New High Peak Walking & Cycling Festival to celebrate the Great Outdoors (20-29 September 2024)

Some of the High Peak’s most scenic walking and cycling routes, charming towns and villages, and unique cultural assets will be showcased and celebrated during a brand new High Peak Walking & Cycling Festival from 20^th to 29^th September 2024.

The festival – organised by Visit Peak District & Derbyshire and funded by High Peak Borough Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund project – will include a mix of online and in-person events, activities and experiences across the High Peak in a celebration of the great outdoors.

The festival aims to raise the profile of the High Peak as a quality destination for walking and cycling, grow the local visitor economy and promote the area’s unique outdoor offer – whilst also shining the spotlight on the area’s vibrant cultural identity through a newly-commissioned Arts Trail in Glossop.

From 20^th to 29^th September, visitors and residents alike are encouraged to get out and about in the High Peak to enjoy everything from guided hikes and cycling experiences to free community walks and self-guided routes which can be booked and downloaded on the festival landing page at visitpeakdistrict.com/greatoutdoors.

Visitors can discover the wild and dramatic landscapes of the Dark Peak on a guided walk around Bleaklow, follow the free New Mills Rail Ale Trail and learn about the area’s fascinating heritage, get to grips with the area’s rugged terrain on a mountain bike taster day, or simply take in the beauty and tranquillity of local traffic-free trails.

Throughout the festival period, walkers and cyclists exploring the High Peak will also be able to access special offers including 20% off cycle hire at the Peak District National Park Authority’s Parsley Hay and Derwent Cycle Hire centres.

As well as increasing footfall to the area, the festival aims to boost visitor spend, support local high streets and encourage more visitors to travel to the High Peak using public transport.

Visitors will be encouraged to eat, drink and shop in the towns of Buxton, Hayfield, Chapel-en-le-Frith, New Mills, Whaley Bridge and Glossop – with many walking and cycling routes starting and ending near local railway stations.

In a further boost, visitors to the town of Glossop will be able to enjoy a newly-commissioned Arts Trail that will run throughout the festival period. The ‘End of the Line’ arts trail, curated by Glossop Creates, is inspired by walking and cycling in the Peak District and aims to showcase Glossop’s diverse creative talent whilst celebrating the town’s unique cultural identity.

The Arts Trail will start at Glossop train station and will feature a range of artworks by local artists, turning the town into an open-air gallery for visitors and residents to enjoy.

To find out more about the High Peak Walking & Cycling Festival, visit: visitpeakdistrict.com/greatoutdoors

For more information on the Glossop Arts Trail, visit: glossopcreates.com

Both events are part of High Peak Borough Council’s UKSPF project designed to attract visitors, support businesses and boost skills in the High Peak.

Visit Peak District & Derbyshire has worked closely with stakeholders and partners to deliver tailored business support through the project, including workshops and toolkits on how to attract and welcome walkers and cyclists, plus a targeted digital marketing campaign.

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, says: “We are delighted to launch the brand-new High Peak Walking & Cycling Festival with the support of High Peak Borough Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund project.

“Whether you’re a visitor or a local resident, there’s never been a better time to step out into the beautiful High Peak and discover all the area has to offer, from great self-guided routes to bookable experiences for all abilities.

“Tourism is a catalyst for driving positive change that can benefit local communities, providing employment, improving skills and developing pride of place in rural areas. Projects such as this demonstrate our commitment to growing the visitor economy in a sustainable way, and through both the High Peak Walking & Cycling Festival and the new Glossop Arts Trail, we’re looking forward to shining the spotlight on the area’s great outdoor offer – encouraging more people to visit, stay longer, experience more and enable us to promote lesser-known locations and visitor assets.”

Councillor Damien Greenhalgh, Deputy Leader of High Peak Borough Council and Executive Councillor for Regeneration, Tourism and Leisure, says: “I can’t think of a better place than the High Peak for a festival like this – we have everything here from stunning landscapes and a wealth of outdoor leisure opportunities to historic villages and thriving towns with a wide variety of fantastic independent businesses.

“Attracting more people to our beautiful Borough by developing events like the Festival and the Arts Trail benefits everyone – it gives the local economy a real boost and is the ideal shop window for all this area has to offer to both residents and visitors alike.

“So we’re delighted to be able to fund this programme of events which fits perfectly with the aims of the Shared Prosperity Fund because we’re investing in our people and the places of which we are justifiably proud – and sharing this special place with an ever increasing visitor base who will, hopefully, return time and time again.”