On Saturday 27th September we, alongside South East Manchester Community Rail Partnership, celebrated the launch of the Steel Cotton Rail Trail at Sheffield station. We enjoyed music from Sheffield Socialist Choir and singer Tegwen Roberts, as well as speeches, goodie bags and leaflets all about the new walking trail exploring the Peak District and canals from Sheffield to Manchester.
Created by the High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership and the South East Manchester Community Rail Partnership, the Steel Cotton Rail Trail allows walkers to explore the Peak District and canals from Sheffield to Manchester along the Hope Valley railway line, discovering the area’s industrial past along the way.
Helen Wright, from the High Peak and Hope Valley CRP said, ‘we are so pleased to be able to bring this project to life. The idea was initiated by the Chair of Friends of Bamford Station, volunteer John Stubbs. The route follows existing tracks, paths and trails through beautiful countryside and will hopefully encourage lots of people to visit the Peak District by train and leave their cars at home.’
In the first half of the 20th Century, Sheffield’s steel workers and Manchester’s cotton mill workers escaped their polluted cities to reach the clean air of the Peak District. They travelled by train on the Hope Valley line. Today the Peak District National Park exists for all of us to benefit from and the Hope Valley line still runs between the Steel and Cotton cities.
‘This fantastic station to station route passes through some stunning scenery in the Peak District and is a brilliant addition to our local walking network. The trail and the rights of way that it uses reflect an ongoing partnership of work that occurs across the park – with council officers, user groups, rangers and our fabulous volunteers all working to make accessing the countryside easier. This latest welcome addition to the network of trails offers visitors a sustainable option to visit and enjoy the national park, combining their walk with a wonderful railway which, like the trail it links to, passes through the heart of the beautiful Peak District.’ Ken Smith, Chair of Peak District National Park.
Launching the Steel Cotton Rail Trail this year was particularly special as 2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway. This new walking trail showcases the opportunities presented by the Hope Valley line, both for the steel and cotton workers of the past and for the continued access to enjoy walking in the Peak District National Park today and in the future.
‘The new long-distance Steel Cotton Rail Trail links together the stunning walking destinations throughout the very beautiful High Peak and Hope Valley areas and is all reachable from cities at either end of the line. We are proud to have been part of this project.’ Paul Webster, Community Rail Network Regions Support Manager.
The Community Rail Partnerships would like to thank Sheffield City Council, Derbyshire County Council, Peak District National Park, National Trust, Canal and River Trust, Tameside MBC, Stockport MBC and Manchester City Council for their support of the development of the trail.
