Cycling the Monsal Trail

One of my favourite parts of the UK is the Peak District, in Derbyshire. If you're not familiar with the UK, the Peak District's a national park near to Derby, Sheffield, and Manchester. Although it near to large cities it's home to some spectacular scenery, from high peaks, to valleys, open moorland, farmland, and farming areas.

I've posted before about the Beeching railway cuts in the UK in the 1960's, where many local rail services were cut, due to increased use of motor transport. In the Peak District one of these lines was the old London to Manchester line which ran though this part of the Peak District. It's now a walking and cycling trail called the Monsal Trail.

In a gap between lockdowns last year I managed to visit the trail, whilst I was camping at nearby Bakewell, I cycled from Bakewell to the end of the trail near Buxton, on a hot, sunny day.

One of my favourite parts of the trail is the tunnels that go through the hills, they're open to the public, and illuminated, giving you an easy way to traverse the peaks. On a hot day is a pleasure to have these cool tunnels to escape the heat.

Another fascinating part of the trail is the East Buxton Lime Kilns, which are kilns cut into the side of the hill. In the 1920s they were reinforced with concrete buttresses, which make them appear almost brutalist in nature, a fascinating structure to find in the hillside.

A standout part of the route is the Monsal Viaduct, a large structure that traverses a valley. There's a photo below of the view from the viaduct, with the river below. I hope you enjoy these photos, and if you're ever in the north of England, go check it out!

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