Blackwell Mill Cycle Hire on the Monsal Trail

Blackwell Mill Cycle Hire, Monsal Trail, Bakewell Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 9TE. For satnav use SK17 9TE. The postcode leads to Topley Pike Quarry; park at Wyedale car park opposite and walk to the hire centre along the track.

T: 01298 70838 / 01298 71986

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Directions to Blackwell Mill and Wyedale car park

Opening times: Blackwell Mill has been reported closed for the rest of 2026. Contact the hire centre to check when it will reopen. Bike hire is also available at Hassop Station.

Published hire prices when open: (one price all day) Adults £25, child under 5ft £15, Electric bike £35 (maximum weight 18 stone), Two seater child trailers £15, Single Seat Wee Hoo Trailer £15, Tag-a-longs £15, Baby seats £5, *Dog trailers no longer Available*

*EXACT HEIGHTS OF ADULTS AND CHILDREN NEEDED WHEN BOOKING* Please provide your own helmet where possible, for hygiene reasons. The operator says helmets and locks are included.

When the centre is open, advance booking is not required but can secure a bike. Confirm prices and equipment with the centre when it reopens.

The Monsal Trail follows a former railway line that closed in 1968. Most of the trail opened in 1981, with four more tunnels reopened in 2011 to create the continuous route between Blackwell Mill and Bakewell.

Blackwell Mill Cycle Hire is at the start of the eight-and-a-half-mile trail, which follows the River Wye through lit tunnels and limestone dales and across the spectacular Monsal Dale viaduct.

Along the trail are lime kilns and the former Miller’s Dale station, which opened in 1863. The Chee Dale stepping stones are on a separate riverside footpath, not the cycle trail; the path is uneven and the stones can be submerged after rain.

Cycle hire on the Monsal Trail

Look out for the former cotton mills at Litton and Cressbrook, which have origins in the 18th century. Water from the Wye and its tributaries powered the mills. The trail also offers views over Water-cum-Jolly Dale.

Cycle on to Hassop Station, where you can enjoy a welcome break at the book store and restaurant. Then continue cycling on to the famous Market town of Bakewell where you will find designated bike racks to allow you to park your bike and browse.

When Blackwell Mill is open, its Lazy Days tuck shop offers refreshments.

With stunning views of the Peak District along the trail, the route is rich in wildlife – spot dragonflies, herons, kingfishers, rabbits, hares, butterflies and pretty wild flowers such as St John’s Wort, Field Scabious and Meadow Crane-Bill along the way.

The largely level, traffic-free trail is popular with families, cyclists and walkers. When the hire centre is open, it offers a range of bikes, baby seats and trailers; helmets are provided free of charge.

Blackwell Mill Cycle Hire is listed as a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2026 winner.

How to Book Bike Hire on the Monsal Trail

When the centre is open, bookings are taken by telephone. The operator says advance group bookings require payment and proof of identity is needed. Payment can be made by cash or debit card.

These photographs were taken before the 2026 closure; signs may show historical opening times.

A woman cycles along a wooded trail with a dog Signposts for Bakewell and the Pennine Bridleway Wooden cycle hire hut and picnic area among trees An arched viaduct across a wooded valleyBicycles available at Blackwell Mill Cycle Hire Cycle helmet and water bottle on a picnic table A lit tunnel along the Monsal Trail A path overlooking a wooded valley on the Monsal Trail Blackwell Mill Cycle Hire and tuck shop sign beside the trailCyclists inside a tunnel on the trailBicycles parked at a rack beside the trailCycle hire hut with bicycles and trailers outsidePeople crossing a stone viaduct above a wooded valleyA person approaching the entrance to a trail tunnelCyclist riding along a leafy section of trailNational Cycle Network route 680 signs for Buxton and MatlockRiver running through a green valley beside the trailDragonfly resting on a green leaf Two walkers crossing a wooden footbridge towards a stone houseBicycle and picnic tables beside a wooden hut at Blackwell Mill A trail winding between trees and a rocky bankSignpost for the Monsal Trail and Pennine Bridleway