EBike Tour 2
Your 4 night e-bike holiday starts in the small cathedral city of Lichfield. Cycling along quiet country lanes and cycle paths, your holiday will take you to Repton, the ancient capital of Mercia and centre of England, Ashbourne, the gateway to the Peak District and the quaint market town of Melbourne. Distances have been kept short enough to ensure that you will have plenty of time to enjoy the many sights you will pass en-route. Highlights include the stunning National Memorial Arboretum, bustling Barton Marina, beautiful Carsington Reservoir, the grand Kedleston Hall and Calke Abbey, both National Trust properties.
This electric bike holiday can be shortened if required. Please ask for more information.
NIGHTS
4
AV. DAILY MILEAGE
20 - 30
AVAILABILITY
Start any day, all year
PRICE
From £639 per person
Price includes
Electric bike hire, accommodation on a b&b basis, luggage transfer each day, car parking, detailed self-guide route to follow at your own pace, helmets. We're on hand to offer local support when required
Price excludes
Travel to your holiday starting point. Entry to attractions. Single supplement. Dinners. Extra nights. Travel insurance
ROUTE HIGHLIGHTS
Explore the small city of Lichfield. Visit the ancient saxon crypt in Repton. Take a stroll around the serene National Memorial Arboretum. Sample a coffee in the bustling Barton canal marina. Learn about the history of beer at the National Brewery Centre. Enjoy the boost of electric power as you ride to Ashbourne, the gateway to the Peak District. Visit 2 National Trust properties – Kedleston Hall and Calke Abbey. Admire the gardens at Melbourne Hall.
ITINERARY
DAY 1: Your holiday starts in the small cathedral city of Lichfield, which is bustling with things to see. Take a walk around the city and visit the stunning cathedral. The Samuel Johnson Museum highlights the life of the founder of the first English dictionary. Erasmus Darwin House was the home of Charles Darwin's grandfather and showcases his ideas and interests, which were passed on to his grandson, the great Charles Darwin. Enjoy the garden, full of medicinal plants or look through Erasmus' diary. Today we will meet you with your bikes and provide you with a briefing for your cycling route and answer any questions. There is a wide choice of restaurants and traditional pubs to suit all tastes, before you begin cycling tomorrow. We can also recommend suitable routes, should you fancy a practice ride this evening. Guests wanting a shorter route can start their holiday in Barton under Needwood.
DAY 2: Your day starts with a short cycle to the National Memorial Arboretum, near Alrewas. Built around a 150 acre arboretum, the site includes over 300 memorials to honour the fallen and recognise service to the country. You'll find it easy to spend a couple of hours wandering around the arboretum, discovering more about the stories behind each memorial and enjoying the tranquility of the site. Your route will continue towards the bustling Barton Marina. On a sunny day, this is the perfect place to sit outside and enjoy a coffee or some lunch, before having a look around the independent shops within the Marina. After an off-road stretch, the next stop is Burton on Trent, the centre of the brewing industry. The National Brewery Centre Museum, tells the history of brewing and includes a guided explanation of the brewing process. The museum also includes a large collection of steam engines and vintage vehicles, which were key to the development of the brewing industry. The tour ends with a visit to the William Worthington microbrewery and the chance to sample some of the beers. Take it easy though, as you still have a few miles to travel to your first stop in the village of Repton. It's worth the wait though as you will be overnighting at a small hotel with its own microbrewery, as well as great food. Repton is the home of the famous Repton School and many of the old buildings in the village are owned by the school. The village has an interesting historic past. It was the historic capital of Mercia and the first place in the Midlands where Christianity was preached. The church crypt is one of England's most precious survivals of Anglo Saxon architecture.
DAY 3: Today your route cuts through quiet lanes and takes you to Ashbourne. The day has been designed to allow you to arrive in plenty of time to enjoy everything on offer in the gateway to the Peak District. The route follows the old tracks of the GNWR Railway, before heading north through sleepy villages of southern Derbyshire. Your electric bike will make cycling easy, despite the countryside becoming gradually more undulating. Ashbourne is a thriving small market town, full of lovely cafes and shops to explore. It is a bustling base for walkers and cyclists, exploring the countryside of the Peak District National Park. Six coaching roads met here, giving rise to over 200 listed buildings, including coaching inns, town houses and almshouses. Antique lovers will enjoy spending time exploring the treasures on offer in the many antique shops in the town. The church spire at St Oswald's Parish Church was described by writer, George Eliot, as “the finest single spire in England.” Every Shrovetide the town is the site of an unruly football match, which takes place over the entire town.
DAY 4: This morning you will leave Ashbourne on the beautiful Tissington Trail, which provides fine views over the area, before heading to Carsington Water, home to to hundreds of birds. Stretch your legs and see if you can spot a buzzard or lapwing before continuing your journey. Peaceful lanes take you from Carsington Water to the grand Kedleston Hall, a National Trust property. The house was built in 1765 and intended to be a rival for nearby Chatsworth House. It was designed to be a grand location for entertaining and showcasing art. The surrounding gardens and parkland were almost entirely manmade to fit with the trend for an informal landscape. Take time to visit the house and enjoy a walk through the parkland. The next stretch of your journey is mainly off-road, following rivers and canals and finally an old railway line, which will take you to Melbourne, your destination for the night. In summer months take a tour of Melbourne Hall Gardens the seat of the Victorian Prime Minister William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, after whom the Australian city of Melbourne is named. The town supports a lovely selection of local independent shops, restaurants and bars, making this a perfect overnight stop.
DAY 5: You will want plenty of time today to enjoy Calke Abbey, described by the National Trust as the un-stately home! This Grade 1 listed country house was the home to the Harpur family for nearly 300 years. During this time the family hoarded many of their possessions and the house slipped into decline. Today the National Trust displays the house in the state it was handed to them, meaning that every corner is packed with interesting things to see. Keen gardeners will love the gardens at Calke, which have been lovingly restored to their former glory. The courtyard cafe is a popular stop-off for cyclists and walkers and is a real sun-trap. Your final part of your e-bike holiday takes you back to your starting point in Lichfield, through the heart of the National Forest and via unspoilt villages. Rosliston Forestry Centre is a lovely stop-off to enjoy the forest and is home to kestrels, owls and kingfishers.
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11