The Peak District’s autumn landscape forms the backdrop to the “Autumn in the Peak” audax ride on 24 October. The published route covers 105 kilometres, starting in Marple and climbing over Snake Pass before looping around Ladybower and the Upper Derwent Valley reservoirs. It returns through part of the White Peak. The combination of distance and climbing makes this a ride for a measured pace rather than a casual short outing.
Around 12 kilometres of the course run on gravel. Organisers describe the surface as firm and say a range of bicycles can manage it, while recommending tyres at least 28 mm wide with some tread. That detail captures the ride’s mixed character: road climbs give way to sections where grip and calm handling matter. The return also takes in the area around Tideswell and several more hills before riders reach Marple again.
The event is listed as a Brevet Populaire audax, with a 9:30 a.m. local start on Saturday. Entry is £6 for Audax UK and Cycling UK members, or £9 for non-members, and Peak Audax CTC is the organiser. Prospective riders should gauge their readiness for 105 kilometres and check the organiser’s latest entry details. The appeal lies in the changing scenery, the reservoir roads and the gravel interlude as much as in completing the distance.