Calke Abbey and the Tramway Trail

The Tramway Trail is a 6.3 mile long circular walking and cycling path around the Calke Abbey Estate in South Derbyshire.  The house and the estate are both owned by The National Trust.
Calke Abbey is about 13 miles South of Derby and 11 from Mickleover.

 The Tramway Trail has been  laid out by the National Trust who own Calke Abbey and the surrounding estate. It follows the route of  a narrow gauge railway where horses were once used to pull wagons carrying stone and other materials in the Ticknall area.


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The route starts from the Abbey where cars may be parked and where there is an excellent cafe with toilets.  NT members park for free.
En route from Derby you will have to cross the River Trent at Willington or Swarkeston aiming for the main entrance in Ticknall.

If you go via Repton and Milton, call in at Foremark Reservoir which is well worth a visit. Toilets and a small cafe here

View looking towards the dam at Foremark.

 A fine place to watch boats on the water where Burton Sailing Club have a base.

On then to Calke Abbey and the Tramway Trail .......................

Best to start here at this gate which is opposite where the main entrance road turns 90 deg left after the pay booth.

Here we go then on the new and very attractive cycle path ................

.................................. but don't be fooled. it isn't this good all the way.

On into the woods where the path is not yet finally surfaced.

One of the few short climbs here.

And on through the fields surrounding the path.

Here we pass to the South side of Ticknall village visible across the field on the right.

Here is the tunnel, where lights on your bike are useful, and if you are lucky, this dog will lead you through the tunnel. See video of this dog which has tunnel vision.

A straight stretch here through more open ground. 

A couple of stone bridges cross the cutting.

The track now leads alongside the road back to Calke Abbey. The path surface is rather poor here.

Here we return to the Abbey at the end of the ride. Note that the narrow tarmac road ahead is one way for traffic and you should turn right there to exit the grounds in the direction of Staunton Harold and head homewards via Melbourne and Kings Newton.

Thanks to The National Trust who have put a lot of effort and cash into this cycling and walking route. Also for their vision in keeping the Abbey in it's original condition when they came into ownership.
 A single visit to the building is not sufficient to appreciate what it contains.  Along with Kedleston Hall, another NT property a few miles away, it has become a major tourist attraction locally.