A new 62-mile walking trail is inviting explorers to step back in time on the “Peak Forest Tramway Trail.” This “level walking” section is a key part of the new Steel Cotton Rail Trail between Manchester and Sheffield.
The tramway, which “opened in 1796” and “operated right up till the 1920s,” was a “post-industrial” marvel. It was serviced by “horse and gravity-powered vehicles” to transport “limestone, quarried all around the area.”
Today, this historic route is a “mellow, easy walk,” perfect for families or a gentle “autumn amble.” As you walk, you’ll hear the “loud crunch of dry acorns and beech nuts” underfoot, a sign of the “mast year.”
This tramway is just one of 14 “rail-pegged” sections of the full trail. It’s a perfect example of the “work and wilderness” theme, an industrial artery that has become a “charming and eye-calming” green corridor.
This new, well-marked path is a “must-do” for history buffs. It’s an accessible, car-free way to walk through a “vital” part of Britain’s industrial heritage.