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Middleton Top Engine House – High Peak Trail loop from Middleton

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Middleton Top Engine House – High Peak Trail loop from Middleton

Moderate

runners

Middleton Top Engine House – High Peak Trail loop from Middleton

00:58

9.02km

130m

Running

Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: May 18, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

1.09 km

Middleton Top Engine House

Highlight • Historical Site

Very interesting piece of railway history containing the world's oldest working
steam lift. Take the time to go a little further to theSteeple Grange Light Railway or brave the Sheep Pasture descent to the Cromford Canal.
Refreshments and toilets on site.

Tip by

1.19 km

Middleton Top Engine House and Visitor Centre

Highlight • Parking

The Cromford and High Peak Railway was one of the world's first, transporting minerals and goods from the Cromford Canal to the Peak Forest Canal.

The terrain and gradients it negotiated were far from straightforward. On the flat sections of the line, wagons were hauled along by horses. However, the assistance of steam power was needed once an incline was met.

The Middleton Top engine house is an impressive sight. Steam powered beam engines, in engine houses such as this, were used to pull wagons up the steep inclines using cables. At the visitor centre, you can find out more about this bygone marvel of engineering.

Tip by

2.50 km

High Peak Trail

Highlight • Cycleway

Great route for traffic-free cycling, the High Peak trail is a gravel track which follows the course of an old railway. This railway was owned by a canal company, so was built in an odd manner with long flat portions joined by steep sections (like canal locks) where the trains were often hauled uphill by stationary engines.

This means that most of the route is nice and flat but with inclines that will often mean pushing uphill. These include Cromford High Peak junction westwards (1:9 for about a mile), Middleton Top (1:8 with a surface including drainage channels across the track, so beware when descending especially as there are very steep drop-offs to the side), and Hopton (1:14 for about 500 yards or 457 metres).

You can get a good speed up downhill but be careful as surface is very loose.

Tip by

2.59 km

Hopton Wood Winding Engine Site

Highlight • Monument

Alongside the main run of the High Peak Trail, near the bottom of Hopton incline, is this boiler, which used to be for the winding engine for the nearby Hopton Wood incline to Hopton Wood Quarry.

source: steane.com/gallery/picture.php?/2558/category/179

Tip by

3.50 km

View of Carsington from the High Peak Trail

Highlight • Viewpoint

Hopton Incline extremely steep

Tip by

3.85 km

Carsington Water Windmills

Highlight • Lake

4.51 km

View of Harboro Rocks

Highlight • Viewpoint

Part of the High Peak Trail that takes you past the Harbour Rocks, picturesque for sure.

The rocks are a dramatic outcrop of Dolomitic limestone.

Tip by

7.79 km

Middleton Top Engine House and railway wagon

Highlight • Historical Site

Notorious for its steep gradient, Middleton Top is a super climb with majestic views at the top. Plus, there's bike hire and a small cafe here. It has also been part of the Eroica Britannia route for the past few years – imagine that gradient with barely functioning, pre-1979 gearing. At the top of the incline there's the Middleton Top Engine House, as the track used to be the High Peak steam railway.

Tip by

9.02 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

7.34 km

709 m

630 m

323 m

Surfaces

7.48 km

855 m

585 m

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (330 m)

Lowest point (250 m)

Weather

Tuesday 19 May

18°C

10°C

68 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 31.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

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Middleton Top Engine House – High Peak Trail loop from Middleton

Middleton Top Engine House

Middleton Top Engine House and Visitor Centre

High Peak Trail

Hopton Wood Winding Engine Site

View of Carsington from the High Peak Trail

Carsington Water Windmills

View of Harboro Rocks

Middleton Top Engine House and railway wagon

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