A new 62-mile (100km) trail in the Peak District has been made easy to navigate with a full suite of resources. The Steel Cotton Rail Trail, linking Manchester and Sheffield, is now fully waymarked and supported by detailed online maps, making it accessible for walkers of all abilities.
Explorers can feel confident setting out on any of the 14 day-length sections. The route is marked with new stickers, ensuring that walkers can find their way and stay on the correct path. This is a significant step, completing the multi-year planning phase of the project.
For those who prefer digital navigation or want to plan ahead, the trail’s official website is a key resource. Handy, printable PDF maps are available for each of the 14 sections. In addition, GPX files can be downloaded for use on smartphones or dedicated GPS devices.
This focus on navigation makes the trail’s “rail-pegged” system even more appealing. Walkers can easily alight at a station like Chinley, consult their map, and follow the waymarkers along the route to their destination station, such as Strines.
This new infrastructure opens up a fascinating and varied part of the Peak District. From the historic Peak Forest Tramway to the dramatic gorges of New Mills, this well-marked and well-mapped trail is ready to be discovered.