Take a stroll along this flat 9-mile Derbyshire railway walk perfect for a gentle meander with lovely views
Explore Derbyshire's Monsal Trail, an 8.5-mile flat railway walk, perfect for a peaceful meander with breathtaking views and historical tunnels.
As we near the end of the year now is the time to really turbocharge your mental health ahead of the busiest times of year.
Being outdoors, especially on a serene walk to clear those mental cobwebs could be exactly what you need.
Derby and the wider beautiful county of Derbyshire has plenty of places where you can really wind down on a countryside walk.
One of the top places to recharge your batteries is the Monsal Trail which was a busy railway line in its former life.
Today the mainly traffic-free route takes hikers, cyclists, horse riders and nature fans through some of the Peak District's most stunning limestone dales.
The 8.5 mile trail runs along the old Midland Railway line between Coombs Road at Bakewell and Blackwell Mill in Chee Dale near Buxton.
It is a flat trail on an ancient railway line that runs through former tunnels.
The route follows the former Midland Railway line. It used to connect two behemoth cities London and Manchester.
The railway route shuttered in the 1960s under the Beeching-era cuts which was an initiative to restructure and downsize the British railway network.
The route has several access points connecting to more footpaths.
The route has been delighting visitors since 1981.
Four magnificent railway tunnels of Chee Tor Tunnel, Litton Tunnel, Cressbrook Tunnel and Headstone Tunnel were reopened by the National Park Authority in 2011.
Today people can immerse themselves in transport history by walking the length of the former railway route and spotting jaw-dropping views along the way.
One of the Monsal Trail highlights is the beautiful view from Headstone Viaduct overlooking Monsal Head.
It is the perfect example displaying Derbyshire’s industrial legacy which has been cleverly reimagined, attracting a new audience in the 21st century.
There is much to love about Monsal Trail which offers a peaceful day out with several tasty refreshment choices along the way.