Walk or cycle the Monsal Trail through its tunnels
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
This flat 8.5-mile trail follows an old Midland Railway line through the Peak District between Bakewell and Blackwell Mill, crossing the Headstone Viaduct. Four of its tunnels are about 400 metres long and lit in daylight hours, which makes it a ride unlike any other.
GentleFreeAn afternoonOutdoorsAlone or with othersEast Midlands
How to start
- Read the Peak District National Park's Monsal Trail page and check for temporary closures.
- Start from Bakewell and go as far as the viaduct, or ride the whole trail and back.
- Bring your own bike or hire one nearby, as there is no hire on the trail itself.
Where to go
We opened this link on 27 October 2026 and found it to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. The hard part of a day out is the timing: the right season, tickets and getting there. The plan watches the calendar for you.
Read next
Six pairs of shoes and seven months on the Pacific Crest Trail took Nancy Zelick from Mexico to Canada
How a retired Intel researcher from Baker City, Oregon, walked the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada in about seven months: the snow, the gear, the food and why she thinks pace mattered more than youth. How to start multi-day hiking, or build towards a long trail if you already walk.
Walking holidays for beginners: how to choose a route you'll actually enjoy
A beginner's guide to walking holidays: UK National Trails such as the South Downs Way and Hadrian's Wall Path, the Camino to Santiago, US National Park trails, how to choose a daily distance, baggage transfer, and where the Ramblers fit in.