Visitors arriving in Glossop by train can now pick up a bespoke map to help them explore the area on foot, thanks to a local community group.

Friends of Glossop Station were the driving force behind the idea, supported by High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership.

Led by the Friends groups’ local knowledge, the Partnership has produced a new leaflet showing walking trails from Glossop Station. The leaflet shows rail passengers the way to Manor Park and Old Glossop.

The Friends groups and Partnership staff gathered at Glossop Station on Tuesday 13 February to launch the leaflet with a stall and giveaways for rail passengers. They were joined by representatives from Northern, South East Manchester Community Rail Partnership and Councillor Jean Wharmby, who is also Chair of High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership.

“There are wonderful walks in Glossop, and we want to show just how easy it is to access them by train” says Neil Williams, Chair of Friends of Glossop Station. “We could see there was a need for a leaflet showing family-friendly walks from the railway stations. Children and adults will enjoy the walks and the leaflets’ friendly design”.

The leaflet is an example of how community rail activities are about much more than trains and railway stations. The community rail movement is about helping communities get maximum benefit from the railway, including the health and wellbeing benefits of walking and low-carbon travel.

The leaflets are free, and can be collected from Glossop and Hadfield railway stations. They can also be downloaded from the High Peak and Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership website: www.peakdistrictbytrain.org