SEASON STARTER 2024

It's cold, wet and dark. Summer seems a long way off, and though many will ride through the darkest of winters, it's just not as much fun as during lighter, warmer times.

I've previously considered running some tours in the Peak District, but as it's English speaking, riding on the left, not that big, and there's plenty of routes available, there didn't seem to be much point, especially when suitable accommodation for larger groups was hard to find.

In the autumn of 2023, a new hotel opened up near me, and after visiting, and seeing that they were quite bike friendly, I thought I'd have a go at getting folks together for a weekend of riding in the Peak District to get 2024 started.

It is planned for the weekend of 12-14th April at the Bike & Boot hotel in the Peak District.

I picked that weekend, as it's the first weekend after the Easter school holidays have finished. The clocks will have gone forwards so we'll have some more light and the roads should be salt (and ice!) free.

The hotel is brand new and is on the site of the Rising Sun pub between Bamford and Hope which had been derelict for several years. I know that April might not have the finest weather, but having been blown around and soaked in various festivals this summer, it's as good a time as any.

So, the plan is for folks to arrive Friday and depart Sunday. Two organised rides will take place on Saturday all day, and Sunday morning finishing around 1pm so that even with lunch, people can be on their way home by 2 or 3pm at the latest.

The riding will be all on road, and if we are a smaller group (fewer than 20 bikes) I'll run it as a guided tour with the drop off system. If more than that, I have the route as .gpx/.itn files which I'll send out ahead of time so that people can navigate at their own pace, but still have the same stops as everyone else for the shared experience. This is how the Magellan Motorcycle tours run, and it works rather well, especially on roads where overtaking is difficult, and people ride at different speeds.

The hotel rooms all have king size beds. The 'Small' rooms look like this and they are only available as with one king bed.

For twin rooms, the rooms are the larger 'Medium' rooms to allow for space between and around the beds. This is why the twin room is more expensive than the double. There is a residents lounge with all day tea and coffee with cake at 4pm and there is a bar and restaurant on site. Breakfast, tea and coffee and the aforementioned cake are included, as is lunch at the Carding Shed (they have offered to do sandwiches and plates of chips for a set price and will reserve tables so that we don't have to wait around).

Prices are per room and are as follows: 

Room	25% Deposit	Balance	Total	Extra Nights
Small King (Single Occupancy)	£58.75	£176.25	£235	£99
Small King (Double Occupancy)	£64.75	£194.25	£259	£111
Medium Twin (Double Occupancy)	£73.75	£221.25	£295	£118

Payment terms are for a non-refundable deposit of 25% paid at the time of booking with the balance to be paid one month before the weekend. Cancellation policy is that the 75% is refundable up to 7 days before. In practice, if I am able to fill the rooms then I would also refund the 25% deposit.

One thing I have to mention is that riding a motorcycle is dangerous. Anyone who comes on the weekend must ensure that their bike is safe to ride and be responsible for their own safety. The routes will have been ridden and checked prior to the event, but neither myself nor anyone supporting the event can accept any liability for the participants and it is up to each individual to accept the responsibility for their own safety. I hope this doesn't come across as overly cautious, but I would like to ensure people are clear on what to expect.

If you think this might be your sort of thing, click here to request further information.

Thank you.