Longdendale Trail, Hadfield, Derbyshire, England

It may not be all that noisy around here these days but this was the route of the busy Woodhead railway line. Its mainstay was coal traffic though it was built as a passenger line to connect Manchester Piccadilly with Sheffield Victoria. However, the prevalence of freight meant that passenger services never took hold as strongly as could have been the case and the dependence on coal was the cause of consigning this transpennine line to history in 1981 with only parts near Manchester and Sheffield still in use. It was one of Britain's first electric railways too, a fact that riles railway enthusiasts.

The demise of the Woodhead railway might have bequeathed an untidy aspect to the terminus at Hadfield but it has presented recreational opportunities for walkers, cyclists and equestrians in the form of the Longdendale trail, now part of the Transpennine Trail and the NCN62 cycle route. What you see above is an view over the present day trail from a road bridge on a hazy Good Friday with Peaknaze Moor rearing up at the right. Perhaps I should try again when it is less hazy?