Millers Dale
Encyclopedia
Millers Dale is a valley on the River Wye
in Derbyshire
.
It is a popular beauty spot in the Peak District
of England
, much of the area being preserved as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
. Nearby is Ravenstor and Cheedale, both popular with rock-climbers
. Just to the north of the Dale lies the village of Wormhill
and the lesser known valleys of Peter Dale and Monk's Dale, the latter being listed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a nature reserve.
The local landmark is the viaduct, first built by the Midland Railway
in 1866. Increasing traffic meant that a second viaduct parallel to the first was built in 1905, increasing the number of tracks to four. Millers Dale railway station
was at the junction where passengers for Buxton
joined or left the trains between London
and Manchester
.
The area is of great interest to geologists, particularly where the strata have been exposed by quarries and railway cuttings. In Station Quarry, which is owned by the Naturalists Trust, two layers of limestone can be seen, separated by a bed of shale. At one point there is a dip in the lower layer, possibly from a watercourse, millions of years ago. This is filled with the shale and a large limestone boulder can be seen within it. Elsewhere in the area there are signs of lava flows from long-ago volcanic activity.
Northwards from Millers Dale the line entered the two Chee Tor tunnels (401 and 94 yards), separated by a 50 feet (15.2 m) bridge over the River Wye, then along a ledge cut into the rock face, before entering Rusher Cutting Tunnel (121 yards), crossing the Wye yet again by another viaduct. The line here was immensely difficult and expensive to construct, skirting, as it did, the base of the 300 feet (91.4 m) high ciff of Chee Tor. Chee number 1 was, until May 2011, sealed off for safety reasons, but it is now possible to walk through all three tunnels. Further on was the triangular junction for Buxton via Blackwell Mill
, before continuing to Peak Forest
.
Large sections of the trackbed now form part of the Monsal Trail
, a cycle and walking trail.
River Wye, Derbyshire
The River Wye is a limestone river in the Peak District of Derbyshire, England. It is in length, and is one of the major tributaries of the River Derwent, which flows into the River Trent, and ultimately into the Humber and the North Sea....
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...
.
It is a popular beauty spot in the Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
of 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...
, much of the area being preserved as a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
. Nearby is Ravenstor and Cheedale, both popular with rock-climbers
Rock climbing in the Peak District
Rock climbing is a popular activity in the Peak District; particularly on edges such as Stanage or Froggatt. Generally the climbing style is free climbing and the rock is either gritstone or limestone. Climbing has been practised in the Peak District since the late 19th century; James W...
. Just to the north of the Dale lies the village of Wormhill
Wormhill
Wormhill is a village in Derbyshire, England, situated east by north of Buxton.Wormhill was mentioned in the Domesday book as belonging to Henry de Ferrers and containing of meadow. The name is said by the English Place-Name Society to be derived from the Old English 'Wyrma's hyll'.There was a...
and the lesser known valleys of Peter Dale and Monk's Dale, the latter being listed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a nature reserve.
The local landmark is the viaduct, first built by the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
in 1866. Increasing traffic meant that a second viaduct parallel to the first was built in 1905, increasing the number of tracks to four. Millers Dale railway station
Millers Dale railway station
Millers Dale railway station was a station situated in Millers Dale in the Peak District. It was built in 1863 by the Midland Railway on its extension of the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway from Rowsley....
was at the junction where passengers for Buxton
Buxton railway station
Buxton railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Buxton in Derbyshire. It is managed and served by Northern Rail. The station is 25¾ miles south east of Manchester Piccadilly and is the terminus of the Buxton Line.-History:...
joined or left the trains between London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
The area is of great interest to geologists, particularly where the strata have been exposed by quarries and railway cuttings. In Station Quarry, which is owned by the Naturalists Trust, two layers of limestone can be seen, separated by a bed of shale. At one point there is a dip in the lower layer, possibly from a watercourse, millions of years ago. This is filled with the shale and a large limestone boulder can be seen within it. Elsewhere in the area there are signs of lava flows from long-ago volcanic activity.
Northwards from Millers Dale the line entered the two Chee Tor tunnels (401 and 94 yards), separated by a 50 feet (15.2 m) bridge over the River Wye, then along a ledge cut into the rock face, before entering Rusher Cutting Tunnel (121 yards), crossing the Wye yet again by another viaduct. The line here was immensely difficult and expensive to construct, skirting, as it did, the base of the 300 feet (91.4 m) high ciff of Chee Tor. Chee number 1 was, until May 2011, sealed off for safety reasons, but it is now possible to walk through all three tunnels. Further on was the triangular junction for Buxton via Blackwell Mill
Blackwell Mill
Blackwell Mill is a location in Derbyshire, near to the village of Blackwell near Buxton, but not part of it.There was once a corn mill on the River Wye which may have dated from 1066. Most of it has disappeared, apart from the weir. What is left is marked as an Ancient Monument.It stands at the...
, before continuing to Peak Forest
Peak Forest
Peak Forest is a small village on the main road the from Chapel-en-le-Frith to Chesterfield in England.The village grew from the earlier settlement of Dam at the conjunction of Perrydale and Damdale. There is an inn, a village shop and a Primary School...
.
Large sections of the trackbed now form part of the Monsal Trail
Monsal Trail
The Monsal Trail is a cycle, horse riding and walking trail in the Derbyshire Peak District.-Route description:It follows a section of the former Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway, built by the Midland Railway in 1863 to link Manchester with London...
, a cycle and walking trail.
See also
- Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction RailwayManchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction RailwayThe Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from a junction with the Midland Railway at Ambergate to Rowsley north of Matlock and thence to Buxton....
- Cycleways in EnglandCycleways in EnglandCycleways in England is a list of recreational cycleways in England.*The Bristol & Bath Railway Path*The Camel Trail, North Cornwall*The , Cheshire*Clay Trails, Cornwall*Mineral Tramway Trails, Cornwall*Great Flat Lode trail, Cornwall...