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The Rowthorne Trail

This trail follows the route of one of many standard gauge mineral railways in the area that served the local collieries. Today, many of these routes have been turned into walk- and cycle-ways.

This particular line has one historical fact worth noting. When the railway company wanted to build the line, the then owner of Hardwick Hall, the Duke of Devonshire, insisted that they build a private station for him about one mile from the hall. It is not known if the station was ever used, however, by consulting a nearby information board, it is relatively easy to determine the site of this extravagance.

In the wooded area on the right (west) of this photograph a footpath runs though woodland parallel to the trail for a short distance. Both footpath and trail start in a free SK4764 : Car Park (behind the viewpoint) and merge after a short distance (ahead).

To see the merge point (ahead), viewed from the footpath, click here SK4764 : An Autumnal Stroll.
For a more northerly (behind the viewpoint) photograph of the trail taken in the early spring, click here SK4764 : The Rowthorne Trail.

See also this photograph by Derek Harper:
SK4764 : Site of Rowthorne and Hardwick Station