Tissington Trail

The 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 13 miles (21 km) from Parsley Hay (53°10′14″N 1°46′58″W / 53.1706°N 1.7828°W / 53.1706; -1.7828 (Tissington Trail (Parsley Hay trailhead))) in the north to Ashbourne (53°01′11″N 1°44′23″W / 53.0196°N 1.7397°W / 53.0196; -1.7397 (Tissington Trail (Ashbourne trailhead))) 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 is joined by the High Peak Trail, a walk/cycle trail which runs 17 miles (27 km) 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 is over 1,000 feet (305 m) 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 1⁄₄-mile (400 m) 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 40 m (130 ft) 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, i.e. at Parsley Hay and Ashbourne.

From Hartington station northwards, the route is also part of the Pennine Bridleway, a 130-mile (209 km) leisure route which includes 73 miles (117 km) 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.