Everything about Tissington Trail totally explained
Tissington Trail is a bridleway and walk/cycle path in
Derbyshire,
England. Opened in 1971, and now a part of the
National Cycle Network, it runs for from
Parsley Hay in the north to
Ashbourne in the south, along part of the trackbed of the former railway line connecting Ashbourne to
Buxton. It takes its name from the village of
Tissington, which it skirts.
At Parsley Hay, a small settlement to the north-east of
Hartington, it's joined by the
High Peak Trail, a walk/cycle trail which runs in total from High Peak Junction near
Cromford,
Matlock, to
Dowlow, near
Buxton.
The trail has a firm crushed limestone surface which makes it ideal for cyclists and walkers of all ability, including wheelchair users, assisted by easy level access onto the trail at many points along its route. The elevated nature of the line (at Parsley Hay it's over in height) affords good views, but the trail can also be exposed in poor weather. Although not greatly noticeable, the trail runs gently downhill from Parsley Hay southwards. Note however that about ¼mile north of the cycle hire centre at Mapleton Lane, Ashbourne, the trail dips down and up where a viaduct has been removed; both slopes are about 40m long with gradients of 1:9.
Hartington signal box, beside the trail, though some distance from the village, has been converted into an Information Centre, open in summer on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.
The Park Authority operates cycle hire at both ends of the Trail, for example at Parsley Hay and Ashbourne.
From Hartington station northwards, the route is also part of the
Pennine Bridleway, a leisure route which includes through Derbyshire to the South Pennines. The Bridleway has two southern starting points, the other being at
Middleton Top, near Cromford, on the High Peak Trail.
Facilities
- At Parsley Hay (map ref: SK 146637) there's a car park, toilets, picnic site, visitor information and cycle hire. There is direct level access to the trail.
- At Hartington Station (map ref: SK 149610) there's a car park with toilets and picnic site. There is level access onto the trail.
- At Ruby Wood (map ref: SK 149604) there's a car park and a picnic site.
- At Alsop-en-le-Dale Station (map Ref: SK 155549) there's a car park with picnic site. There is level access onto the trail.
- At Tissington Station (map ref: SK 177520) there's a car park, with toilets and picnic site.
- At Thorpe Station (map ref: SK 165503) there's a small car park and picnic site, with level access onto the trail.
- At Narlows Lane, near Thorpe (map ref: SK 163504) there's a car park.
- At Mapleton Lane, near Ashbourne (map ref: SK 175473) there's a car park, toilets, and cycle hire.
History of the route
Built by the
LNWR, the line opened in 1899, and linked with the
Cromford and High Peak Railway at Parsley Hay, a line completed nearly 70 years earlier to link the
Cromford Canal at
Cromford Wharf and the
Peak Forest Canal at
Whaley Bridge. It was the last of the railways to be built in the Peak District. Whilst the section from Parsley Hay to Ashbourne was single track (from Parsley Hay north to Buxton it was double) the formation was constructed to allow for doubling if necessary, but this never happened. There were passing loops at Hartington, Alsop-en-le-Dale, Tissington and Thorpe Cloud.
Despite the relatively short length of this branch line, it was deservedly popular with walkers and ramblers, enjoying its heyday in the 1930s. Apart from the elevated views over the Peak itself, a large attraction was that this line passed close to
Dovedale. The line for a time also carried a through-service (for example without changing carriages) for passengers from London Euston, (via
Nuneaton,
Uttoxeter and Ashbourne), to Buxton and Manchester. A daily train also transported local milk to London. However, the line suffered from passing through a sparsely populated area, and it was closed to regular passenger traffic in 1954, and all services between Ashbourne and Hartington, including excursion traffic and specials (such as run during bad weather, or
Well dressing specials), ceased in October 1963. The route between Hartington and Parsley Hay survived until October 1967.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Tissington Trail'.
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