Day three of our historical railway journeys and today its the turn of the High Peak trail – a 17 mile journey from Cromford to Dowtow, near Buxton.

 

Formerly, the Cromford and High Peak Railway, it was completed in 1831 to carry minerals and goods between the Cromford Canal wharf at High Peak Junction and the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge.

 

 

We started the trail at Middleton Top to avoid the steep 2.5 mile incline from   Cromford. Stationery steam engines were required along this section to haul the trucks up the track. Horses were used on the flatter sections.

 

Upon leaving there is a short sharp incline of around a mile out of Middleton Top but then it’s all flat / slight incline beyond High Peak junction and on to Parsely Hay.

 

This time we didn’t stop at Parsely Hay but continued to then end of the trail where there is a pub, the Royal Oak. We had taken a picnic but the food looked good so would recommend this as a place to eat.

The return journey was as expected somewhat easier being predominantly flat / downhill – this is the best way to cycle this trail.

In the evening we cooked on the BBQ.