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Rails Through The Peaks 1 - The Monsal Trail
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| Distance: 9.3 miles |
Duration: 4 - 6 hours |
Price: £20.00 per person
(Group and family rates available) |
Headstone Viaduct, Monsal Dale |
Winding its way through the heart of the Peak District National Park, the Monsal Trail follows the route of the former Midland Railway main line linking London, Derby and Manchester. Built in the 1860s through spectacular terrain, the line moved noted Victorian railway author F.S. Williams to write:
"The scenery through which we now have to pass, and the engineering works by which the journey is accomplished, must be seen to be appreciated - they cannot be described at length."
As a result of the cuts in the network first initiated by the infamous Dr Richard Beeching, the line lost all of its local services in June 1967, and then closed completely north of Matlock in July 1968. In the early 1980s, the Peak District National Park Authority purchased a section of the former trackbed from British Rail and used it to create the Monsal Trail.
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For many years, the route of the Monsal Trail had to divert away from the railway in places as several of the tunnels that the line passed through had to be closed on safety grounds. Work to stabilise and restore these tunnels has recently been completed, and users of the Trail can now follow the route of the railway all the way from Bakewell to the end of the trail at Blackwell Mill.
This walk begins at the main northern access point of the Monsal Trail at Wyedale car park next to the A6, just south of Buxton. It then joins the Trail at Blackwell Mill and follows it southwards, stopping to look at the history of each of the former stations along the Trail, plus other points of interest such as the picturesque Headstone Viaduct in Monsal Dale. The walk finishes at the site of the old Bakewell Station, from where it is just a short walk down into the town. There, you can sample one of the town's famous Puddings, do a little shopping, or simply spend time enjoying the pretty riverside walk while you wait for your bus home.
Easily reached by bus, and with excellent parking at the north end of the Trail, this walk is perfect for those looking for things to do in or near Buxton and Bakewell. And, with no hills, only one set of steps, and hard surfaces all the way, this walk is perfect for those looking for an easy hill-free (and mud-free) walk.
Please note that, although now nominally open, the tunnels along the trail can be closed on safety grounds during periods of severe weather. It may therefore be necessary to divert back onto the original route of the Monsal Trail in order to bypass the closed tunnels. This diversion will increase both the distance covered and the time required to complete the walk.
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| Distance: |
9.3 miles. |
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| Duration (approx): |
4 - 6 hours (including lunch). |
| Start point: |
Wyedale Car Park (On the A6 Buxton Road),
Topley Pike,
Near Buxton,
Derbyshire.
(OS grid Ref: SK10327249) |
| Start time: |
11:30am.* |
| End point: |
The former Bakewell Railway Station,
Station Road,
Bakewell,
Derbyshire. |
| Dates available: |
June 2nd, 5th, 7th, 10th, 16th, 19th, 22nd, 26th, 30th.
July 3rd, 14th, 17th, 20th, 24th, 26th, 29th, 31st.
August 7th, 9th, 12th, 17th, 21st, 23rd, 26th, 28th, 31st.
September 4th, 8th, 13th, 18th, 21st, 25th, 29th.
October 2nd, 5th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 23rd, 27th, 30th.
(Online pre-booking is essential for these walks.)
Private group bookings are also available March to October on a date of your choosing via a Personal Walking Guide (subject to availability). |
| (* = As your guide will be arriving by the "Transpeak" and 65 bus services, the actual start time may be slightly delayed if the buses are running late.)
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When is this walk available?
This walk is available between the beginning of March and the end of October. Scheduled walks will normally take place at least twice per month during this period, on the dates listed above. It may also be booked privately via a Personal Walking Guide on a date of your choice between early March and late October.
If you book a Personal Walking Guide for this walk, you can also request a different start time if desired. We are currently able to offer alternative start times of 10:30am and 1:00pm for this walk (Sunday and Bank Holiday times may vary).
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Prices.
The following prices apply for this walk:
| Ticket |
Price |
Deposit
(Included in overall price) |
Adult or Child aged 16 and over
(Up to 8 people in group)
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£20.00 per person |
£5.00 per person |
Personal Walking Guide
(Group of up to 5)
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£60.00 per group |
£15.00 per group |
Personal Walking Guide
(Group of 6 to 10)
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£100.00 per group |
£25.00 per group |
Personal Walking Guide
(Group of 11 or more)
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£150.00 per group |
£37.50 per group |
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Reduced rates for under-16s, plus discounted family tickets also available, giving cheaper prices for groups including children aged 15 and under. Please e-mail us for details and to book.
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Travel to and from the walk.
This walk is easily accessible by both car and public transport. Full details of how to get to and from the walk will be included in the walk information sheet you will be sent along with your booking confirmation, but detailed information on the various public transport options is also available on our travel information page, which we try to keep as up to date as possible.
If arriving by car, there is a limited amount of "Pay-and-display" car parking at Wyedale Car Park (28 spaces). If you do arrive by car, you can then use the "Transpeak" and number 65 bus services to return to Wyedale Car Park to collect your car at the end of the walk. However, due to its small size, Wyedale Car Park can fill up very quickly on busy days such as weekends and Bank Holidays, and you may find it difficult to park there. Also, due to the limited number of buses from Buxton to Wyedale Car park, you may find it much quicker and easier to park at Bakewell and use the bus to get from there to the start point of the walk, and this is the option we usually recommend.
Wyedale Car Park can also be used as a drop-off point if someone is giving you a lift there, and there is a similar pick-up point at Bakewell Station at the far end of the walk.
Further information on bus times can be found here, while information on Manchester to Buxton trains is available from the Northern Rail website. If you have any questions prior to booking regarding public transport options, please contact us and we will attempt to help you if we can.
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Is there anything special I need to bring?
Yes - a torch. Although the tunnels along the Monsal Trail have electric lighting installed, this can sometimes fail and leave you literally in the dark. It is therefore a good idea to make sure you pack a torch and spare batteries, just in case.
We also recommend that you bring plenty of water to drink, plus something to eat, as there are few facilities along the way for you to purchase food and drink apart from the new cafe at Miller's Dale Station, or from the cafe at Hassop Station close to the end of the walk. Given the length of the walk and the time involved, we recommend that you bring at least one litre of water per person with you, and seriously think about increasing this to two litres in very hot weather.
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Are there any disabled access issues?
Unfortunately, there are a few issues regarding wheelchair and mobility scooter access on this walk as there is no easy access for them onto the Trail at Blackwell Mill. It is possible for wheelchair and mobility scooter users to access the Trail at Blackwell Mill, but the car park is some distance from the end of the Trail along a single-track private road that lacks pavements, and with a steep earth ramp up onto the Trail. The only easy wheelchair access onto the Trail at the northern end is at Miller's Dale Station, which gives level access directly onto the Trail from the road past the station.
For this reason, if you are looking for a wheelchair-friendly walk on the Monsal Trail, we usually recommend our shorter Miller's Dale to Bakewell walk, which has level access onto the Trail at either end.
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Is this walk suitable for dogs?
This is an ideal walk for dogs, if you think they can handle the rather long distance involved. If you would like to bring your dog with you, we do ask that you inform us at the time of booking. We also ask that, due to the large number of cyclists and horses using the Trail, you keep your dog under close control on a short non-extendible lead at all times and do not allow it to run free under any circumstances.
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Booking
You can book places on any of our open or scheduled walks via the PayPal button below. Other payment options are available on request - Please e-mail us for details if required.
If you wish to make a Personal Walking Guide booking for this walk, please see our Personal Walking Guide booking page here.
Bookings for open or scheduled walks can be made at any time up to 48 hours before the intended date of your walk, or up to 72 hours beforehand for Personal Walking Guides. We regret that we cannot accept bookings made less than 48 hours prior to the planned start time of the walk (72 hours for Personal Walking Guide bookings).
Please ensure before booking that the date you require is not listed below and on our online calendar as unavailable or fully booked, and that you have read and agree to our terms and conditions.
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Personal Walking Guide Availability - Rails Through The Peaks 1
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| Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
Bank Holidays |
| Yes |
Some* |
Yes |
Some* |
Yes |
Most* |
Most* |
Most* |
| * = Please contact us for details of availability |
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Book a place on this walk
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Latest booking news
- This walk has now finished for the winter, and it will not be available again until March 2025. Our shorter Miller's Dale to Bakewell walk is still available as a scheduled walk and for private bookings - see here for details.
- We are now accepting Personal Walking Guide bookings for this walk for 2025. Personal Walking Guide bookings may be made for Mondays, some Tuesdays, Wednesdays, some Thursdays, Fridays, most Saturdays and some Sundays between the beginning of March and the end of October 2025.
- We are also accepting other advance enquiries for March to October 2025, and will be publishing the 2025 walks schedule soon.
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Important: Before booking, please make sure that the date you wish to book is not listed as already being fully booked in the "Latest booking news" section above.
Please select the number of places you would like to book and enter the date required.
Other payment options are available on request - Please e-mail us for details if required.
By placing a booking with us, you are accepting and agreeing to our terms and conditions.
If you encounter any problems with your booking, or have any questions about this walk, please e-mail us.
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