The Peak District has a major new attraction for outdoor enthusiasts: the 62-mile (100km) Steel Cotton Rail Trail. This newly launched, multi-year project connects the cities of Manchester and Sheffield, offering a 14-stage journey through the region’s post-industrial heartland.
The trail’s defining feature is its integration with the railway. Each of the 14 day-friendly sections is designed to start and end at a train station, primarily along the Hope Valley Line. This “rail-pegged” system makes the trail exceptionally accessible for day-trippers and those wanting to walk it in stages without a car.
Variety is at the core of the experience. The route caters to all, from “summit-fiends” looking for challenging moorland hikes to families seeking gentle, flat walks along canals and the River Goyt. Urban explorers will also enjoy the metropolitan sections at either end of the trail.
The walk is a journey through time, following the 1796 Peak Forest Tramway, which was once powered by horses and gravity. It also takes in Bugsworth Basin, the only intact inland port from the “canal mania” era, and passes dramatic viaducts and former textile mills in towns like New Mills.
Now fully waymarked and supported by free online PDF maps and GPX files, the Steel Cotton Rail Trail is ready to be explored. It’s a fantastic new way to discover the “eye-calming” landscapes and rich history of a lesser-known part of the Peak District.