Bank Road Hill

Bank Road takes its character from Matlock itself: a climb through the town rather than an escape into open hills. Rising from the centre, the route follows Bank Road uphill and continues into Rutland Street before turning onto Wellington Street. Buildings and junctions give the ascent a succession of familiar street corners, but the slope puts them into a rather different perspective from the saddle. The stored route extends for about a kilometre.

The lower portion leads into a steeper middle, where the road's direct line leaves little ambiguity about the work ahead. There is a change of direction near the top and a less severe closing section, though these come after the main effort. The interest lies in the setting as much as the gradient: an ordinary journey across town becomes a concentrated climb. Bank Road is a persuasive argument for taking urban hills seriously.