Men’s Health Week Walk & Talk: Community Rail in Action

To support Men’s Health Week and Loneliness Awareness Week, SYMCA Community Rail delivered a guided Walk & Talk in the Peak District on 12 June, in partnership with Railway Children and supported by Northern Trains, promoting the wellbeing benefits of social connection, physical activity and accessing green spaces by rail.

Travelling just 17 minutes by train from Sheffield to Hathersage - on the Northern stopper heading towards Manchester Piccadilly - the group used the Hope Valley Line as an easy gateway to the outdoors.

Group of walkers setting off on the Men's Health Week walking trail in the Peak District

Steel Cotton Rail Trail booklets and wayfinding then guided the group over the historic Leadmill Bridge along a four-mile trail of rolling countryside and fields, through Goose Nest Wood, along the River Derwent to Bamford. The route offered a rich array of wildlife and farm animals, including waterfowl, horses, miniature ponies, as well as the more unusual sight of turkeys and even an emu. Frequent clear skies opened up views across the valley and up towards Bamford Edge, reinforcing the value of the railway in providing easy access to the sweeping landscapes of the Peak District.

Colleagues from SYMCA, Railway Children, Northern, the Samaritans and TransPennine Express joined community participants for the event to form a welcoming and inclusive group with conversations flowing, alongside moments of quiet reflection. Despite stretches of very muddy terrain, participants supported and encouraged one another, reinforcing a strong sense of shared experience. Two particularly well behaved spaniels also joined the walk, bringing energy and entertainment throughout.

The walk finished at Hope Valley Garden Centre café, where the group enjoyed refreshment and time together before boarding the train home at Bamford. One participant chose to continue along the next section of the trail to Hope, carrying on the spirit of the day.

Walkers crossing countryside along the River Derwent near Bamford in the Peak District

If you would like to try this walk yourself or explore other station to station routes and landscapes between Sheffield and Manchester, you can download Steel Cotton Rail Trail guides via Steel Cotton Rail Trail guides from Peak District by Train. These resources make it easy to plan rail linked walks and discover the surrounding area.

To learn more about the work of Railway Children, which supports vulnerable young people across the rail network, please visit the Railway Children website.

SYMCA Community Rail also offers a range of trips, workshops and support for station projects across South Yorkshire, helping to connect communities with the railway. To find out more or to get involved, you can email CommunityRail@southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk.

Photo credits: Jeffrey Williams, Mark Thomsen and Ashley Fowlston.