Glorious past of retro cycling

A few years ago it wasn't cool to ride a bike, well now it is and one of the coolest cycling events in the whole world is held right on our doorstep in the Peak District.

The Eroica Britannia is less than three years old, but it has already become firmly established as a must-do event for people who love their cycling and are keen to come together to celebrate its glorious past.

The event, which is based in Bakewell right in the heart of the Peak District, runs over a weekend and culminates in three rides which see thousands of cyclists explore the beauty of the Peak District on bikes which were made before 1987.

And not only are they riding old bikes, everyone dresses up in oh-so-trendy retro clothes in a celebration of all-things two wheeled.

But before you get the idea that the Eroica is just for a bunch of hipsters who get excited about a Brooks saddle, which are still made in Smethwick by the way, think again.

This festival has everything from live music, great food, brilliant entertainment and it's also the best chance to dress up since you were still at nursery school. Think Glastonbury, but for cyclists and with less mud.

Walking around the festival ground you are transported back to a time when everyone cycled from the very young to the very old, but now instead of bicycle clips and trousers stuffed inside socks there has been a chain reaction of cool as festival-goers sport retro outfits boasting the names of their cycling heroes, like Eddy Merckx and Fausto Coppi, and chic cycling brands like Campagnolo and Santini.

We arrived at the festival, which is held at Bakewell Showground, on the Saturday morning and were able to soak up the amazing atmosphere.

There are loads of attractions for families with kids spoilt for choice by cycling-themed challenges, while fans of all things retro will be in pedal heaven as the festival boasts stall after stall offering everything for the discerning retro cyclist.

There is live music, a fun fair and rides and the Duke of Devonshire even pops in to get everything underway.

Most festival-goers camp on-site, but the Peak District is home to a wide choice of accommodation and is obviously easily-reached by car if you just fancy dropping in for the day.

But the beating heart of the Eroica are the three rides, held on the Sunday, which see more than 4,000 cyclists tackle courses covering 30, 55 and a rather handsome 100 miles.

The event is superbly organised and takes in some of the most beautiful scenery that the Peak District has to offer.

You can feel the excitement growing as you take your place on the start line and begin a journey back into cycling's past.

We tackled the 55 mile route which started in Bakewell before taking us onto the Monsal Trail at Hassop station - hassopstation.co.uk

Once a main line across the Peak District, this former railway has been turned into the perfect family-friendly cycle route and features old railway tunnels which have been opened to the public.

We were serenaded by a local choir as we left one tunnel before leaving the Monsal Trail at Millers Dale.

Our next destination was the charming village of Hartington where an army of volunteers and marshals had been busy preparing for our arrival.

Perhaps the Eroica is just an excuse for a good old feed up as we tucked into sandwiches, cakes, drinks - anyone for a Sanpellegrino? - biscuits and fruit.

It's hard to imagine what the ducks on the village pond must have made of it all as the retro hordes gathered at this charming spot.

After lunch we were back on the roads again tackling bridleways which are straight out of the legendary Italian Strade Bianchi, the white roads where the heroes of cycling's past put themselves to the test.

The scenery is beautiful and it's great to be a Brit listening to cyclists from all around the world ooh-ing and aah-ing over the area's beauty.

After the Tissington Trail, another converted railway line, we found ourselves on the High Peak Trail which led to Cromford High Peak Junction where the railway and the canal meet.

Not only is the ride a celebration of one of Britain's most successful national parks, it also explores the nation's wonderful industrial heritage passing old mills, canals and railways.

At Cromford there is another amazing treat for the taste buds - all served again by jolly volunteers.

Finally we were on our way to our last rest stop at Chatsworth House - if it was good enough to inspire Jane Austen it's good enough to inspire us.

Just the chance to ride across the lawns at Chatsworth is worth the race entry price in itself.

The culmination of the ride is returning to the festival site at Bakewell. A top tip here is to make sure your entry number, which you have already pinned to your cycling top, is on show so that your name can be called out to the hundreds of cheering people who greet you like the cycling hero that you have become.

The only word to describe the Eroica Britannia is wonderful. It would be a crime to miss this year's event and the chance to join the thousands of other converts who will gather from around the world to celebrate cycling's glorious past.

Travel facts

We stayed at Darwin Forest Country Park - darwinforest.co.uk - near Matlock, and dined at the Peacock, Rowsley - thepeacockatrowsley.com

We also enjoyed a two-hour gudied bike ride with Dolomite Training of Bakewell - dolomitetraining.co.uk - and a tour of the town's wonderful Thornbridge Brewery - thornbridgebrewery.co.uk

We hired our old bikes from Peak District retro/vintage cycling specialists Glory Days at glorydays.cc or call 07890 274676/01629 812342.

For full festival details go to eroicabritannia.co.uk and for more information about this wonderful area go to visitpeakdistrict.com