Ride start: Melbourne Assembly Rooms
Ride Finish: Melbourne Assembly Rooms
Ride Length: 20.9 miles
Approximate time:
Link to GPS of ride:
Full Length: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2965106
Brief Description
A varied ride starting and finishing in Melbourne comprising a ride on the Cloud Trail to the fringes of Derby but mainly on quiet roads between the villages to the north of South Derbyshire. The route is flat for most of the ride but becomes more hilly on the way back to Melbourne. The ride avoids busy roads where possible, but due to it's length it is more suitable for experienced cyclists. The options for making the ride shorter are limited as it is based either side of the River Trent and there are few crossing points.
Key points on Route
Melbourne
Melbourne is a pleasant small town famous for its links with Thomas Cook and more recently its Arts Festival. There are numerous places to eat and drink and no shortage of churches! There are also more war memorials but not relating to WW1.
The ride starts at the Assembly Rooms, formerly the Bill Shone Leisure Centre. Parking is available here and there are public toilets nearby.
Ride Directions:
Turn right outside the Assembly Rooms and head towards the marketplace but take the first turn right into Church Street. Pass the Methodist Church on the left before arriving at the Catholic Church, Our Lady of Mercy and St Phillip Neri on the left hand side.
Our Lady of Mercy and St Philip Neri
More commonly known as Melbourne Catholic Church, please see the link below. The memorial is recorded as being outside but further information is required.
http://catholicdirectory.org/Catholic_Information.asp?ID=62254
Ride Directions:
Continue up Church Street past the Bluebell pub and St Michael with St Mary church is on the right hand side set back from the road.
St Michael with St Mary Church
Situated on the edge of Melbourne backing onto pleasant open land, the church is set back from the road. More details can be found on the link below. Contact information will be useful as the memorial is inside the church.
http://www.melbourneparishchurch.co.uk/
Ride Directions:
From the church head straight across Church Street to Castle Street and follow this (keeping to the right of the car park triangle) before taking a right onto Station Road. Follow Station Road for around half a mile until leaving Melbourne. At the bridge over the former railway follow the path signposted NCN Route 6 down to the Cloud Trail and double back to head towards Derby.
Follow the Cloud Trail for 1 1/4 miles over the River Trent. Take the path on the left to keep following NCN6 and follow it for another 1 1/2 miles along the Trent and Mersey Canal to Swarkestone Lock.
Take a left turn away from NCN6 onto Pingle Way and follow this until the main A514 Derby Road. Carefully Cross this busy road and follow the road into Swarkestone via Church Lane to St James' Church.
Swarkestone - St James' Church
Swarkestone is most famous for it's ancient causeway and being the place where Bonnie Prince Charlie got as far as he could in his attempts to reclaim the throne. Due to the nature of the land and in particular, the River Trent, Swarkestone is divided up into different parts. The memorial is listed as being outside the church but no other information is available.
http://www.trentderwentparishes.org/#!swarkestone/c1saz
Ride Directions:
Follow Church Lane back to the A514 and take a left turn. Take this busy road past the petrol station then take a right turn onto A5132 Barrow Lane as the road turns left towards the Crewe and Harpur pub and Swarkestone Causeway.
Follow Barrow Lane until the first turning on the right and turn here into Lowes Lane. Follow Lowes Lane over the railway and canal then take the first turning left before the A50 onto Moor Lane, then follow this until its junction with Sinfin Lane. Take the left onto Sinfin Lane over the canal and railway again (though this time close together).
At the junction with Swarkestone Road, turn right then left into Brookfield. Follow Brookfield past the Brookfield pub, where it becomes Church Lane and to St Wilfrids Church.
Barrow on Trent - St Wilfrids Church
Barrow is another small village along the River Trent, set back from the main road from Swarkestone to Willington. Although there is no memorial at the Church due to its proximity to the war memorial it is included in the ride. The war memorial itself is set back from the road and is quite impressive, considering the size of the village.
http://derbyshirewarmemorials.wikispaces.com/Barrow+on+Trent
Ride Directions:
Take Church Lane back to the junction with Twyford Road near the school and turn left. There is also a memorial by the roadside here.
Follow this Twyford Road for XX miles and then bear left onto the A5132 Twyford Road and follow this into Willington. Turn left at both mini roundabouts and head for Repton under the railway bridge. St Michaels Church is on the left at the junction of Hall Lane.
Willington St Michaels Church
Willington was formerly dominated by the power station and is still dominated by the 4 remaining cooling towers. Willington is also one of only 2 places with an active railway station in South Derbyshire and is also on the Trent and Mersey Canal. The Mercia Marina is a growing attraction. On the road out to Repton and nearer the river, is St Michaels Church.
Contact details are available below. These may be needed as the memorial is inside the church.
http://www.achurchnearyou.com/willington-st-michael/
http://www.ww1-yorkshires.org.uk/html-files/willington-derbyshire.htm
Ride Directions:
From Willington, follow the road towards Repton. The entrance to St Wystans Church is around the corner after entering the village on the left hand side.
Repton St Wystans Church
Within view of Willington is St Wystans Church, Repton. Repton is famous for being the historical capital of Mercia and also for the large school that dominates the village in general but it is the Church Spire that dominates the landscape. Famous pupils at the school have included Roald Dahl.
http://www.reptonchurch.org.uk/
http://derbyshirewarmemorials.wikispaces.com/Repton
Ride Directions:
From St Wystans' Church follow the road the roundabout with the cross in the middle. Turn left into Brook End and follow this round to the right where it becomes Milton Road. Follow Milton Road to the small village of Milton, just over a mile from leaving the church.
Turn left at the junction to head towards Foremark. After just les than 1 mile, take a right turn into the small road and follow this until St Saviours Church towards the end of the lane.
Foremark St Saviour Church
Foremark is a small village dominated by the preparatory school. The church can be found at the end of a rural lane and as the memorial is inside, prior arrangement may be required. The route below may change to go through the school area.
http://www.derbyshirechurches.org.uk/church/foremark-st-saviour
Ride directions:
Follow the lane back to the junction of the main road and take a right turn and keep on this road for 1 mile before turning right into Ingleby Lane. Follow this for just less than 2 miles into Ticknall but before reaching the Main Street junction, turn right into Rose Lane. Follow this this to the parking area. There is an entrance to St George's Church from here.
Ticknall St Georges Church & Roadside
Ticknall is on the main A514 road between Swadlincote and Derby, surrounded by hills on every side. Ticknall is also the location for the drive upto Calke Abbey. St Georges Church is on the outer confines looking over the village. The War Memorial here is one of the windows. Information about the church can be found on the link below.
http://derbyshirechurches.org/church/ticknall-st-george
http://derbyshirewarmemorials.wikispaces.com/Ticknall
There was another memorial in Ticknall, at an old school. For more information, please read the link below:
http://www.ticknall.org.uk/news-and-events/local-news/507-quest-to-find-lost-memorial-to-ticknall-school-boys
Ride Directions:
Follow Rose Lane back to Ingleby Lane and turn right then left at the end onto Main Street. Follow Main Street past the Calke Abbey entrance out of the village. Where the road starts to ride fork right to follow signs for Melbourne.
Keep on Melbourne Lane (becoming Beightons Hill and The Common) towards the Melbourne and follow the road right where it becomes Robinsons Hill. At the bottom of the hill turn left onto Ashby Road and follow it for 1/4 mile until the Assembly rooms on the right hand side.
Findern - to be included on the ride once properly verified.
It is intended to include Findern as an option on this ride but part of the route needs to be further verified due to some issues during research. It is also intended to include a route with Ingleby.
http://derbyshirewarmemorials.wikispaces.com/Findern
Places to eat, drink and shop
Melbourne has several pubs, restaurants and shops. Swarkestone has a petrol station with shop and also the Crewe and Harpur Pub. Barrow has the Brookfield pub. Willington has a number of pubs and shops situated around the mini roundabouts,and the Mercia Marina is worth a quick detour. Repton has a number of pubs and shops, though not directly on the route. Ticknall has a village shop and the Wheel pub within sight of the route.
National Cycle Network on this ride
The Cloud Trail is part of NCN6 which runs from London to Keswick. The Cloud Trail itself follows the route of the former Melbourne Military railway. The link below explains more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melbourne_Line
Other facilities (toilets)
Melbourne has public toilets next to the Assembly rooms.
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