Saturday saw Stockport Community Cycling Club members arrive at New Mills Leisure Centre for the traditional end of year club ride along the Sett Valley Trail.

The weather for this ride has been a real mixed bag over the years, last years ride for instance was a ride for ducks! Thankfully, we were greeted by a lovely mild winter day.

  

We set off straight down the Sett Valley Trail and headed towards the village of Hayfield.

The trail took us through Thornsett Vale and Birch Vale.

Eventually we reached the edge of Hayfield.

We cycled down Valley Road and followed the Sett River.

We then turned towards the village centre and headed down Kinder Road to The Royal Hotel where we stopped for our coffee break.

Hayfield is always worth visiting. It is a lovely little village.

  

After the coffee break we set off back down the Sett Valley Trail before turning off in New Mills at Peak Road.

We eventually picked up the Peak Forest Canal.

  

After cycling alongside the canal for awhile we then turned off and made our way alongside Goytside Meadows Local Nature Reserve.

We followed the path to the Torrs Riverside Park.

Set in the Torrs Gorge are the remains of an old mills and weir settlement.

The Torrs Hydro harvests the power of the Sett and Goyt Rivers.

A little further along is the Millenium Walkway. I watched as the club members made their way across …

…and then returned.

    

Finally we returned back to New Mills Leisure Centre. Though we had cycled only around 11 miles (we also cycled a further 15 miles in total to the start and back home) this ride packs in a lot of wonderful scenery. When the weather is favourable, as it was this weekend, then it makes for a great little ride.

You can view our Sett Valley Trail route below: