The High Peak Trail is a 17-mile trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders in the Peak District. Running from Dowlow, near Buxton, to High Peak Junction, Cromford, it follows the trackbed of the former Cromford and High Peak Railway, which 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. Closure of the line occurred during the Beeching era, with the first section of the line closing in 1963, with full closure in 1967. In 1971 the Peak Park Planning Board and Derbyshire County Council bought the largest part of the trackbed and, in partnership with the Countryside Commission, adapted it for its current leisure use. The trail has a crushed limestone surface which makes it ideal for all users, including wheelchair use, assisted by level access onto the trail at various points along its route. The High Peak Trail is now a national route of the National Cycle Network. The elevated nature of the trail affords many splendid views across the countryside. However, these higher sections can also be very exposed in poor weather. The original railway incorporated a number of inclines at its northern and southern ends, and whilst much of the trail is fairly level, these sections are naturally steeper. Wikipedia [ - ]

The High Peak Trail is a 17-mile trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders in the Peak... [ + ]