Five Pits Trail Cycle Route Map
This is a super off road cycling and walking trail running from Grassmoor Country Park to Tibshelf. The route follows National Cycle Route 67 but there is also a detour at Wolfie Pond which heads east to the Williamthorpe Nature Reserve before rejoining the route south. You can use this to create a circular walk along the trail.
The trail follows the route of the old Grand Central Railway through the countryside passing the Locko bird and wildlife reserve on the way. The start and end points of the route are also delightful with Grassmoor Country Park at one end and the woodlands and meadows of Tibshelf Ponds at the other. The trail is located just three miles south of Chesterfield town centre. If you're are on your bike you could follow the Chesterfield to Alfreton cycle route along National Cycle 67 as an extension of your ride.
Five Pits Trail Ordnance Survey Map 
- view and print off detailed OS map
Five Pits Trail Open Street Map 
- view and print off detailed map
Five Pits Trail OS Map 
- Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking
Five Pits Trail Open Street Map 
- Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking
Pubs/Cafes
At the end of the route you'll find the Crown Hotel on the High Street in Tibshelf. Inside there's a cosy open fire with outdoor seating available too. You can find them at postcode DE55 5NY.
Cycle Routes and Walking Routes Nearby
Photos
Welcome sign. This sign is opposite the entrance to the Hardstoft Road car park for the Five Pits Trail.
View of the surfaced multi user path. This photograph shows the trail between Timber Lane (ahead) and Holmewood (behind the viewpoint) and shows the crossing point with a public footpath. To the east (left) the footpath connects with the Branch Lane near Astwith. To the west (right) the footpath leads toward North Wingfield.
Crossing Locko Lane
Timber Lane. There are a number of car parks and picnic areas along the Trail, this being one of them at Timber Lane. This area is on the northern edge of Broomridding Wood and the photograph is looking northeast. The trail has been reclaimed from disused railways and mine workings.
Tibshelf Common. The trail traverses a landscape that has undergone significant ecological restoration, transforming former colliery sites into diverse habitats rich in flora and fauna.
Along the trail, particularly near Tibshelf Ponds, walkers can observe a variety of orchid species, including common spotted and bee orchids, thriving in the nutrient-poor soils of reclaimed colliery spoil heaps. These areas also support a range of other plant species adapted to such conditions. The trail passes through several woodlands, such as Locko Plantation and Holmewood Woodlands, which have become important bird and wildlife reserves due to active woodland management.
By Broomridding Wood. The trail is suitable for walkers, cyclists, pram pushers, and horse riders, featuring surfaced paths and gentle gradients. Car parks are available at various points, allowing for flexible route planning. Visitors can also explore additional loops, such as the Williamthorpe Ponds and Holmewood Woodlands, extending the trail to 7.5 miles.
Wolfie Pond. Fishing stages on this popular fish pond off the trail. Williamthorpe Local Nature Reserve, accessible via an extension of the trail, has recorded over 190 bird species, including reed warblers and snipe, highlighting its significance for birdwatching enthusiasts. Grassmoor Country Park, at the trail's northern end, offers a mosaic of grassland and woodland habitats, providing opportunities to spot various wildlife species.
This north north-westerly facing photograph is of the Tibshelf-Pilsley section of the Five Pits Trail. In the foreground the trail drops down a short but quite steep slope toward an embankment where it crosses Westwood Brook. It then turns to the right behind the trees in the dip and loops briefly off the edge of the picture before following the obvious line of trees (right to left) into the distance toward Pilsley. In the distance on the left are houses in the Station Road area of Pilsley. On the hilltop on the right is Cocktop (a farm). The white shapes in the field in the middle distance are birds scares.