High Peak Trail

The High Peak Trail is a 17.5 mile trail from High Peak Junction to Dowlow near Buxton. It lies a mile to the south east of Cromford village in the beautiful Derwent Valley Mills WorldHeritageSite.

You can access the trail from High Peak Junction and Cromford Wharf, car parks are sign posted from the A6 at Cromford. There are regular bus services and railway stations at nearby Cromford, Whatstandwell and Ambergate.  

The High Peak Trail is a traffic free trail suitable for walkers, cyclists and horse riders passing through some of Derbyshire’s finest countryside.

For those wishing to explore the trails further, the High Peak Trail joins the Tissington Trail at Parsley Hay. We recommend that cyclists and horse riders follow the trail to the west of Middleton Top to avoid steep inclines. 

The High Peak Trail follows the route of the former Cromford and High Peak Railway. This was one of the worlds first long distance railway lines, built between 1825-30 on canal principles. Many important railway buildings and features can still be seen including High Peak Junction Workshops, Middleton Top Engine House,  Hopton Tunnel and Hopton Incline.

Wildlife
West of Black Rocks along the trail we recommend you slow down to appreciate the the trail verges that are rich with flowers including cowslips, orchids and wild herbs during summer.    

Why not Bike it!
Visitors wishing to explore the trail can hire cycles from Middleton Top Cycle Hire which is open everyday in June, July and August and at weekends and school holidays from April until the end of November.  

Cycle hire centres on the trail include:

Middleton Top Cycle Hire Centre
Tel: 01629 823204  

Parsley Hay
Tel: 01298 84493  

We have (along with the National Park Board) jointly purchased the line of the Cromford and High Peak Railway and developed the trail as we see it today.