A fun day trip from Manchester to New Mills, High Peak by train: including an easy walk, independent cafes, shops and breweries

I’m probably biased because I live in the High Peak, but so many people do day trips from Manchester to the Peak District by train and completely skip over the High Peak area.

And for this reason, it’s totally underrated.

You’ve got charming villages, quaint independent shops, cafes and businesses, beautiful walking routes and incredible views of the Peaks but without the crowds that you find elsewhere in the Peak District.

It’s also incredibly easy to get to High Peak from Manchester on the train.

So today I’m going to share my favourite day trip from Manchester to High Peak, specifically New Mills and Whaley Bridge with an easy walk between the two and plenty of cute cafes and stores to enjoy along the way!

A quick note: I planned this day trip in partnership with Visit Peak District & Derbyshire. While they sponsored my trip, I live in High Peak and do this walk weekly so all views, experiences and opinions are my own.

A panoramic view looking across a shallow valley with a stone viaduct in the middle, beyond it is a village with a church spire visible and green hills and blue sky beyond. A view along the Peak Forest Canal, an easy walk in the High Peak — View of new Mills from the Peak Forest Canal

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How to get to New Mills from Manchester?

I LOVE the Buxton train line out of Manchester Piccadilly Station - it gets you to so many places in the High Peak and Peak District that you could spend weeks exploring day trips along this train line alone!

There are trains to Buxton from Manchester Piccadilly every hour (sometimes every 30 minutes at peak times) and if you’re not based in central Manchester, this route also stops at Levenshulme, Heaton Chapel, Stockport and Davenport.

The Buxton train line will bring you to New Mills Newtown station in 40 minutes and is very affordable (I’ve usually paid anywhere between £3.50-£6 depending on how last minute I book).

New Mills is lucky enough to have two train stations, so if you’re looking for more flexibility with timings, the Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield line also stops at Ryder Brow, Reddish North, Brinnington and Bredbury before getting into New Mills Central station in around 40 minutes.

How to spend a day out in the High Peak from Manchester

Breakfast at On the Bridge

Breakfast, brunch - whatever time you arrive in New Mills to start your day, head over to On the Bridge for the best breakfast, brunch and lunch spot.

They’re open Wed-Sun every week, 9am-4pm and they have the best breakfasts, freshly baked goods, pastries and pies, soups, deli specials and coffee.

I’m a big fan of their breakfasts but their pies and deli plate deal is also amazing. I also highly recommend getting a sausage roll - my favourite sausage roll ever because there’s so much meat in it!

Three plates of food on a table, the closest is avocado on toast with bacon and poached egg, behind is a breakfast sandwich, a sausage rolls and two cups of coffee in turquoise cups - the perfect start to your High Peak day trip from Manchester — Breakffast at the Bridge Cafe in New Mills

Explore the shops and stuff in New Mills

After food, have a bit of a mooch around New Mills and check out the other independent stores.

I love High Peak Flowers for cute gifts and if you’re a plant lover. You’ll also find lots of charity shops on Market Street. Banging Bottles is a new bottle shop that’s opened up too if you’re a craft beer fan and want to stock up!

Also don’t miss Millers’ Refillers. This is an old pub that’s been converted into a zero waste refill store and they have everything from pasta and pulses to coffee and cooking oils. You’ll also find household cleaning products and personal care products. You might want to come back here at the end of the day to stock up before heading back home!

If you did come back here on your return to Manchester, I also highly recommend the Beer Shed - this is a local taproom owned by the same people who own Torrside Brewery in New Mills Marina. It’s such a cosy and welcoming bar with great craft beer from local breweries and further afield.

New Mills Market Hall has also been recently renovated and reopened as a food hall and bar. They’re only open Fri-Sun but they’ve got three amazing street food pop ups - Caribbean, Southeast Asia and Korean. Plus a bar with loads of locally produced drinks and beers as well as national faves.

Basically - you can come back to New Mills just for dinner and an evening out because there’s far too many places to try out in just one day!

The Torrs Riverside Park

Looking down on a riverside park in New Mills with a gorge with a suspended walkway curving along the wall on the right, in the middle is a large, old converted mill, in the town of New Mills in High Peak - a day trip from Manchester — View of the Torrs and Millenium Walkway in New Mills

Before starting out on the main walk from New Mills to Whaley, you can’t skip the most famous part of New Mills: The Torrs.

When I first visited New Mills I was blown away by there being a literal canyon in the middle of the town with a river and elevated walkway. Like honestly, what a unique feature to have in a town?!

There are multiple ways to access the Torrs, but from the High Street I would head to the New Mills Bus station and go behind the Rock Mill Centre to access the public footpath and steps down to the Torrs.

At the bottom of the steps, to your left you’ll see the arches of the Union Road bridge. In good weather, you’ll often see climbers on the rock walls and bridge walls - truly amazing to see!

To your left is the Sett Valley Trail - another great walk for another time!

Take the path to the right and you’ll find yourself at the famous Millennium Walkway. This metal raised walkway was installed in 2000 (surprise) and allows you to walk above the River Goyt in the valley below the town.

This area is so beautiful, I love the sound of the water, the nature and even the trains rumbling through the tunnel overhead!

On the opposite side from the walkway is Torr Valley Mill - another gem of New Mills with a coffee shop and taproom called Torr Vale Tap - I highly recommend this spot too! There’s also the Cheese Wheel next door and event spaces in the Mill too.

Walk all the way along the walkway, then cross the Torr Valley Footbridge and take the steps up behind the mill - stop in for a takeaway coffee if you need more fuel before your walk!

Peak Forest Canal

A single person walking along a canal path on a sunny day at golden hour with one canal boat moored at the side — Walking along Peak Forest Canal

From Torr Vale Mill, walk straight up through their car park and on to Torrvale Road, this will bring you to Albion Road, right next to the other iconic New Mills landmark - the Swizzels sweet factory!

Cross directly over Albion road onto Victoria Street and follow it all the way to the top where you’ll reach the canal and New Mills marina. Turn left onto the canal for this nice and easy but very scenic walk to Whaley Bridge.

A canal marina with many canal boats lined along the left, on the right is the canal path leading to old stone buildings. It's a clear sunny day — New Mill marina

This is the Peak Forest canal which is a 15-mile-long stretch of canal from Bugsworth Basin where it was used to transport limestone from Derbyshire quarries to Manchester and beyond. It was built in 1794 and also links with Ashton and Macclesfield Canals.

The Peak Forest Canal walk takes you from New Mills to Whaley Bridge in just under 1 hour and covers 2 miles. The walk is mostly flat but with some uneven stone areas in certain spots so it’s definitely a family-friendly and child-friendly walk.

Right after you start on the canal path, you have incredible views of New Mills and the multiple viaducts and bridges in the valley, as well as the hills and Kinder Scout beyond.

The meadows below are also a beautiful walking area in the summer and are often home to sheep, horses and even alpacas.

Looking through a gated fence to a public footpath into the meadows beyond which are green and rolling hills. A village and viaduct can be seen in the distance on the left — Looking across the Goytside Meadows

You will pass under several canal bridges - watch out for bikes coming the opposite way!

An old stone bridge over a canal with a path leading under it on the left side — Canal bridge along the Peak Forest canal

At Furness Vale, the beautiful marina there is always full of gorgeous canal boats and there’s even a traditional sign-painting business here for the artwork and colours you see on boats!

A canal with many boats moored on the right and two geese on the bank on the left alongside the canal path — Approaching Furness Vale marina

After Furness Vale, there are more houses lining the canal with beautiful water access and also permanent canal boat moorings for boaters who live on the water full time.

A canal marina with many narrowboats on the left and a canal walking path on the right - the Peak Forest canal is an easy Peak District walk — Furness Vale marina

Eventually you’ll reach a 3-way fork in the canal, continue straight ahead (don’t take the left fork) you can cross over the canal using the Peak Forest Canal Towpath foot bridge.

10 canal boats lined along the left side of the canal, smoke rises from several of them — Canal boats on the approach to Whaley Bridge

As you continue towards Whaley Bridge, the Tesco store should be on your left.

This last stretch runs parallel to the River Goyt and brings you to the shipyard in Whaley Bridge. Sometimes there’s artisan markets or craft stalls in the Transhipment Warehouse which you can check out as you walk past.

a millmarker with signs pointing right to Whaley Brdige and left to Marple Junction — Mile markers along the canal

Whaley Bridge

Whaley Bridge is another lovely town situated in the High Peak area and has a gorgeous High Street with more local stores to enjoy.

I also spend a lot of time in Whaley Bridge as it’s where my gym is, so I’m excited to share even more of my favourite spots here with you.

Whaley Bridge is also on the same Manchester Piccadilly-Buxton train line, so when you’re done here, you can either hop on the same train back to Manchester, or you can go 2 stops back to New Mills and check out more of the recommendations I mentioned. Or if you’re in the area longer, you can use this train line to carry on your exploration of the Peaks by heading to Buxton!

Looking down the street of a village in High peak, Peak Districtt with many stone terraced houses up a gradual hill and a church spire visible behind — View of Whaley Bridge from Buxton Road

Sandwich stop at The Bridge Bakehouse

Now you’re in Whaley Bridge, follow Canal Street up from the canal to the main road and you’ll almost immediately come across The Bridge Bakehouse.

I like to stop here for one of their famous hot grilled sandwiches - they have so many fillings to choose from and it’s very reasonably priced. I also love the names of their sandwiches: Pig Daddy, Cheesus Christ, Joey Tribbiani, Spice Up Your Life and Netflix & Chili are a few of my favourites!

There’s also a place that’s opened up fairly recently called Bridge 42, if you’re looking for more of a sitdown meal after your walk then this is a great spot that serves lunch and dinner.

A small sandwich shop in the corner on the high street in Whaley Bridge with seating outside under an awning with a flag atached to the front — Bridgehouse Sandwich shop in Whaley Bridge

The Whaley Nook Taprooms

This is such a cute and cosy spot on Old Road in the centre of Whaley Bridge.

Run by a local couple, the taproom is a snug spot with local craft, cask and keg ales and always has a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

If you’re after food then the Cock Pub is your best bet in Whaley for a pub meal before you head back to the train station.

A small bar inside a warmly lit taproom with several beer taps and drinks on offer behind the bar — Whaley Nook Taproom

Take the train back to Manchester

Whaley Bridge train station is in the centre of town and you can pick up the same Manchester Piccadilly-Buxton train line from here that takes you back through New Mills, Stockport and the suburbs of Manchester before arriving in Piccadilly in around 40 minutes.

Got longer and looking for more things to do in High Peak?

Whether you’re planning an overnight stay in the area or maybe you’re visiting in the summer and have more hours of daylight to play with, you can continue along the Peak Forest Canal, through the historic Bugsworth Basin and along the Goyt River to reach Chinley.

Chinley is another charming High Peak village and it’s home to the famous Old Hall Inn and the Paper Mill Inn - both owned by the same local business and with an incredible atmosphere as well as food and drink, set in an Elizabethan manor house. You can also stay overnight at them both.

The two pubs are across the road from each other, the Old Hall is more traditional pub food and I’d recommend booking a table there if you’re visiting on a weekend. The Paper Mill Inn is walk-ins only and is always lively and has an in-house woodfired pizza and seasonal pop-up kitchen.

Alternatively, stop back in New Mills on your return train journey where you can find the newly opened New Mills Market Hall with incredible street food options and local craft beer. There’s also the Beer Shed and Banging Bottles for craft beer lovers. Or if you’re a pasta fan, I’d highly recommend visiting A Tavola for the most stunning Sicilian food!

Looking for more day trips to the Peak District by train? Make sure you read my Manchester to Peak District day trip ideas!

Summary: a day trip from Manchester to New Mills and Whaley Bridge

I hope this guide gives you some ideas and inspiration for exploring more of the High Peak area - it’s such an underrated and overlooked part of the Peaks with incredible walks, activities and towns to explore.

Utilising the train routes from Manchester is a great way to see more of the High Peak, including Marple and Marple Bridge, Glossop and Chapel-en-le-Frith to name a few that are easily reached by train.

It’s also a great way to support local businesses and use public transport to travel more sustainably - a win-win for everyone!

Let me know if this was helpful and if you’d like me to cover more areas of the High Peak!