Monsal Trail - Grindleford to Buxton (★★★★★)

Today the plan is to walk the Monsal Trail.

Access to the trail via public transport requires a bit of logistical planning - and there is a choice in terms of how you access the trail (with the easiest being by bus) - but here I have decided that I will start on the existing railway network, and head past Chatsworth House (on the way to joining up with the Monsal Trail).

Here we will start at Gindleford station on the Hope Valley Line (that runs between Manchester and Sheffield) - before following the Derwent Valley Heritage Trail down to Chatsworth House - after which we will need to pass over some hills to reach Bakewell, and the Monsal Trail itself.

But for now I should probably answer the question of why I am particularly keen to be going via Chatsworth House.

Well there is one rather plain reason, which is that I can connect this walk up to previous walking I have been doing - but a more important second reason, which is that one particular owner of the house is probably the person most responsible for this incredible trail.

You see, the original aim was not to build an impressive route that could be one day enjoyed by walkers and cyclists - the aim was to secure a very profitable route between London and Manchester (in those days railways competed against each other for routes).

Up until the village of Rowsley, that route was going to plan (in the patchwork way that railways did in those days) - and by 1849 a railway had reached Rowsley.

From here, the obvious route was to follow the route of the River Derwent north, and then join up with the Hope Valley Line between Grindleford and Heathersage stations - and indeed the original plan was to do exactly this, using a tunnel to reduce the impact upon the grounds of Chatsworth House.

At the time the 6th Duke of Devonshire (William Cavendish), and owner of Chatsworth Estate, was sufficiently on board with this idea - but in 1858 he died, and his son (also William Cavendish) blocked the railway from running across the estate.

Instead it was the Duke of Rutland that was persuaded to allow a railway to run across his land, and the route of the line shifted from the fairly straight-forward Derwent Valley to the far more challenging Wye Valley. And so the line we can enjoy today was created.

But coming back to the present day, ourour first task is to head by train to Grindelford - and from here we drop down to meet up with the Derwent Valley Heritage Trail, and will roughly follow the railway route that could have been. 

And here we find a pretty, but still fairly wet, part of the world - where the people are friendly, and where everyone says hello on our way by.

Heading out along the Derwent Valley Heritage Trail

I have walked this route before, and already given it a full write-up, so I will largely gloss over this section of the walk - but it is an enjoyable walk round to Chatsworth House, as we follow the River Derwent.

Chatsworth House

It is here at Chatsworth House that the 7th Duke of Devonshire decided that his views were too precious to be spoiled - and stood here you do sort of get his point, because the views are pretty fabulous.

But in the end the Duke did actually change his mind - and belatedly offered to let the railway pass through his land (once he had realised the value the railway could bring, even if just in giving him an easy commute to London) - but by then it was too late to change the route. 

And in the end the Duke had to settle for traipsing across to Hassop railway station (built at the nearest point of the railway to Chatsworth House) when travelling to London.

But now we are going to turn off the Derwent Valley Heritage Trail, and follow a short stretch of footpath that runs round from Chatsworth House to the small village of Edensor.

The view back heading to Edensor

Arriving at Edensor

Edensor is a bit of an interesting village, and much of it is still privately owned by the Cavendish family - and so is in effect an extension of Chatsworth Estate.

The history of the modern village dates back to 1762, when the 4th Duke of Devonshire (also a William Cavendish) arranged for the demolition of the homes that then stood in the village - as they were spoiling his view.

By the 1800s a new road was built, and the later incarnations of William Cavendish "Duke of Devonshire" (they all had the same name), had also removed the rest of the village.

But maybe the 6th Duke of Devonshire got lonely - because he got Sir Joseph Paxton (designer of Crystal Palace exhibition) to design a new improved village - and by 1870 a new village was in place - and was a 'pretty place of villa-cottages', plus a post office, an inn, and a church.

And Edensor became a 'model village' - with strict rules in place to maintain it's appearance. And what results, feels to be more an open air museum, than a town where real people might live.

Heading up the road

Looking back through the village

Slightly higher up

From here our path follows the road up, with this road turning into a farm track - and this will take us on a fairly hefty climb up onto the higher ground above.

Looking forward on this track

Looking back from higher up

Eventually the track turns into a very minor road, and this is followed round to a footpath, that heads down through a small forest, that in turn sits above Bakewell - and then we continue on into the town itself.

Here we find ourselves passing (via a bridge) over the top of the Monsal Trail - and then turn right to head round to the old train station.

Old railway route

This is the first station along the old railway route that no longer exists (if heading from London to Manchester).

That said, the previous station at Rowsley, is now only a heritage line stop - with Peak Rail operating steam trains between Matlock and Rowsley along this line.

In time it seems likely that this heritage line will extend up to Bakewell  - which would see the reopening of Haddon Tunnel, which was built to hide the route of the railway from Haddon Hall (home of the Duke of Rutland). 

That particular tunnel claimed five lives during it's construction, but thankfully these were the only lives to have been claimed by this railway during it's construction (whilst other lines such as the Settle-Carlisle claimed far larger numbers).

But Bakewell train station itself has been well preserved, and it was built to a grand design on the request of the Duke of Rutland - over whose land the line passes.

Map of the Monsal Trail

From here we have a run over fairly open countryside - and later in the second half of the trail we will pass through more dramatic countryside, characterised by impressive limestone formations.

But for now we can simply enjoy our walk, along a very busy stretch of path - heading out beyond Bakewell.

Heading out from Bakewell

Here the trail is very good - and it is also a cycling trail, with a very good surface for those on two-wheels.

This means that there are a lot of bikes and pushchairs among the throng of walkers - with things getting busier again as we pass Hassop station (the one built for the benefit of the Duke of Devonshire, once he belatedly realised the value of the railway).

In general this station saw little use, as it sits in a fairly sparsely populated area - but these days it is making up for it, as it now has a busy cafe (which also has cycle hire facilities).

From here we have a long straight run heading west, before we arrive at Headstone Tunnel - which is the longest tunnel along this line at 533 yards - and thanks to the very well done restoration of this line, you can walk (or cycle) through it.

Walking through Headstone Tunnel

Although the Monsal Trail opened for walkers in 1981, it was only in 2011 that this tunnel was restored and re-opened for use - and upon exiting the tunnel we head straight out onto Headstone Viaduct.

This Viaduct is 300 yards long with five long arches - and takes us over a deep valley (the River Wye), as we star to enter the more rugged section of the trail.

View to the right

View to the left

And it is here as we start clearing some of the more impressive geography, that we fully start to appreciate how much more challenging this line along the Wye valley was, compared to the original route along the Derwent Valley.

But from here we soon arrive at the former site of Monsal Dale train station (not much of this station remains today) - but in any case we are not in daylight for too long, because we soon draw level with Cressbrook - and get ready to head through Cressbrook Tunnel.

Site of Cressbrook Mill

Cressbrook Tunnel

Headstone Tunnel was really more a cutting than a real tunnel - but Cressbrook Tunnel is a different story, and tunnels deep through rock that rises up above the River Wye.

This tunnel runs for 471 yards - and here the path is cutting through limestone.

Back underground

Coming out into a cutting

Once out the tunnel, there is a short cutting - and then it is time to head into Litton Tunnel, which runs under a similar block of limestone.

View from the cutting

Into Litton Tunnel

Back underground

One of the nice things about these tunnels is that they kept a consistent design throughout each of them - and so each of the photos could easily be interchanged for another.

And inside the tunnels - and when you have a cyclist coming the other way - it is also nice that the sound of bike tyres on the ground echos in such a way, that you could be convinced that there is indeed a train coming down the line.

But we are soon once again back out into the open air, and passing Litton Mill.

I don't know if that is the Litton Mill or just a mill in Litton

From here we will be tunnel free for a bit - and in many ways this is very welcome - as it means that we get to enjoy both the initial limestone cuttings, and then the views out to the Wye Valley (with the railway still tracking along the route of the River Wye).

Limestone cuttings

View across the Wye Valley

A baby cutting

Eventually though it is time to once again do some tunneling - heading through Chee Dale Tunnels.

Back underground

Leaving Chee Dale Tunnel and approaching it's baby brother

From here, our final section along the Wye Valley features limestone cliffs for much of our journey through to the end of the trail.

Limestone cliffs

Another baby tunnel

More cliffs

Even more cliffs (looking back)

And a cutting

Then a little way on the Monsal Trail eventually comes to an unceremonious halt - but here we can continue to walk along the Wye Valley, by dropping down to the riverside.

Here the railway continues to pass by overhead, although this is now an active railway that still runs down from the stone quarries - to be found to the north (and slightly to the east).

Dropping off the railway

Into the Wye Valley

Next we go back under the railway

On the far side

Under again

And on (looking back I think here)

Although this runs beyond the end of the Monsal Trail, this section is still very pretty - and whilst the Monsal Trail is probably best done at this time of year (when you can see out through the trees), this section is probably at it's best in summer or autumn.

But at a car park this section comes to a halt, and from here we take a path that heads on around an active quarry, before there is a split in the path.

Here I intended to continue on up Deep Dale, but that path no longer exists - as work is being done in the area - and so instead the path cuts up onto the higher ground, before we join up with the Midshires Way.

View of the quarry from higher ground

Once on the Midshires Way, we next head across the fields back to Deep Dale - and then head down, and back up, the steep valley sides.

Deep Dale from the far side

Deep Dale from slightly higher up

From here we stick with the Midshires Way, heading across fields that are in general pretty dry underfoot - before very late in the day Buxton comes into view.

Buxton

Here we head down the hill, under the railway, and into Buxton to finish for the day.

Some cows

Under a railway

There are easier ways than this to explore the Monsal Trail - for starters it is lined with car parks - but in many ways it is nice to have spanned most of the length of the original railway, and to have included some of the originally planned route along the way.

But the Monsal Trail is a must-do walk - and I'm pleased to have got round to doing it.

Personally I think this is best done in combination with the Derwent Heritage Trail, but I also think I need to hurry up and find time to visit the High Peak Trail, which is another former railway route across the Peak District.

Total Distance: 21.8 miles (Monsal Trail is only 8.5 miles long in total and is flat)

Total Ascent: 3,730 feet (I think the ascent is overstated due to viaducts and tunnels confusing the route planner)

Enjoyment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5

Click for a writeup of walks along the Derwent Heritage Trail from Edale to Matlock and Matlock to Derby.

Click for writeups of two connecting walks along the Pennine Bridleway, from Cromford to Buxton and from Buxton to Edale.

Disclaimer: This writeup provides a narrative of what to expect rather than a route guide to follow. The route is covered by the 119 OS Landranger map (links redirect to Amazon). The Monsal Trail itself is incredibly easy to follow, the other sections are more complex and definitely need a map