Midshires Way
The Midshires Way is a long-distance trail in England for hiking, cycling, and horse riding. It runs about 230 miles (370 km) from the Chiltern Hills near Bledlow in Buckinghamshire to Stockport in Greater Manchester. The route passes through Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire, linking other long-distance paths such as The Ridgeway, the Pennine Bridleway, and the Trans Pennine Trail. It opened in 1994 as a collaboration between local authorities and user groups and is designed for multiple users, though some sections have different routes for walkers, riders, and cyclists.
The trail starts at Wain Hill between Bledlow and Chinnor and heads north toward Princes Risborough, Waddesdon, and Winslow, then northwest toward Milton Keynes. North of Milton Keynes it passes west of Stoke Goldington and crosses into Northamptonshire, which contains a 46-mile stretch. From Northampton to Market Harborough it follows the Brampton Valley Way, a disused railway line, including two tunnels. Near Blisworth Junction it runs close to the Grand Union Canal.
It then enters Leicestershire just south of Sutton Bassett and continues north for about 31 miles before crossing into Nottinghamshire just north of Old Dalby. After Willoughby on the Wolds it heads west briefly, then north again toward Derbyshire. The Derbyshire section goes from Sawley near Long Eaton to Duffield, links with the High Peak Trail near Wirksworth, passes through the Peak District to Buxton, and then follows the Goyt Valley toward Stockport. The final leg reaches Greater Manchester at Etherow Country Park in Compstall and ends in Stockport, where it meets the Trans Pennine Trail in the Tame Valley. The stretch from Whaley Bridge to Compstall is separately marked as the Goyt Way.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 20:12 (CET).