Monsal Trail
Encyclopedia
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....
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Route description
It follows a section of the former Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction RailwayManchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
The 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....
, 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 1863 to link Manchester with London. The line was closed in 1968 by the Labour Minister for Transport Barbara Castle
Barbara Castle
Barbara Anne Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn , PC, GCOT was a British Labour Party politician....
, not as it is often thought by the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
, and remained unused for twelve years before being taken over by the Peak District National Park.
The Monsal Trail is about 8.5 miles (13.7 km) in length. It starts at the Topley Pike junction (in Wye Dale, 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Buxton
Buxton
Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, England. It has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Located close to the county boundary with Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south, Buxton is described as "the gateway to the Peak District National Park"...
) and runs to Coombs viaduct, 1 miles (1.6 km) south-east of Bakewell
Bakewell
Bakewell is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, deriving its name from 'Beadeca's Well'. It is the only town included in the Peak District National Park, and is well known for the local confection Bakewell Pudding...
. It follows the valley of the River Wye
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....
and runs parallel to the A6.
From the Wyedale car park, the easiest access point for the northern end of the trail, there is a walk of about 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi), with the last part up steps, to reach the Trail. Starting at the south of the trail, "from Market Place in Bakewell, follow Sheffield Road and cross the five-arched bridge of the River Wye, turn right and ascend Station Road to the former Bakewell Station and car park on your left."
The trail passes through such places as 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...
, Millers Dale
Millers Dale
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...
, Cressbrook
Cressbrook
Cressbrook is a village in the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire. Before its Enclosure Act of 1762 Cressbrook did not exist. It later grew up around a textile mill complex built alongside the River Wye, first by Richard Arkwright and then later by his son Richard, JL Philips and Brother...
, Monsal Dale
Monsal Dale
Monsal Dale is a valley in the Peak District of Derbyshire in England.In geological history this area of Derbyshire was long ago under water, and is formed from a subsequent uplift of resultant sedimentary deposits, known as the Derbyshire Dome...
, Great Longstone
Great Longstone
Great Longstone with Little Longstone is one of two villages in the local government district of Derbyshire Dales in Derbyshire, England.-History:...
, Hassop
Hassop
Hassop is a village in the local government district of Derbyshire Dales in Derbyshire, England.It developed around a number of lead mines, with such names as "The Brightside", "Backdale", "Harry Bruce", "Waterhole" and "Whitecoe", which lasted until the mid-nineteenth century.The local landowners...
and Bakewell
Bakewell
Bakewell is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, deriving its name from 'Beadeca's Well'. It is the only town included in the Peak District National Park, and is well known for the local confection Bakewell Pudding...
. In the case of Longstone and Hassop, although a station was provided, it was some distance from the village.
This route through the Wye valley was necessitated by the Duke of Devonshire
Duke of Devonshire
Duke of Devonshire is a title in the peerage of England held by members of the Cavendish family. This branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the richest and most influential aristocratic families in England since the 16th century, and have been rivalled in political influence perhaps only...
's objection to the railway passing through his grounds (which included not only Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House is a stately home in North Derbyshire, England, northeast of Bakewell and west of Chesterfield . It is the seat of the Duke of Devonshire, and has been home to his family, the Cavendish family, since Bess of Hardwick settled at Chatsworth in 1549.Standing on the east bank of the...
, but extensive grounds north of Rowsley
Rowsley
Rowsley is a village on the A6 road in the English county of Derbyshire.It is at the point where the River Wye flows into the River Derwent and prospered from mills on both.-Overview:...
). This route meant, for instance, that the line had to pass above the town of Bakewell, rather than through it.
The Duke of Rutland
Duke of Rutland
Earl of Rutland and Duke of Rutland are titles in the peerage of England, derived from Rutland, a county in the East Midlands of England. The Earl of Rutland was elevated to the status of Duke in 1703 and the titles were merged....
, of Haddon Hall
Haddon Hall
Haddon Hall is an English country house on the River Wye at Bakewell, Derbyshire, one of the seats of the Duke of Rutland, occupied by Lord Edward Manners and his family. In form a medieval manor house, it has been described as "the most complete and most interesting house of [its]...
, insisted on the construction of Haddon Tunnel
Haddon Tunnel
Haddon Tunnel is a tunnel in Derbyshire, England built by the Midland Railway extending the Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway from Rowsley to Buxton, opened in 1863....
to hide it from his view, but he used Bakewell station, which was built to a grander design than normal, and carried his coat of arms.
The Duke of Devonshire later came to realise the value of the railway, and his offer for the Midland Railway to run through Chatsworth came too late. He was therefore the force behind the construction of Hassop station, which, although nearer to Bakewell than Hassop village itself, meant that he did not have to share a station with his neighbour, the Duke of Rutland.
Great Longstone (simply called 'Longstone' before 1913) served Thornbridge Hall
Thornbridge Hall
Thornbridge Hall is a large English country house situated near the village Great Longstone in the local government district of Derbyshire Dales in Derbyshire. It is a grade 2 listed building.-History:...
, and the station design, with leaded glass windows, reflected the architecture of the hall itself.
For many years the Trail could not follow the trackbed at all times, for where tunnels had been closed for safety reasons, such as at Monsal Head and Cressbrook, the path was locally diverted (but were walked by Julia Bradbury
Julia Bradbury
Julia Bradbury is an Irish-born British television presenter, best known for presenting the BBC One programme Countryfile and other documentaries and consumer affairs programmes.-Early years:...
in the BBC tv's Railway Walks: The Peak Express). Many of these access points and paths diverting around the closed tunnels were unsuitable for those using cycles, in wheelchairs or with difficulty walking, as they had steep uneven stone steps or narrow paths. Plans to make the tunnels safe and re-open them to the public were given the go-ahead at a cost of £3.785m, and the tunnels were opened officially for use on 25 May 2011 at a ceremony at the Headstone Viaduct though in practice they have been open for use since Friday 13 May 2011. As a consequence, the whole Trail is now virtually level (though the former diversions are still useable, if desired), and can therefore even be used by wheelchair users with level access onto the trail at Bakewell, Hassop Station (disabled toilet at Hassop Station) and Millers Dale.
Litton Mill
Litton Mill is a textile mill at Millers Dale, near Tideswell in Derbyshire.The original 19th century mill became notorious during the Industrial Revolution for its unsavoury employment practices, luridly described by the commentators of the day, and the testimony of Robert Blincoe, a parish...
, downstream from Millers Dale station, is where orphans from major cities were abused by Ellis Needham, with the graves of many to be found in local churchyards. William Newton's 1783 Cressbrook Mill (on the site of a herb distillery) was used by Richard Arkwright.
It is hoped by Pedal Peak District, the organization behind the funding of the reopening of the tunnels, that it will be possible at some future point to extend the Trail to create a circular route linking Buxton, Matlock and Bakewell.
Several miles to the south and south-west of this trail lie two other cycle/horse riding/walking trails, which similarly utilize former railway trackbeds, namely the High Peak Trail and the Tissington Trail
Tissington Trail
right|thumb|200px|The Trail at the site of the former Tissington station, now a picnic site.The Tissington Trail is a bridleway and walk/cycle path in Derbyshire, England...
.
Headstone Viaduct
Headstone Viaduct, at Monsal Head, is one of the more impressive structures on the line, although when it was built it was seen as destroying the beauty of the dale. John RuskinJohn Ruskin
John Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
, a poet and conservationist of the time, criticized the folly of building the railway:
His words are displayed on the viaduct. However, when the railway closed and there was talk of demolishing the viaduct, there was considerable opposition. In 1970 a preservation order was placed on the structure.
Equally impressive, though less easily viewed, are the twin viaducts at Millers Dale, where a branch line ran to Buxton. The Trail runs across the older of the two.
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...