A new 62-mile trail is inviting walkers to find beauty in the “post-industrial” landscapes between Manchester and Sheffield. The Steel Cotton Rail Trail is a 14-section route that celebrates the region’s rich heritage, where “work and wilderness rub along.”
This trail doesn’t seek an illusion of “real nature.” Instead, it guides walkers past light industrial units and working factories, close to the hum of the A6. It’s a path for those who appreciate the authentic, working countryside and its layered history.
The route is steeped in this history. It follows the old Peak Forest Tramway, a 1796 route for horse-drawn carts, and visits the reclaimed Mousley Bottom nature reserve, which was once a landfill site, gasworks, and sewage works.
The trail also showcases the grandeur of this industrial past, from the “magnificent bridges and stone viaducts” of New Mills to the historic Bugsworth Basin, once the busiest inland port on the canal system.
This new, rail-linked trail is a refreshing and honest look at the Peak District. It’s a perfect “autumn amble” for those who want to “ruminate” on the complex, beautiful relationship between industry and nature.