The Five Pits Trail is a rail trail

Rail trail

A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...

 in Derbyshire

Derbyshire

Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. It consists of a network of surfaced walkways for recreational use. The approximately 5.5 miles (8.9 km) long trail links Grassmoor

Grassmoor

Grassmoor is a village in Derbyshire, England, approximately three miles to the south of Chesterfield. Its original name, according to 16th-century parish records, was Gresmore. Grassmoor formally housed many miners, however all of the local mines in the area have been closed since the...

 to Tibshelf

Tibshelf

Tibshelf is a village and civil parish in Derbyshire, England. It is in the Bolsover district of the county. Its population at the 2001 UK census was 3,548....

. The Trail can be extended to 7.5 miles (12.1 km) by continuing along the route to Williamthorpe Ponds and Holmewood. Derbyshire County Council created the Five Pits Trail in 1989, following the route of the former Great Central Railway

Great Central Railway

The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...

 which served the five main coal mines of Grassmoor

Grassmoor

Grassmoor is a village in Derbyshire, England, approximately three miles to the south of Chesterfield. Its original name, according to 16th-century parish records, was Gresmore. Grassmoor formally housed many miners, however all of the local mines in the area have been closed since the...

, Williamthorpe, Holmewood

Holmewood

Holmewood is a village in the North East Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, being a former coal mining village with close links to the villages of Heath, North Wingfield and Temple Normanton....

, Pilsley and Tibshelf

Tibshelf

Tibshelf is a village and civil parish in Derbyshire, England. It is in the Bolsover district of the county. Its population at the 2001 UK census was 3,548....

.