Like Ramazye said earlier of the Tissington Trail in the thread, Middleton Top > Parsley Hay can be done on the High Peak trail, which is fairly flat and good surface but interrupted by the odd crossing / swing gate. When I rode that section I found I wished I'd taken the road.
The last bit into MCR is probably not relevant as am assuming you'd want to swing up towards Oldham to avoid the main urban bits and onto Lancaster?
http://cycle.st/j784213 Tamworth - Kelmarsh (NCN6 nearby).
One more to follow, a hilly route Manchester to Derby
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=derby&daddr=Middleton+Top+Visitors+Centre,+Rise+End,+Matlock+to:Parsley+Hay+Refreshments,+Buxton+to:Buxton+to:Manchester&hl=en&geocode=FSuGJwMdxnvp_ymnyqSGMuR5SDHfNk6V3slfAA%3BFZ8nKgMd4dfn_yE8nQbSpfgolg%3BFY5SKwMd28vk_yGzdwLPkYJyTg%3BFbeqLAMdPM_i_ymhfy3CFCR6SDG_tftRIZoHyg%3BFQgNMAMd-Ofd_ynb9SZSTE16SDGqa_4EOBS-2Q&mra=pr&dirflg=w&sll=53.20126,-1.854545&sspn=0.794634,2.469177&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=9
Like Ramazye said earlier of the Tissington Trail in the thread, Middleton Top > Parsley Hay can be done on the High Peak trail, which is fairly flat and good surface but interrupted by the odd crossing / swing gate. When I rode that section I found I wished I'd taken the road.
The last bit into MCR is probably not relevant as am assuming you'd want to swing up towards Oldham to avoid the main urban bits and onto Lancaster?