Dark Peak 3 Reservoirs Trail

A spectacular route takes us around Derbyshires Dark Peak reservoirs of Derwent, Howden and Ladybower. The customary refreshment stop after around 15 miles is planned for a local hostelry the Yorkshire Bridge pub.
The stunning area was used for the 1970 film The Virgin and the Gypsy but more notably the upper two dams of the Upper Derwent Valley were used by the RAF 617 Squadron during the Second World War, as training grounds for the crucial attack on dams in the German Ruhr Valley. The twin towers of the dams were chosen for practice with a specially made bombsight used for targeting the Barnes Wallis-designed ‘Bouncing Bomb’. The 1954 film immortalised the raid and many of the scenes were shot in the area. If open we can visit the en route museum dedicated to the pilots and the film.
PLEASE NOTE
PARTS OF THE ROUTE ARE DESCRIBED AS ROCKY AND WIDE TYRES WITH GOOD GRIP ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
THE RIDE WILL ONLY TAKE PLACE IN GOOD WEATHER, IF THE FORECAST IS POOR A "LET'S RIDE" NOTIFICATION WILL BE SENT. AN ALTERNATIVE RIDE STARTING WITHIN THE GREATER MANCHESTER AREA MAY TAKE PLACE.