Monsal Trail Leaflet 2011 - Peak District

1 Dipper Give the Driver a Break Please contact Bakewell Visitor Centre for public transport information and access to the Trail . Bus times can also be obtained by Traveline and or 0871 200 22 33 National Rail Enquiries for Purple Orchids trains to the peak District . miles of tranquil Trail between Buxton and Bakewell A valley of flowers ACCESS TO THE Trail . Look out for early purple orchids and cowslips in May, followed by Easy access is available for all ox-eye daisies, common rock rose, bloody cranesbill and a lilac dusting visitors at Hassop, Bakewell and of small scabious appears on many slopes. The ash woods provide their Millers Dale stations. own flower show, with scarce lily-of-the-valley, and carpets of wood Cyclists and horseriders can also anenome and strong smelling ramsons (wild garlic) in Spring.

2 Access the Trail south of Bakewell Butterflies and birds Station at Coombs Viaduct. Walkers and cyclists are advised to park at Many butterflies feed on these the pay and display car park at the flowers. Follow the fluttering flight Bakewell Agricultural Centre and access of the brown argus, common Coombs Road via the footpath at the blue and green hairstreak. The back of the centre. You can follow the Wye Valley resounds to the Trail or branch out into the surrounding songs of many birds. Look out countryside along a network of footpaths for wheatears on grassland, grey and bridleways. wagtails and dippers in the rivers, brightly coloured redstarts singing Countryside Code from tree tops and the impressive Please respect other visitors on the buzzard soaring overhead.

3 Trail . Please do not drop litter or Wheatear Cycling on the Monsal Trail cigarette butts. Dogs are welcome on the Trail - please keep them under close In 2011 the tunnels on the Monsal Trail were opened to produce a control and clear up after them. Cyclists please slow complete off road cycling route. This project was funded as part of the down and give way to walkers. wider Pedal peak District project to promote cycling opportunities in the National Park. To find out more visit A great deal of care has gone into preparing this publication, but the peak District National Park Authority will not accept any responsibility for the misinterpretation of route descriptions nor for any accidents resulting from use of these walks.

4 2760 MonsalTrail/30k/WhitePrint/MAR2011. Bakewell Visitor Centre, The Old Market Hall, Bridge Street, Bakewell, DE45 1DS. Tel: 01629 816558. Email: Bee on Scabius Web: Copyright 2011 Designed and produced by The peak District National Park Authority. There is plenty to see and do along the Monsal The trails INDUSTRIal past Trail : Explore the wildlife and geology of the valley. Cotton Mills - The force of the Retrace the fascinating history of the railway and the River Wye and its tributaries was old industries along its route, or simply take in the used to power the waterwheels of cotton mills in the 18th century. breathtaking views. The peak District lay in the path Litton Mill opened in 1782 and Sir of the Midland Railway's ambition to Richard Arkwright's Cressbrook create its own London to Manchester railway Mill in 1783.

5 Line in the 19th century. The company dug Limekilns - These burnt limestone from adjacent quarries, with coal Limekiln Crinoids several tunnels and bridged the River Wye brought in by train, to make quicklime. This was taken along the railway Rocks from ancient seas with the famous Monsal Viaduct to for use in the steel and chemical industries. The Trail cuts through limestone between Blackwell and Monsal Head. complete the line in 1863. 4 This was formed over 350 million years ago when the area was a To Tideswell For over 100 years the line carried passengers tropical sea near to the equator, and is full of fossils. Shells, corals and 9 mud built up on the seabed and eventually formed the limestone.

6 And freight. Millers Dale station was at the start 7. of a branch line taking tourists to the South of Monsal Head, the limestone is covered by shales. These fashionable spa town of Buxton. 2 TIDESWELL DALE were formed from fine muds and sands deposited by vast river deltas The line closed in 1968 and the MILLERS DALE LITTON MILL flowing into that early sea. LIME KILNS. peak District National Park Authority re-opened the route for RUSHER CUTTING Cressbrook Wye Valley Wildlife 6 CRESSBROOK MILL. recreation in 1981. TUNNEL. LIME KILNS 8 The Trail sides and limestone dales contain spectacular unspoilt pastures, hay meadows and ash woodlands with abundant wildlife. You WYEDALE Blackwell Mill ale CHEE TOR 3 5.

7 ED can visit the nature reserves from the Trail . Che 1 & 2 TUNNELS. LITTON TUNNEL. 9. 04. CRESSBROOK TUNNEL. Upperdale B6. To Buxton Little Longstone A5270 Great Longstone A6 Monsal Dale Blackwell 1 Turn Monsal HEAD. 10 HEADSTONE TUNNEL. Taddington B6. WHITE LODGE Hassop 0. 46 19. 02. Monsal Trail 5. A6. A6. Pennine Bridleway Riv er W. Tunnel ye Bridleway Footpath 11 Ashford in the Water Road Nature Reserves Parking A6. 1. Deep Dale Coach Parking 2. Chee Dale BAKEWELL STATION. Easy Access (suitable for cycling, 3. Millers Dale Quarry horses, wheelchairs 4. Monk's Dale and pushchairs) 5. Priestcliffe Lees Toilet 6. Ravenstor & Bellamy's Bank Bakewell Information Centre 7. Tideswell Dale Information Board 8.

8 Cramside Wood North 9. Cressbrook Dale Coombs Road 10. Taddington Wood 1 Kilometre To Matlock Viaduct 5 Nature Reserves 11. Deep Dale Copyright. John McCrindle, photographer, Ashford in the Water, Not all footpaths are shown and White peak OL24 should be used, particularily off the Trail . Derbyshire. Circa 1900. Crown Copyright. All Rights Reserved. Licence 1000005734. 2010.