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Whaley Bridge
The market town of Whaley Bridge is the terminus of the Upper Peak Forest Canal. Originally it was the start of a railway line that carried goods over the Pennines to the Chesterfield Canal.
At Whaley Bridge, the three 'Rs' meet - road, rail and river, in a triangular site built especially to facilitate the transfer of freight from one transportation system to another. For this reason you will find that the town centre is just a short walk away from the canal - and that the canal is within easy reach of the railway station.
History of Whaley Bridge and the peak Forest Canal
Next to the canal you can see the transfer warehouse where goods were moved when the Peak Forest Canal’s traffic was at its height. The canal entered through the central arch and stretched the full length of the building plus a few feet. The two side arches admitted tramway tracks so that cargo could be transferred under cover.
After the completion of the Peak Forest Canal in 1800, which had its terminus at Whaley Bridge, a number of ambitious but impractical schemes were devised to link it with the Cromford Canal. All were abandoned in favour of a railway, but as it was built by a canal engineer Josiah Jessop, the stations were called "wharfs" and the long level sections were interspersed with sharp inclines (instead of locks), the steepest of which were aided by stationary steam engines. Only the Middleton Top engine survives. It is beautifully restored and is "steamed" on advertised days throughout the summer.
Walking around Whaley Bridge
There is easy access via the canal towpath onto the Goyt Way and Midshires Way. The disused track of this Cromford & High Peak Railway, some 33 miles long, is now used for walking, riding and cycling, and is known as the High Peak Trail. For the more adventurous there are many more demanding walks available across the hills.
