The Manifold Track from Waterhouses to Hulme End

From the old station yard at Waterhouses the Manifold Track winds north through a deep limestone valley, beneath the great mouth of Thor's Cave, past Wetton Mill and through Swainsley Tunnel to the old terminus at Hulme End. It was the Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway, a narrow-gauge line that lasted only from 1904 to 1934; Staffordshire County Council opened it as a path in 1937.

It is 26.7 km (16.6 miles) there and back with 89 m of climbing; allow about 2 hours of riding. The grade is Easy. The track is tarmac all the way and almost level, rising very gently to Hulme End, so it suits small children, trailers and road bikes alike.

It is not all traffic-free. For about 2.5 km around Wetton Mill, including Swainsley Tunnel, the old trackbed is a narrow lane shared with cars; traffic is light and slow, but keep children close. Near the start at Waterhouses there is a short stretch where riders are asked to dismount.

There are pay-and-display car parks at both ends, with toilets at Waterhouses, Wetton Mill and Hulme End, and tea rooms at Wetton Mill and in the old engine shed at Hulme End.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.