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Rails Through The Peaks 3 - Bakewell to Buxton
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| Distance: 13.5 miles |
Duration: 6 - 7 hours |
Price: £30.00 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 southern access point of the Monsal Trail at the former Bakewell Station. It then follows the Trail northwards, 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. Reaching the Trail's northernmost point at Blackwell Mill, it then continues on for the final four miles into the spa town of Buxton. As the modern railway still occupies the trackbed along this section of route, the walk uses footpaths and roads to follow the route of the railway as closely as possible to reach the finish point at the remains of the former Midland Railway station in Buxton.
With good parking at the southern end of the Trail, and an easy return from Buxton by bus, this walk makes a great day out for those looking for interesting things to do in and around Bakewell, Buxton and the Peak District.
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.
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| Distance: |
13.5 miles. |
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| Duration (approx): |
6 to 7 hours (including lunch). |
| Start point: |
The former Bakewell Railway Station,
Station Road,
Bakewell,
Derbyshire. |
| Start time: |
9:30am* (Monday - Saturday).
10:30am* (Sundays and Bank Holidays). |
| End point: |
Opposite Buxton Railway Station,
Station Road
Buxton,
Derbyshire. |
| Dates available: |
Scheduled walks available on the following dates:
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 on a date of your choosing from March to October via a Personal Walking Guide (subject to availability). |
| (* = As your guide will be arriving by the "Transpeak" bus service, the actual start time may be slightly delayed if the bus is running more than 15 minutes 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 once 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 March and October (subject to availability).
This walk is normally available for private bookings on Mondays, some Tuesdays, Wednesdays, some Thursdays, Fridays, most Saturdays and some Sundays. It is also available on most Bank Holidays during this period.
Although 9:30am is the recommended start time for this walk (10:30am on Sundays and Bank Holidays), and the earliest we are able to offer, it is possible to request a later start time for a private booking. However, we do not recommend a start time after 10:30am during October due to the need to finish the walk in daylight.
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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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£30.00 per person |
£5.00 per person |
Personal Walking Guide
(Group of up 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 public transport from Derby, Nottingham, Chesterfield, Sheffield and Manchester.
There is a car park at the beginning of the walk at Bakewell Station, which can be used as a drop-off point, and there is a similar car park at the end of the walk which can be used as a pick-up point. If driving yourself to the walk, due to the limited parking in Buxton we recommend that you park in Bakewell and take the "Transpeak" bus from Buxton back to Bakewell at the end of the walk.
Information on how to get to and from this walk can be found on our travel information page.
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Is there anything special I need to bring?
Yes - a torch. Although the newly-reopened 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.
Given the cross-country nature of the later part of the walk, we also recommend that you wear proper walking boots, as while trainers or other similar footwear may be suitable for walking on the Monsal Trail, they would not be suitable for the later stages of the route.
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 cafe at Hassop Station and the newly opened cafe at Miller's Dale Station. Given the distance and time involved, we recommend that you bring at least two litres of water per person, and think seriously about increasing that amount in very warm or 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 off the Trail at Blackwell Mill. Also, the route onwards from Blackwell Mill to Buxton is unsuitable for wheelchairs, mobility scooters and those of limited mobility as it is cross-country, involves a few steep climbs, and also a number of stiles. 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 especially 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 and the fact the the later part of the walk crosses farm fields containing livestock, 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 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 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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Availability - Rails Through The Peaks 3
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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 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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