The Steel Cotton Rail Trail

Starting at Hague Bar on the western edge of the Peak District, this 5.2 km route rolls gently north through the wooded fringes of the Goyt valley. The path passes Stan Brewster and the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses before easing into Furness Vale, a small village strung along the valley floor between hillside and river.

Beyond Furness Vale the trail follows the line of an old mill lade towards Bridgemont, where the route joins the Peak Forest Canal. The towpath here is level and easy underfoot, threading between water and hedgerow with views across to the surrounding Derbyshire hills. The walk ends at the Navigation Inn, a well-placed spot to pause at the end of a linear route.

Nearby, walkers can extend their day at Goytside Meadows Local Nature Reserve or the Whaley Bridge Canal Basin, both within easy reach. The River Sett and Black Brook feed this landscape, and the tower of Saint John the Divine Church marks the wider parish above the valley.