We’re absolutely buzzing to share that Peak District MTB will be showcased at the Dark Peak Photo Festival, with our exhibition taking pride of place at Glossop Train Station ‘the gateway to the Dark Peak’. This is a huge moment for us: a chance to celebrate mountain biking not just as a sport, but as a vibrant part of the Peak District’s culture and community. The festival opens on Friday 20th February to Sunday 22nd February show casing the work of nearly 200 photographers including the iconic work of Shirley Baker, who was one of the first female street photographers.
The three finalists from our own Photo Competition presented at the AGM event in January will also feature, including the winning photo taken by Miles Boyd. Members Rob Paul and Seb James will also be featured along with a wider selection of iconic Peak District MTB images curated by the Peak District MTB Committee.
Photo: Win Hill Climb by Miles Boyd
Supporting Better Representation for Mountain Bikers
This exhibition is also a step forward in better representation for mountain bikers across the Peak District. By placing our community front‑and‑centre in a public arts festival, A View from Two Wheels helps show a wider audience who we are: responsible riders, passionate advocates, community members, and people deeply connected to this landscape.
Being part of the festival opens doors, conversations with locals, creatives, authorities and visitors who may never have seen mountain biking presented as culture, storytelling or identity. It strengthens our advocacy work by giving us visibility in spaces where MTB voices aren’t always heard, and helps demonstrate that riding isn’t just recreation, it’s an important thread in the fabric of Peak District life.
…Now the arty bit…
The exhibition sits within the wider Dark Peak Photo Festival, a celebration of contemporary photography exploring the festival’s central theme: Identity. The festival invites artists to look at identity as something shaped by personal experience, society, and importantly, the landscapes we move through.
Photo: Peak District Climb by Seb James
Our contribution, A View from Two Wheels, brings that idea to life through mountain biking. It’s a photography exhibition exploring identity not just as a personal journey but as something shaped by the landscapes we inhabit and the communities we cherish — and at the heart of that narrative is Peak District MTB, a voluntary mountain biking advocacy group that exists because people care deeply about this place and each other.
Photo: Mount Famine in the sun by Rob Paul
Just as the festival transforms Glossop into a network of open-access galleries, our exhibition shows how the Peak District shapes riders—and how riders, in turn, help shape the spirit of the Dark Peak. The festival’s identity-themed programme spans diverse interpretations of personal, cultural and landscape-driven identity, creating a creative conversation that mountain biking fits into naturally.
Explore the full identity‑themed programme here : www.darkpeakphoto.co.uk/identity-around-town