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Photographs or articles related to the Peak District National Park

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Monsal Trail Walk

Information sign on the Monsal Trail

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Monsal Trail

The Monsal Trail is a walk through the Peak District and offers some spectacular scenery and interesting opportunities for photographers. The Monsal Trail follows the route of the disused Midland Railway from Bakewell through to Topley Pike. The history of this railway line is discussed in my post about the Peak Rail steam railway which tells how part of the disused line was reopened and is now operated as a steam railway. The railway closed in 1968 as part of the cuts following the ‘Beeching Report’ and the trackbed lay unused until being converted into a designated walk.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row font_color=”#00478c”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Monsal Trail Walkers Cyclists and Horse Riders

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Trail Overview

In 1981 the disused railway line opened as the Monsal trail and allowed walkers, cyclists and horse riders access to the impressive Peak District scenery once reserved for train passengers only. Being a former railway line means the walking is not taxing in terms of steep climbs. The walkway is solid underfoot meaning those people who are ‘not so able’ can enjoy the Peak District scenery with relative ease. Even though the walking is level, you should always have good sturdy footwear. The trail is approximately 8.5 miles in length and includes 4 tunnels between 400 and 500 yards long to walk through in addition to a couple of impressive viaducts to walk over. Initially the tunnels remained closed and alternative routes around the tunnels were used. Work was undertaken to make the tunnels suitably safe and they were eventually opened to allow people a unique experience. The tunnels are lit during daylight hours and impressive to walk through, lets face it you don’t often get the chance to walk through railway tunnels! All I can say is they are impressive enough in their disused condition, let alone with a steam engine and coaches thundering through. That would have been a sight to see.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row font_color=”#00478c”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Monsal Trail Tunnels

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At various points along the trail you will find public footpaths crossing the route. This gives you the opportunity to take a more adventurous walk across the peak district to some of the higher viewpoints if you so wish.

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At the north end of Headstone Tunnel, you will find a trail leading up to Monsal Head. Please note, this is a steep climb. The effort is well rewarded with a view looking over the Wye valley. There is a cafe at the top which is a useful place to recharge your batteries. Just remember it doesnt open on Mondays.

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It is important to remember to dress appropriately, especially in winter months as my visit did. The day started in brilliant sunshine, albeit with very cold temperatures and strong winds. Within a couple of hours the weather turned to heavy rain, and with the strong wind, made the walking bracing to say the least. Car parks and toilets can be found at Bakewell, Hassop, Monsal Head and Miller’s Dale.  If cycling is your thing and you don’t bring your own bikes then you will find bike hire at Bakewell, Hassop Station and Blackwell Mill.

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Monsal Trail Photographic Opportunities

The Peak District is full of photographic opportunities and the fact that the railway cuts right through the countryside means the photographer can get some unique views. For a start, the tunnels provide pretty unique photographic opportunity in themselves. Although well lit for walkers and general walking, the tunnels are still pretty dark as you can imagine. A tripod will allow all sorts of creative opportunities. Something you need to bare in mind is the fact that the wind absolutely whistles through the tunnels regardless of the weather outside. A good tripod is recommended to compensate for this. Another thing to remember if you do use a tripod in the tunnels, is that the wind isnt the only thing zipping through the tunnels. Some of the cyclists absolutely fly through so make sure you dont get too distracted and become part of an accident in the dim light. Just north of the first tunnel, Headstone Tunnel, is Monsal Viaduct. If you are feeling energetic then take the steep path immediately to the right of the tunnel up to Monsal Head. At the top you get a great view down on to Monsal Viaduct and the River Wye as shown above. Another item of interest for photographers is walking through the platforms of the disued station at Great Longstone which served Thornbridge Hall. This main station is a private residence so creative opportunities are limited. Immediately next to this are the impressive facilities used by those going to and from Thornbridge Hall. A great illustration of the times and how society worked in those days. In addition to these railway specific features, the trail is littered with photographic opportunities including moss covered trees and drystone walls, stratified rock formations in the cuttings where the navvies literally blasted their way through the rock and rolling views of the Peak District. This report only covers the 2.5 mile section from Hassop Station through to Monsal Viaduct. Further north there is plenty to see and photograph. A report of these sections will follow later in the year.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Lasting Impression

The Monsal trail is a nice undemanding walk and is accessible to almost everybody. Cycle hire is readily available should you wish to bike the route. The section between Hassop and Monsal Viaduct starts off through gentle rolling hills and finishes as the countryside becomes noticeably more rugged. Several points of interest, both photographically and historically, are encountered to make the 2.5 miles enjoyable. Reports on the northernmost sections will follow in due course. Thanks for reading and I hope you find this report useful Cheers Gary[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”sky” el_width=”70″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

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Peak Rail Steam Railway

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Peak Rail Steam Railway

Welcome to the first of my Location Reports.

My intention is to provide information for the photographer, and casual visitor, to various places of interest.

See the main Location Reports page for more details of the series and links to the reports.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Railway Overview

The Peak Rail steam railway is part of the old Midland Railway line that originally ran from London St Pancras to Manchester Central via Derby.

The railway was identified for closure as part of the infamous ‘Beeching Report’ of the 1960s.

As a result, local passenger services ceased between Matlock and Buxton in 1967 and through express trains finally ended in 1968.

Currently local services, operated by East Midlands Trains, still run from Derby to Matlock, which is the ‘mainline’ terminus.

Directions to Peak Rail.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column font_color=”#00478c”][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”1721″ img_size=”medium” title=”Matlock”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]At Matlock, you change to platform 2 and join the Peak Rail line for a run of 4 miles through to Rowsley South.

In 2011 arrangements were finalised to allow Peak Rail trains to run into the mainline station making access to the steam railway extremely easy.

In November, January and February only, Peak Rail trains run into Matlock Riverside station which is slightly north of the mainline station. It is only a short riverside walk into the main town.

The railway is open throughout the year. You will find both steam and old BR diesels running the service.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row font_color=”#00478c”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Darley Dale Railway Station

[/vc_column_text][ess_grid alias=”darley-dale-railway-station”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Darley Dale is the first station north of Matlock.

There is a small museum featuring  various exhibits showing the railway during its working period. The exhibits include photos, posters and items of equipment that give a good flavour of times gone past.

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Rowsley Railway Station

[/vc_column_text][ess_grid alias=”peak-rail-rowsley”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The northern terminus is Rowsley South. The station is a modern build, albeit in traditional style, alongside the main engine shed and engineering facilities.

On the station is a nice buffet and a gift shop with lots of transport related wares.

During British Rail days this site was a sizeable depot and maintenance facility.

Within this engineering complex are several enthusiast groups dedicated to restoring, preserving and maintaining various historical locomotives and rolling stock.
Below are a few links to some of these groups.

Heritage Shunters Trust

LMS Carriage Association

Renown Repulse Restoration Group

Also to be found at Rowsley South is a picnic area which gives a good view of the railways operations. There is a short narrow gauge railway operated as the Derbyshire Dales Narrow Gauge Railway which runs alongside the picnic area.

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Photographic opportunities

There are many photographic opportunities to be found on and around the Peak Rail facilities.

Matlock and Matlock Riverside stations offer little other than the standard railway platform type environment.

A footpath runs a good way alongside the railway between Matlock Riverside and Darley Dale. The River Derwent also runs close at several points. The footpath provides many opportunities for lineside shots of the passing trains.

Darley Dale station has an authentic steam era feel and look. The crossing gates immediately south of the station also offer another unusual opportunity for creative photos.

The Matlock bound platform is laid out with authentic milk churns, enamel signs, period railway signage and stacks of luggage. It really looks the part. The Rowsley platform buildings are under renovation and not open to visitors yet.

Rowsley has many great opportunities. The many types of wagons, coaches and locomotives under restoration and stored is very impressive. The sheer number and differing types of railway vehicles present many photo opportunities. There is a fully working turntable which in itself is a rarity nowadays.

As is typical for Britain, the weather was changeable during my visit. The day started nice and bright with good light from the winter sun.

As the day progressed, the clouds crept in and the day became much darker with only very brief glimpses of sun. The darker skies led to flatter looking scenes with little in the way of saturated colours. At times like these it sometimes pays to look for scenes that would look good in black and white.

A steam railway is the perfect place to practice black and white photography. It not only gets around the problem of flat colours, but also leads you into creating a little bit of authenticity with your photos.

As shown below, when the sun shines keep an eye out for colourful scenes, but when the light isnt favourable look for patterns, shapes or reflections in otherwise dull scenes. The sky was heavily overcast on the carriage shot. The dull maroon colours were muted, yet the sheen provided lots of reflections from the wooden boarding on the platform. A dull image in colour is transformed when converted to black and white.

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Lasting impression

My lasting impression of the Peak Rail steam railway was positive.

Although the line is only 4 miles long, it provides ample opportunities for creative photography. The railway shouldn’t be compared to larger steam railways such as the Severn Valley Railway as that simply isnt an equitable comparison.

The Peak Rail steam railway does a great job of providing a compact snapshot of a railway from the past.

Darley Dale and Rowsley are both full of opportunities for the photographer who enjoys railways or recreations of times long gone.

The railway operates a number of special theme days which provides additional photographic opportunities.

All in all, I recommend the Peak Rail steam railway to both photographers and also to general visitors looking for an authentic steam era experience.

Thanks for reading, please feel free to leave your views and comments …[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”sky” el_width=”70″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1443099097328{padding-left: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1471794501127{border-top-width: 1px !important;border-right-width: 1px !important;border-bottom-width: 1px !important;border-left-width: 1px !important;background-color: #fffffd !important;border-left-color: #0098da !important;border-left-style: solid !important;border-right-color: #0098da !important;border-right-style: solid !important;border-top-color: #0098da !important;border-top-style: solid !important;border-bottom-color: #0098da !important;border-bottom-style: solid !important;border-radius: 4px !important;}”]

See My Railway Editorial Stock Pictures

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