The Monsal Trail
Welcome to the Monsal Trail. The old Midland Railway line now carries walkers, cyclists and horse riders for 8½ miles through the limestone dales of the Peak District, from Blackwell Mill near Buxton to Bakewell. Along the way you cross Headstone Viaduct, walk through lit railway tunnels and look down on the River Wye far below.
Here you’ll find a collection of circular walks from the trail, with maps, printable guides and GPX files, and the stories of the stations, mills and people along the line.
Walking routes
Circular walks from short strolls to full-day hikes that start from the Trail or cross it along the way – each with a free overview and photos, plus a printable step-by-step guide and GPX file to buy.
Getting there
Where to park, which buses stop near the trail and the nearest railway stations – with a map of the main access points from Wyedale near Buxton to Bakewell, to help you plan your day out.
Places of interest
In this section I’ll try to explain the history of the many features and places both on and near to the Trail, including some wonderfully picturesque villages with their pubs, cafes and parking spots.
Find a walk
Circular walks from short strolls to full-day hikes, each starting from the trail or crossing it along the way. Every walk has a free overview with photos; the full step-by-step guide and GPX file are available to buy from £1.50.
Choose a walk length below, or compare all the walks by length, climb and start point →
Short walks: under 5 miles
Circular walks of under five miles, ideal for a morning or afternoon: beneath the arches of Headstone Viaduct, beside the river in Chee Dale, among the wild flowers of Miller’s Dale and into Bakewell.
Medium walks: 5-8 miles
Half-day circular walks of five to eight miles: up to the Neolithic tomb at Five Wells, through Cressbrook Dale, to Tideswell’s “Cathedral of the Peak” and across the parkland to Chatsworth.
Long walks: 8 miles and over
Full-day circular walks of eight miles or more: beside the river in Lathkill Dale, past the ruins of Magpie Mine, to the plague village of Eyam and up to the rocks of Robin Hood’s Stride.
Stories from the trail
There’s more to the Monsal Trail than the walking. Here you’ll find the stories behind the mills, caves and stations along the line, along with news about the trail and its future.
Reinstatement ‘challenges’
Derbyshire County Councillors have voted in favour of reinstating the railway along the Monsal Trail rather than approve the electric tram proposal from Blackwell into Buxton. Madness!
Cycle hire controversy
The Peak District National Park’s plan to open a new cycle hire centre in the old goods shed at Miller’s Dale Station has come in for a lot of criticism from both visitors and local businesses.
Using a GPX file
GPX files of all the walks featured on this website are now available to purchase for just £1.50 each. I’ve also included a guide to choosing and using one of the many popular walking apps now available.
Tunstead Quarry
Lying just a few miles east of Buxton, Tunstead is the largest limestone quarry in the UK. And its railway could provide the much-needed link between the Monsal Trail and Buxton.
Grey Ladies Circle
Lying close to Robin Hood’s Stride, the Grey Ladies Stone Circle once boasted nine standing stones. Five have been removed over the millennia, but the four remaining are the tallest in Derbyshire.
Rowtor Rocks
The bizarre carvings at Rowtor Rocks – including thrones, altars, steps and prehistoric-style symbols – are the work of an eccentric Birchover Rector who also seems to have been a practicing Druid.