Tissington via Ashbourne, Osmaston, Wyaston and NCN Route 68

After a short stop in Ashbourne to visit the wonderful Church of St. Oswald, we continued our ride, trying to follow the NCR 68 signs through Ashbourne. We missed a turn, lost the route but soon navigated our way to the quiet country lanes south of Ashbourne, eventually arriving at the village of Osmaston. This archetypal English village has a church, pub, thatched cottages, village green and village duck pond, beside which, on a bench made entirely of old horseshoes, we ate our lunch. Osmaston Manor was demolished in 1964.

A bridleway leads through Osmaston Park to the village of Shirley where the village church is well worth a visit. Sauntering along the quiet lanes heading for the village of Rodsley we arrived at a road junction and a sign for the NCR 68. Thus we were able to follow the route north through Wyaston and back to Ashbourne. Soon we discovered why earlier in the day we had made our mistake; thanks go to Derbyshire County Council for obscuring an official NCR 68 route marker with signage of their own!

The country lanes south of Ashbourne make ideal cycling routes, relatively free of traffic and with many interesting villages along the way.