A Taste of the
Peak District
Peak District, Derbyshire cycle hire - Manifold Way, Waterhouses, property for sale, B&B, self catering holiday cottage accommodation, hotels, tourist attractions, walking, climbing, mountain biking history, towns, villages, geology, mining, local information, Derbyshire businesses and much more …
Low Traffic and traffic free cycling along the Manifold Way, a dismantled former railway with some quiet road sections. For ideas for other off-road cycle routes, please see the mountain bike page.
Waterhouses (Manifold Way)
The cycle hire centre and car park for the Manifold Way is located in the
village of Waterhouses behind the Crown Hotel. 9 miles of traffic free
cycling
along
the Manifold
Way,
formerly
the Leek
and Manifold
Valley Light Railway, terminating at Waterhouses at one end and Hulme End
at the other. This 2' 6" narrow gauge line ran for only 30 years,
closing in 1934. In 1905 during whit week, around 5000 passengers were
carried in trucks normally used for carrying Milk churns or coal! The line
at the north end passes the remains of the Ecton Copper mine, the profits
from which paid for many of the impressive buildings in Buxton. At Ecton,
you can cycle past a small station where milk churns were loaded on to
the train or even take a wander up to the remains of the copper mine itself
(care: open mine shafts). Take care when traversing the tunnel between
there and Hulme End as it is quite narrow and used by motor vehicles too.
The main point of interest
further
south is
Thor's
Cave,
a major
tourist
attraction in days gone by and still popular today.
Tel: 01538 308609
Map - click here
Click here for more information about the Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway and the Manifold Way or here for a few images from this Peak District cycling trail
Accommodation near Waterhouses
Other Cycle Hire Centres in the Peak District of Derbyshire (click on the name to find out more) ...
- Ashbourne (Tissington Trail)
- Derwent Dam (Ladybower Reservoir)
- Hayfield (Sett Valley Trail) - the cycle hire centre here has now been closed, we have included it for information just in case you are trying to find out about it.
- Middleton Top (High Peak Trail)
- Parsley Hay (High Peak and Tissington Trails)
- Waterhouses (Manifold Track)
There is also Brown End Farm at Waterhouses, the have a sign outside on the main road so just go to waterhouses and you should find it easily!
Back to Main Derbyshire Peak District Cycle Hire page
Disclaimer - The information on this page is believed to be correct and is given in good faith. It may have changed since our research. Use of the information on this page is at your risk, we cannot accept any liability for any problems or incidents arising. The maps are based on the postcodes of the centres. We recommend that you confirm the location and other details before travelling.