A new 14-stage walking trail now connects the “Steel City” of Sheffield to “Cottonopolis” in Manchester. The 62-mile (100km) Steel Cotton Rail Trail is a “post-industrial” route through the Peak District, with each stage designed as a manageable day-walk.
This “rail-pegged” trail is a “welcome” new resource, tempting Sheffielders to explore “beyond the obvious Edale-Kinder Scout hikes.” While one 7.5-mile leg does start at Edale, the trail’s main focus is the “charming” landscapes and heritage sites to the west.
The 14 sections are all linked by stations on the Hope Valley Line, making it incredibly easy to plan car-free day trips. You can choose your challenge, from “summit-fiend” moorland sections to “mellow” canal and riverside ambles.
Highlights along the way include the 1796 Peak Forest Tramway, the “canal mania” port at Bugsworth Basin, and the “dramatic” viaducts and gorges of New Mills.
This new, fully waymarked trail is an “almost perfect” way to enjoy an autumn walk. It’s a fantastic new way to journey between these two great northern cities, one “eye-calming” section at a time.