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Peak District

The Tissington Trail: Route, Parking and Where to Stay

Thirteen miles of old London and North Western Railway between Ashbourne and Parsley Hay, running along the top of the limestone plateau rather than down in a dale. Longer and more open than the Monsal, and it connects straight into another seventeen miles at the northern end.

Published 18 August 2026

The line between Buxton and Ashbourne opened in 1899 and closed around seventy years later. The Peak District National Park bought the route in 1971 and converted it, one of the earliest rail-to-trail schemes in the country, and still one of the best. It runs 13 miles from Parsley Hay in the north down to Ashbourne in the south.

The character is completely different to the Monsal Trail. Where the Monsal threads through a gorge with tunnels and viaducts, the Tissington runs along the top of the White Peak plateau: open, wide, big skies, drystone walls and long views over rolling limestone country. Fewer set-piece features, more of a sense of distance.

How long it takes

Doing itOne wayNotes
Walking4½–5 hrsLonger with stops; 13 miles is a full day out and back
CyclingJust over an hourGentle throughout, a comfortable half-day return
It is a linear trail, so plan the return: cycle it both ways, or arrange a pickup at the far end.

The gradient is a railway gradient, which means it climbs steadily northward from Ashbourne without ever feeling like a climb. Riding south from Parsley Hay is the lazy option and noticeably quicker.

Linking to the High Peak Trail

At Parsley Hay the Tissington meets the 17-mile High Peak Trail, which runs on toward Cromford. Together they form part of the National Cycle Network and give you thirty miles of continuous traffic-free riding, the longest such run in the Peak District, and the reason serious cyclists come here rather than to the Monsal.

Where to park

  • Ashbourne: the southern terminus, with the town’s facilities and the tunnel at the start.
  • Tissington: the village the trail is named after; estate village, duck pond, well dressing in May.
  • Alsop en le Dale: quiet mid-trail access.
  • Hartington: old signal box, and a short walk from the village.
  • Parsley Hay: northern end, cycle hire, and the High Peak Trail junction.

Tissington village

Worth stopping for on its own. It is a preserved estate village of limestone cottages around a hall and a green, and it is the traditional home of well dressing, the Derbyshire custom of decorating springs with pictures made from flower petals pressed into clay, done here at Ascension Day each year.

Combining it with Dovedale

Dovedale is four miles west of the trail’s southern half, and the two make an obvious pairing: a flat, easy trail day and a proper dale walk with the stepping stones. See the Dovedale walk for that half.

Where to stay

The southern White Peak around Ashbourne and Hartington is well served. We list 28 sites within ten miles of the trail. It is also the quieter half of the national park, away from the Edale and Castleton honeypots.

Glamping near the Tissington Trail

Within ten miles of the trail between Ashbourne and Parsley Hay.

See all 28 sites (22 more not shown here).

Common questions

How long is the Tissington Trail?
13 miles, from Parsley Hay in the north to Ashbourne in the south, along the former London and North Western Railway line.
How long does the Tissington Trail take to cycle?
Just over an hour one way at a steady pace, so a comfortable half-day there and back.
Does the Tissington Trail connect to the High Peak Trail?
Yes, at Parsley Hay. The High Peak Trail adds another 17 miles, giving around thirty miles of continuous traffic-free route.
Where can you hire bikes for the Tissington Trail?
Cycle hire is available at Parsley Hay at the northern end and in Ashbourne at the southern end.

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