworth

Middleton Top Engine House

High Peak Trail

Hopton Incline

View of Harboro Rocks

Harboro Rocks Ruins

Green Lane to High Peak Trail

Track with View of Minninglow

Middleton Top Engine House and railway wagon

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