Matlock Bath: Community, scenery and brilliant local businesses – bikers explain why Derbyshire ‘seaside town without sea’ became bikers’ mecca

As we arrived in Matlock Bath on a rainy afternoon, we could see a number of bikes parked along North Parade – a sight which has become a hallmark of the picturesque Derbyshire Dales town no matter the weather.

"There are always bikers here. Even if you came here on Christmas Day there would probably be a couple of bikers,” says Rob Jones, better known as High Peak Biker.

Rob, 58, got his first bike when he was 16 and fell in love with the freedom of riding a motorcycle.

But while living in London for 25 years he had to park his favourite hobby as the big city living was not the most biker friendly environment.

In 2018 Rob and his wife moved to Derbyshire, fulfilling their dream from the early 1990s.

Rob, a dad-of-three, said: “Me and my wife came here camping in 1993, a week before we got married.

"We used to write a diary together and we wrote that Derbyshire would be a good place to return to or retire one day.

"I’ve lived in London for 25 years and it wasn’t the type of riding I wanted.

"When I moved up here, Derbyshire Dales just opened up a new vista and riding a bike again was one of the things I really wanted to do.

"You've got some of the best roads in the UK when you ride around Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and all the way around Peaks.”

While Derbyshire is a perfect place for bikers, Matlock Bath holds an extra special place in the heart of the biking community.

Rob, a former headteacher, said: “Coming to a bikers’ honeypot site like Matlock Bath is great. I love it here.

"You can meet new people, compare bikes, talk to other bikers.

"You make friends. You’re not expecting to, but you just do – it’s this kind of community.

"You can come here by yourself or with a group and you certainly won’t be bored.

"I’ve turned up here many times just by myself and got talking with people – even ended up with some people joining the group I ride with.”

In the last 18-months Rob did many of his rides with Peaks and Dales Bikers – a biking group set up by Mick Handley.

Rob, of Chapel-en-le-Firth, said: “Mick set us up almost two years ago and it’s one of the most active biking groups.

"It creates a great sense of community.

"We ride throughout the year if the weather is good – and we often help to raise awareness and funds for charity when we can.”

Apart from going out on regular bike rides and sharing biking updates on his social media and High Peak Biker blog, Rob offers bike training at Swain’s centre in Buxton and has recently qualified as an examiner for IAM advanced tests.

Being a biker is a big part of Rob’s life and he is planning to continue riding as long as possible.

He added: “I love the freedom of motorbike.

"There’s a feeling of mindfulness when you ride and a real sense of a place in the moment that you can’t get in a car.”

Rob is not the only keen biker who moved to Derbyshire to make the best of scenic routes and one-of-a-kind biking community.

Simon Cox, 72, who has been riding since he was 16, spent many years in London and Somerset before travelling across the country in his motorhome and eventually finding his new home in Derbyshire in 2003.

He said: “I’ve moved to Derbyshire for the scenery.

"I used to to have a motorhome and a trailer and I’ve spent some time travelling around East and West coast, going out on my bike.

"I’ve decided to move here in the end.”

Simon, a member of Peaks and Dales Bikers, first started riding as a teenager because it was a good way to get around – and most of his mates had bikes.

But he soon found other benefits of his hobby.

Simon, who used to work for a company providing service and repairs to medical equipment before he retired, said: “It’s a good way to clear your head.

"Sometimes I like to ride on my own, sometimes it’s nice to be in a group.

"What I like about Peaks and Dales bikers is that we’ve got people from all walks of life but we have a common bond.”

Another Peaks and Dales biker Martyn Hill, also praised the sense of community he found among fellow Derbyshire bikers.

Martyn, 69, of Chapel-en-le-Firth, said: “For me it’s about getting out with the lads and meeting new people.”

Martyn has had several jobs over the years including working in a textile factory for 23 years, making side cabins for building sites for 15 years, and working for a small company offering bespoke electric sites – but despite various career changes, his commitment to bikes remained the same.

He added: “I want to go out on my bike as long as I’m able to.

"It’s a good stress relief and it’s good for your mental health.”

Martyn, originally from Chinley, has lived locally his entire life and praised Matlock Bath as one of his favourite places to visit.

He said: “Being in Matlock Bath is like being by the seaside without the sea.

"Look how many great businesses there are in a small area!”

Martyn, explained that the picturesque village was perfect for bikers to stop for a chips or a cuppa during their rides – with bikers being a backbone of the local economy.

He added that he was upset after a number of bikers were hit with parking tickets in Matlock Bath over the Easter bank holiday weekend and parking fees would have consequences both for the biking community and business owners.

Martyn, a dad-of-two, said: “If they introduce parking charges, I would still ride through Matlock Bath but stop in another place.

"There’s a lot of other cafés and fish and chips shops outside of Matlock Bath.

"But if you remove the bikers from Matlock Bath it’s all going to shut down.”

Simon Cox agreed that Matlock Bath was a great place for bikers.

He said: "When we plan rides we are looking for places where we can stop like cafes or fish and chip shops.

"Matlock Bath is very good for it – sometimes you even struggle to find a place to park when there are many bikers here.

"We also like to go to Ashbourne and Buxton – we try to help local businesses in Derbyshire by using different cafes and give back to locals.”