In the Peak District, numerous routes connect settlements to fields, or to neighbouring settlements. Many of these routes survive as hollow-ways and terraced trackways or more modern roads hide their lines. Other routeways would also have existed for which there is now no archaeological evidence.

Scroll below to find out more about how transport routes have changed through time or click the link below to explore in more detail:

Lanes, Turnpikes and Railways

Transport Routes Through Time

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Prehistory

Little is known about communication routes during prehistory.

Some of the ridges, such as Rushup Edge and Barker Bank, either side of Mam Tor, have been suggested as prehistoric routes avoiding dense forests. Transport would have been solely by foot until ponies or horses were domesticated and could be used as pack animals. Wheeled vehicles may have been introduced during the Bronze Age but were probably limited in use due to the rough terrain.

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Roman

The Romans implanted a system of surveyed, engineered roads across Britain to enable control of the province through the swift movement of soldiers and information, and efficiently to transport goods. These were probably surfaced and allowed wheeled vehicles to move more easily.

There are good sections of surviving Roman roads between Buxton and Brough, Buxton and Carsington and Buxton and Melandra, near Glossop. A series of roads have been found leaving the gates of Navio fort at Brough but they do not continue for long before disappearing. Likely destinations include Melandra (Glossop) and Templeborough (Rotherham) forts.

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Early Medieval

There are many traditional routes in the Peak District known as Portways. These are thought to be long-distance early Medieval routes.

A stone packhorse bridge ‘in use’ at Nag’s Head, Edale.

Click here for more information on packhorse bridges and stoops

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Medieval - Post Medieval

Later in the Medieval period some routes are documented, such as the Derwent to Sheffield route in the 14th century. These were rights of way between major markets and towns which were commonly used to transport goods by packhorse.

A complex network of packhorse routes developed linking towns, ports and markets. Where abandoned, their lines survive today as eroded hollow-ways or sunken lanes. While their routes were tightly defined and walled as lanes through farmland, on the moorland commons they branched out in numerous directions. Many run east to west and were used to carry goods such as lead and millstones between the region and markets, ports and towns elsewhere. Other goods were carried right across the region such as salt from Cheshire.

Across boggy ground many packhorse routes were paved with large flat, slabs and had guidestones to mark the way. Some of these were inscribed with major destinations and distances. Typically bridges were rebuilt in stone during the 17th and 18th centuries. These were usually narrow because they were used by pack horses rather than wheeled vehicles.

A paved packhorse route climbs towards Stanage Edge.

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Post Medieval

As industrial production increased and cities grew during the 18th and 19th centuries new transport routes were built to improve transport times and allow wheeled vehicles easier passage. Known as turnpikes, they were often well-engineered especially in the 19th century.

A milestone on the Sheffield to Glossop turnpike road.

A toll had to be paid for their use and toll houses and gates were built. Traditional packhorse routes were still used by many people to avoid paying tolls, but these were eventually blocked as moorland commons were enclosed.

Canals were also built in the 18th century to transport goods but while some came close to the edges of the region none crossed the Peak District.

In the 19th century the region was crossed by the next major transport innovation - railways. The Cromford and High Peak Railway of 1830 was one of the earliest in the country. This was followed by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire line along Longdendale and the Woodhead Tunnel in the 1840s, the Midland line between Derby and Manchester via the Wye Valley in the 1860s and the Sheffield to Manchester line via the Hope and Edale valleys in the 1890s.

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Modern

Turnpikes form the basis for our modern road network. Old toll gates can still be seen in places such as Bamford and architecturally distinct toll houses often survive on road sides or by junctions. A good example is at the junction of Ringinglow and Sheephill roads between Hathersage and Sheffield.

Only one road has a section of dual carriageway while no motorways have been built across the National Park as yet. All but one of the railway lines are now closed. The only survivor is the Sheffield to Manchester line via Totley Tunnel, Edale and Hope valleys.

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