START/
FINISH
HEAD
FARM MONSAL
UPPERDALE
VIADUCT
HEADSTONE
DALE
MONSAL
FIN WOOD
DALE
CRESSBROOK
MILL
CRESSBROOK
CRESSBROOK TUNNEL
WYE
RIVER BOTTOMHILL ROAD
LITTON TUNNEL
LITTON MILL
DALE
TIDESWELL B6049
B6049
NATURE RESERVENATURE
PRIESTCLIFFE LEES
MEADOW LANE MEADOW Monsal Trail
WALKING ROUTE ALTERNATIVE WALKING ROUTE A walk along a disused railway renowned for its spectacular scenery
KEY:
MILLERS DALE
NATURE RESERVENATURE
ALTERNATIVE
START/FINISH
1878
LIME WORKS
STATION
DALE
MILLERS DALE
MONKS
LIME WORKS
EAST BUXTON EAST
BLACKWELL DALE BLACKWELL B6049
TUNNEL CHEE TOR EXPLORE
RIVER WYE ENGINEERING
CHEE DALE
NATURE RESERVENATURE
TUNNEL
CHEE TOR Introduction In 1862, the Midland Railway obtained an Act of Parliament for a new line which would provide a missing link between Rowsley (north of Matlock) to New Mills (north of Chapel en le Frith). This challenging route through the Peak District, would follow the Derwent and Wye valleys enabling passengers to travel from London through Derby and on to Manchester. The line reached Millers Dale by 1863, and the entire link (including a spur to Buxton) was complete by 1867; it had involved the construction of nine tunnels, many bridges and viaducts, plus extensive rock cuttings.
Completion also provided a route for goods traffic, in particular quarried rock and quicklime (formed by burning local limestone with coal in limekilns), but also products such as fresh milk from cows grazed on the local pastures. Tourism also proved popular in the early 20th century, but following the Beeching Report, there was insufficient economic justification to maintain the line, which consequently closed (between Matlock and Blackwell Mill just to the east of Buxton) in 1968.
The route of the line between Bakewell and Blackwell Mill is now known as the ‘Monsal Trail’, an 8.5 mile (15 km) combined path, cycleway and bridleway. This leaflet covers the stretch between Monsal Head and Chee Tor, covering approximately half of the Monsal Trail, but there are plenty of options for extending, shortening or returning using alternative paths (if walking) which, for example, run along the valley bottom; use of a walking map (eg. Ordnance Survey, Explorer OL24, The Peak District, White Peak Area) or App is recommended in this case. In addition, cycle hire is possible at certain locations along the Monsal Trail as well as cafes (in former stations for example), although some may only be open in the main season, so check online ahead.
Just as the Midland Railway linked London to Manchester and required considerable engineering effort to construct this missing link, there are current parallels with construction of High Speed 2 (HS2). The route taken by steam trains of the 19th century required gradual gradients of 1 in 100 to overcome the hills and valleys of the Peak District, but this was only possible by extensive use of tunnels, cuttings and bridges. Although much more powerful, the high speed trains of the 21st century also require gradual gradients, improving efficiency and ensuring maximum speeds can be achieved for much of the route. Although the engineering materials used to create such infrastructure has changed (concrete instead of brick and stone; steel instead of wrought and cast iron), the Monsal Trail enables an appreciation of the challenges that engineers still need to overcome nearly two centuries later.
1 Monsal Head
Monsal Head (Explorer OL24, map ref. 186715) provides spectacular views along the Wye valley towards Cressbrook. Pictured below is Monsal Dale and the Headstone Viaduct, measuring 100 yards across with five magnificent supportive The viaduct was built in stone, except for the voussoirs (comprising the face of each arch), which are in blue brick (though subsequent patching has been done in red brick). The engineer for the viaduct was William Barlow, who was also responsible for the design of London St Pancras Station, still in use today as the terminus for Eurostar.
Take the path signposted ‘Monsal Trail’ (turn right, down stone steps, then bending left, down a slope) towards the end of the viaduct, where you will see that the former railway emerged from Headstone Tunnel before crossing the river on the viaduct. Cross the viaduct, heading in a NW direction (signposted Wye Dale), towards Cressbrook for about 1 mile.
Views of Cressbrook Mill, built by Sir Richard Arkwright Jnr in 1787, demonstrate the significance of water power in the industrial heritage of the area; there are several other mills along this section of the Wye valley.
2 Cressbrook and LittonTunnels
Cressbrook Tunnel is a complex tunnel (neither straight nor level) and follows an S-shaped path for a length of 471 yards (430m) with a gradient of 1:100 from SE to NW. Soon after emerging (on sidelong ground, with views across the valley) the route enters Litton Tunnel - also curved, with a radius of 880 yards, and a length of 515 yards.
Point of interest: Towards the NW end on the south wall there is a refuge (for rail workers when a train passed by) that has a metal grid across it to prevent access; this leads to a short chamber thought to have been dug out as part of mining activity.
After a while the route passes through Litton Mill cutting (there is an interpretation board on the Wye Valley SSSI), and then a more significant cutting where a ‘wind-up’ information point marked ‘Railway Stories from the Monsal Trail’ can be found, before approaching Millers Dale. Along this section there are several signs that highlight adjacent Derbyshire Wildlife Trust nature reserves such as Cramside Wood and Priestcliffe Leys. Just before the viaduct, which takes the Monsal Trail across the river valley to Millers Dale, can be seen the old lime works that opened in 1878.
Optional detour: Taking the path marked ‘lime kilns’ and then turning right into Millers Dale Quarry nature reserve, the path leads down to the B6049, from where a right turn along the pedestrian footpath beside the road leads to a view of the viaducts from below. However the path does not extend all the way to the viaducts, so caution is required. Retracing your steps about a hundred metres, until just past the houses, a side road leads to way-marked paths providing options to rejoin the Monsal Trail, either near the station or along Chee Dale.
3 Millers Dale
Millers Dale station opened 1 July 1863 and originally had two platforms, along with sidings serving the local lime works and other companies. Although relatively isolated, the station became an interchange for passengers travelling to/from Buxton on local trains, who could then transfer with express trains travelling between Liverpool, Manchester, Derby, Nottingham and London. It became so busy that a second viaduct was constructed by 1905, enabling additional lines and 5 platforms.
Closer observation shows the two viaducts to be of differing design, reflecting the several decades between their construction. The original viaduct, built in1862/3, used to carry a double line of the Midland Railway, and is still used by the Monsal Trail. It has limestone piers and abutments, with three spans of 87ft 6ins on skew. Each span consists of five wrought iron arched ribs with 11ft rise. In 1906 a new steel truss viaduct was opened alongside, which then doubled the capacity, with a total of four lines over the River Wye below.
The car park and facilities at Millers Dale station provide a convenient start/ finish point or just a location to break for refreshments.
4 Chee Tor
Continuing further, the Monsal Trail leads to the site of the East Buxton lime works, operational from 1880 to 1944, the concrete facing to the kilns demonstrating their use into the mid 20th century. About 50m before the kilns a path is marked that leads up to the top, where the arrangements for loading the kilns are described.
A few hundred metres after the kilns, a viaduct (typically brick arches on masonry piers) over Chee Dale leads into Chee Tor No. 1 tunnel. START/
FINISH
HEAD
FARM MONSAL
UPPERDALE
VIADUCT
HEADSTONE
DALE
MONSAL
FIN WOOD
DALE
CRESSBROOK
MILL
CRESSBROOK
CRESSBROOK TUNNEL
WYE
RIVER BOTTOMHILL ROAD
LITTON TUNNEL
LITTON MILL
DALE
TIDESWELL B6049
B6049
NATURE RESERVENATURE
PRIESTCLIFFE LEES MEADOW LANE MEADOW
WALKING ROUTE ALTERNATIVE WALKING ROUTE
KEY:
MILLERS DALE
NATURE RESERVENATURE
ALTERNATIVE
START/FINISH
1878
LIME WORKS
STATION
DALE
MILLERS DALE
MONKS
LIME WORKS
EAST BUXTON EAST
BLACKWELL DALE BLACKWELL B6049
TUNNEL
CHEE TOR
RIVER WYE
CHEE DALE
NATURE RESERVENATURE
TUNNEL
CHEE TOR After about 200m, the tunnel opens onto another bridge over Chee Dale and then immediately Chee TorNo.2 tunnel.
The direct alignment chosen by the engineers required a succession of tunnels and bridges, but eliminated a curve in the river through an area of sheer limestone cliffs, which is still popular with climbers.
For those cycling, or with alternative transport plans, the Monsal Trail continues to Blackwell and Wyedale where the A6 also takes a route along the valley towards Buxton, like the railway.
Else retrace the route or (with suitable map) return via alternative paths and minor roads that run along the valley. However, note that the path along Chee Dale has difficult sections, often slippery or muddy, and can become flooded.
Text compiled, (with assistance from Barry Barton) and photographs taken by Robert Armitage, FICE, 2018. For further reading: Barton B, Civil Engineering Heritage – East Midlands, Ruddocks Publishing Ltd, Lincoln, 2016. ISBN 978 0 904327 24 3.
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