Around since 26in wheels were the only way to roll, Farmer Johns [sic] is one of the original UK bike parks. It lies on the northern edge of the Peak District, only 10 miles from Manchester as the crow flies, but a world away from any urban sprawl. Rock up at the car park and you’ll find the Big View cafe, open most days to customers on wheels or feet, as well as the Dirt Factory bike shop. In front of the cafe, a lone jumpy trail hints at what’s on offer in the area you can’t see. What goes on beyond is another world where, wrapped into a previously-quarried valley and hillside, is a blend of rad jumps, flowy trails, wooden features and downhill tracks.
The set-up has grown organically over two decades, and has become a labour of love for local rider and owner John Thorpe, who grew up right here on the site. Farmer Johns was first dreamed up by John as a younger bloke. He’d had a few trips to the Alps, been around for the birth of UK downhill racing and was keen to dig at home. Luckily, John’s family had owned the
