Monsal Trail - Bakewell, UK - Rails to Trails on Waymarking.com

"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.

In time it would become part of the Midland Railway's main line between London and Manchester, but it was initially planned as a route from Manchester to the East of England, via the proposed Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston and Eastern Junction Railway which would meet it a little further north along the North Midland line at Ambergate. The Act for a line from just south of Stockport to Ambergate was passed in 1846." link

Monsal Trail
"The Monsal Trail is a traffic free route for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and wheelchair users through some of the Peak District's most spectacular limestone dales.

The trail runs along the former Midland Railway line for 8.5 miles between Blackwell Mill, in Chee Dale and Coombs Road, at Bakewell.

Most of the route was opened to the public in 1981 but four former railway tunnels had to remain closed due to safety reasons, with public footpaths taking people around them. From 25 May 2011 the four railway tunnels - Headstone Tunnel, Cressbrook Tunnel, Litton Tunnel, Chee Tor Tunnel – were opened for trail users. Each tunnel is about 400 metres long and is lit during normal daylight hours." link

Bakewell Station
"The station was opened by the Midland Railway on 1 August 1862.[1] Being the nearest station to Haddon Hall it was built in a grand style as the local station for the Duke of Rutland over whose land the line had passed. Designed by Edward Walters of Manchester, the buildings were of fine ashlar with intricate carvings which incorporated the Duke's coat of arms.

Since the line was climbing steeply towards its summit at Peak Forest, the station was located uphill about half a mile from the town, which became a disadvantage when road transport developed." link

Country: United Kingdom State/Province/etc.: Derbyshire Trail Start (town): Chee Dale Trail Finish (town): Bakewell Trail Length: 8 Trail Surface: Paved Pack Animals Allowed: no Fees: no Rail-to-Trail Sign: The Monsal Trail BAKEWELL Bakewell, opened in 1862, was once a busy station on the Derby to Manchester section of the Midland Railway. The elegant buildings, reputedly designed by Joseph Paxton, used to have ornate glass canopies. The railway company had planned to follow the Wye Valley from Rowsley to Bakewell. However, the scheme took the railway close to Haddon Hall, home to the Duke of Rutland, and he maintained that the railway should be out of sight from the Hall. Constructing Haddon Tunnel meant that the railway ran above the town centre and is the reason why the staion is an uphill walk from the town. Look out for the Duke of Rutland's coat of arms carved into the station's stonework. Bakewell Station had a goods yard and a cattle dock because of the market held in the town. The station closed in 1967 and in 1968 the last train ran on the Midland Line. Internet Link(s): Monsal Trail Bakewell Station Former railway line

Visit Instructions:
A Trail Review
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Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   05/12/2019 Gushoneybun visited it