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.
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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 →
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Explore the Goyt Valley
Just a few miles west of Buxton, the Goyt Valley winds through gritstone moorland and woods, past two reservoirs and the ruins of Errwood Hall – a contrast to the limestone dales of the White Peak. This companion website has a wide range of walks for every ability, with maps, history and practical information.
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.
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.
The Hermit’s Cave
The recently-posted 14-mile walk from Bakewell to Robin Hood’s Stride passes a medieval hermit’s cave with a crude carving of the crucifixion dated to the late 14th century.
Reinstating the railway
The last train ran along what today is the Monsal Trail in 1969. But calls for the reinstatement of the line to provide a public transport link between Buxton and Bakewell are gaining support.
Thirst House Cave
Thirst House Cave lies beside the path from King Sterndale across Deep Dale. It’s one of many similar caves in the White Peak’s limestone landscape where our ancient ancestors once found shelter.
Monsal Trail by LVR
A small electric train connecting the Monsal Trail with Buxton would greatly benefit this famous Georgian spa town, but the project seems to have come to a grinding halt because of a lack of funding.