Peak Tours > About Peak Tours

About Peak Tours

Who are Peak Tours?

Peak Tours was established by Steve Coackley in 2007. Born and bred in the High Peak or Dark Peak area of the Peak District Steve has walked and cycled extensively throughout the Peak District for many years. Prior to setting up Peak Tours Steve cycled around the world on an unsupported trip along with three friends from Scotland, China & Australia. The journey took Steve through Europe, Russia, Kazakhstan, China, USA & Ireland covering 12,700 miles in eight months. All travel by land was by bike and the group carried everything they needed to be self sufficient. Apart from getting arrested in the Xinjang autonomous region of Western China on suspicion of being spies the tour was generally trouble free. On returning home Steve left his career in finance to work as a tour leader for the adventure travel company Explore Worldwide, leading walking & cycling tours in Turkey, China, India, Poland, Ukraine, Macedonia, Greece, Finland & Bulgaria.

After working with Explore, Steve founded Peak Tours which provided Cycling & Walking Holidays in the Peak District and also Cycle Hire in the Peak District. In 2010 Steve and his small team did their first Lands End to John o’Groats Cycle tour quickly followed by the Coast to Coast tour. Over the next few years they provided more and more LEJOG tours and also added the Way of the Roses route. They soon realised that people had such a good time on the LEJOG tours that they wanted similar holidays run in the same way and so the idea behind the Dover to Durness tour was born (opposite two corners to the LEJOG). In 2014 they ventured abroad and started the Moselle to Mozart Cycle in Germany & Austria and then in 2015 they started the extremely popular Channel to the Med tours from one end of France to the other. Each year they continue to research and add new tours to their repertoire and thoroughly enjoy meeting all the new people who join the Peak Tours caravan and also catching up with those long serving cyclists who keep coming back for more and have become good friends.

After working as a ‘one man band’ for many years Steve soon realised that he needed help with the running of the business and also needed more and more guides to lead the tours. Now with three full time staff and over thirty guides, Peak Tours continues to grow and there are many new tours in the pipeline so watch this space!

Paul S

Paul is from Liverpool but now lives in the Yorkshire Dales. He is an avid cyclist and outdoor enthusiast and regularly uses one of his bikes to commute into work, do a club time trial or do a some cycle touring in the UK or abroad. He has cycled in Africa and across Europe and always has some plan on the go for another trip somewhere – at the moment, it is across the Middle East or America.

Mike H

Throughout Mike’s cycling adventures he has explored both home and abroad regions within several cycling disciplines since he was a young boy. He has recently returned from living in Greece for 8 months leading guided road and mountain tours throughout the West Mainland where he acquired his nickname ‘Bike Mike’. Mountain Biking is his main domain and he regularly enjoys riding round the local Peak District surrounding his home town of Sheffield.

Simon B

My cycling bug started initially with a number of charity rides with work colleagues such as Sea to Sea, Dawn till Dusk, and the iconic long distance ride in the UK –Lands End to John O’Groats (both ways!), Sheffield to Paris via London, Netherlands, Denmark and Germany.

As a result of jumping off the corporate merry go round I now have time to do the bigger cycling adventures and go further afield; Perth to Sydney; Christchurch to Auckland, NZ; Trans America Crossing; along with several trips through Europe including the French Alps to climb the biggest of the great Tour’s cols as well as regular trips to Southern Spain and Majorca.

Cycling is such a great way to explore and experience the world and meet new people. It’s hard work (sometimes) but the laughs I’ve had along the way and the stories shared over a cuppa and bacon butty and the odd pint have been memorable. Some of the best times I’ve had have been on a bike supporting groups on what for many can be a life changing experience. I can’t wait for the next tour to start and look forward to seeing you on one soon.

Julie B

I discovered the joys of cycling later in life and as for many years I enjoyed hill walking and alpine climbing. However, this all changed when I was asked to get involved in a charity bike ride in 2011. Little did I know that I had signed up to do probably the most iconic long distance ride in the UK –John O’Groats to Lands End and I’ve been hooked ever since.

I have completed many cycling tours throughout the UK and across the globe including – Transamerica Trail, London to Paris, Perth to Sydney, and the Transcontinental Race in 2017.

I love being a cycling tour leader – I get to meet some fantastic people, ride my bike (a lot) and of course eat lots of cake!

Daryl P

I am a keen cyclist and in particular enjoy sportive and touring cycling. I have lead many tours over the years and enjoy the camaraderie that comes with  cycle tours.

Fiona P

I have been cycling for many years. I really enjoy the buzz of a tour, meeting interesting people from all walks of life. I love the fact that we start off as strangers and finish as a team.

Ali

Myself and my Husband Johnny, who is also a PT guide, rode the LEJOg with Steve and his team back in 2012. When I foudn myself at a loose end in 2017, I was lucky enough to be accepted onboard as a PT tour guide and started working for the company in 2018. I opnly drive the brew van though, as I am not able to cycle as much as I’d like due to ops I’ve had on my achilles’ tendons. In my down time, I enjoy keeping fit at the gym, and making gifts and cards for craft fayres ….. Oh and the odd glass of fizz or three!

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