Escape Manchester: New Trail Explores ‘Unknown’ South-East

For Manchester residents, the area to the city’s south-east is often an “unknown” territory. A new 62-mile walking trail aims to change that, guiding explorers from the city’s edge into the charming and eye-calming landscapes of the High Peak.
The Steel Cotton Rail Trail, which officially links Manchester and Sheffield, is a new green corridor for city dwellers. It starts where the built-up areas end, and after stations like Marple, “everything turns green” as the valleys narrow. It’s the perfect, accessible escape from the conurbation.
The trail is split into 14 day-walks, all linked by train stations, making it incredibly easy for Mancunians to explore. You can hop on a train at Piccadilly and, in a short time, alight at a village like Chinley to start your walk, returning from another station like Strines just a few hours later.
This region is post-industrial but full of charm. The trail guides walkers along historic tramways, past the impressive Bugsworth Basin canal port, and through the dramatic gorges of New Mills. It’s a landscape with a rich story to tell, far from the crowds of the main Pennine Way.
This new route also connects directly to the 200-mile orbital GM Ringway, making it a seamless extension of Manchester’s own walking network. It’s a welcome invitation to explore the heritage and nature right on the city’s doorstep.