Welcoming item No.6 of our Peak District Bucket List, which is the Monsal Trail!
As a venue to get into riding bikes and enjoying them with friends and family, the Monsal Trail takes some beating. Following the path of the old Midland Railway, it crisscrosses the River Wye as it flows from Buxton towards Bakewell.
We did have our own bikes, however fear not as accessibility is the key asset: with two bike hire shops on the trail, at Hassop Station at one end and Blackwell Mill at the other, there is no need to own a bike to enjoy the trail as one can be hired with ease. Hire costs start at £8.00, making cycling the Monsal Trail a cost effective Peak District Bucket List item.
You can start anywhere you choose – just don’t forget you need to ride there and back. It is immensely popular and can be very busy at peak times, but don’t let that put you off. Just choose when you go or arm yourself with a smile and enjoy the experience along with everyone else. We recommended a morning trip, it was a lot quieter and you can enjoy the views without any crowds!
The trail is shared with walkers, horse riders and is wheelchair accessible so keep your speed down and your eyes open.
There are several highlights along the route whichever direction you choose to tackle it. Enjoy the waterfall at Water Cum-Jolly and the stunning Monsal Head viaduct.
Part of the attraction of the trail is riding through the numerous tunnels, the longest of which is nearly half a kilometre long. Each is lit during normal day light hours, so pack lights if you plan on a late approach.
As always, if you would like some further details on this walk do send us an email hannah@hj-visuals.com or james@hj-visuals.com.
We made a video and uploaded it to our YouTube channel – check out the sights of the Monsal Trail below.
Did you check out the other items in our Peak District Bucket List? Click the link to do so, items 1-4 are not to be missed!
