Our walks follow footpaths, bridleways, trails etc. which originated as railways, tramways or wagonways. These walks are planned by a walk leader who has checked the logistics, usually arranging a linear walk, i.e. walking one way and taking a bus or train the other. In areas where there is no public transport, we may arrange a circular walk (e.g. out by an old railway and back by a canal or even Roman road) or, where this is impossible, arrange car sharing.
A club walk also gives prospective members the opportunity to meet like-minded enthusiasts, and to benefit from their extensive knowledge of old railways. Often, our walk leaders research these routes in advance and bring along interpretive resources, such as archive photographs, books and historical notes.
Prospective members can contact us in advance to join a walk, assuming there are spare places available. Non-members may join a maximum of two walks before they are expected to join Railway Ramblers. NOTE: All walks subject to change.
If you would like any further information on a walk, click here to Contact Us
Tuesday 28th Jul 2026 - Bolton & Bury Canal: Bolton to Radcliffe via Nob End (Greater Manchester)
Area: North West
Distance: 7m
Description: A walk on the remains of the Bolton Arm from the edge of Bolton town centre through Moses Gate Country Park to its junction with the Bury Arm at Nob End. Beyond Nob End, work has (finally!) started to repair the huge breach of 1936 which led to the canal’s closure, and we will either be able to walk past the restored canal bed or view progress from either end, before continuing on to Radcliffe.
Saturday 1st Aug 2026 - The Scarborough & Whitby Railway around Ravenscar (North Yorkshire)
Area: Southern
Distance: 8m
Description: A walk out to the old Howdale School with fine views over Robin Hood’s Bay, crossing the line of a moorland ganister tramway and passing the massive alum quarries overlooking the former alum works. Then back along the old railway line for a break at Ravenscar brickworks to view the remains of its Hoffman kiln and railway sidings and by the foot of the same ganister tramway’s incline. On arrival back in Ravenscar there is an option to carry on for an afternoon walk along the railway path to Bent Rigg siding where Scarborough's domestic rubbish used to be brought by train for disposal, then back along the Cleveland Way via World War II radar station installations and coastguard lookout.
Saturday 1st Aug 2026 - The Croxley Green Branch, Watford (Hertfordshire)
Area: Chilterns
Distance: 7.5m
Description: This walk tracks the route of the disused (but once planned to be re-used) Croxley Green Branch from Watford High Street Station to Croxley Green. The two former stations at Watford Stadium and Watford West remain, as does the bridge over Grand Union and parts of Croxley Green station, atop an embankment. There will be an optional afternoon walk back to Watford, including part of the canal, the Croxley paper mill branch and then joining the Rickmansworth branch back in to Watford
Wednesday 12th Aug 2026 - The Centurion Way Extension - West Dean to Singleton Tunnel south portal (West Sussex)
Area: Southern
Distance: 5m
Description: A walk on the recently opened extension on the former LBSCR line from Chichester to Midhurst, with various options. Much railway architecture remains. Overbridges will be seen from road level towards Singleton where conditional permission has been given to view the exterior of Station House, Ticket Office and outbuilding before ascending the ramp to the recently reconstructed island platforms, former goods shed (to be restored), water tower and gradient posts. Then walk north to just south of Singleton Tunnel, the end of the restored walking/cycling route. Then a brisk walk back along the trackbed, taking an authorised diversion around West Dean Tunnel to the south portal. Options afterwards would be continuing to Lavant, where the former station buildings are now incorporated into a social housing development (+ 3 miles), and then continuing into Chichester to the station (+ another 3 miles)
Wednesday 19th Aug 2026 - Past & present railway installations in Ipswich (Suffolk)
Area: Eastern
Distance: 5m
Description: An afternoon walk based on the past and present railway installations in Ipswich. Starting out from the station to view the ever decreasing remains of the once extensive rail system along the waterfront. Continue through Holywells Park to Derby Road Station and catch train back to Ipswich with an optional afternoon stop at the Westerfield Railway, a pleasant place to watch trains go by.
Saturday 22nd Aug 2026 - Former Industrial Tramways south-east of Burnley: Rose Grove to Hapton via Nutshaw and Hameldon Hill (Lancashire)
Area: North West
Distance: 7.5m
Description: A walk in the delightful countryside south of Burnley, in the foothills of the 400m high Great Hameldon, where we explore more little known tramways. First head for the Leeds & Liverpool Canal to view the wharves and staithes west of Gannow Tunnel including one served by a colliery tramway, taking coal from several pits. This line is clear and walkable in places. We will follow this tramway towards Nutshaw. Continue on a minor road to New Laithe, in superb open countryside, with delightful views of Clow Bridge Reservoir. Close to New Laithe is the southern end of a lengthy tramway which extended south from the quarry to the north of Hameldon Hill, where a small network of lines can still be explored. After reaching the landsale yard at the end of the tramway on Hameldon Road, it is just a short walk downhill to journey’s end at the Hapton Inn.
Thursday 27th Aug 2026 - Leeds & Liverpool Canal west of Blackburn (Lancashire)
Area: North West
Distance: 5m
Description: A walk along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal exploring the section between Finnington Lane to the west of Blackburn and the well preserved Eanam Wharf close to Blackburn town centre. Our day will also include viewing the site of the former Sun Paper Mill, with its short tramway incline up to the canal, together with glimpses of the parallel former Blackburn to Chorley Railway, closed to passengers in 1960. Originally scheduled for Thursday 25th June. This is an RCHS walk, to which all RR members are invited.
Saturday 5th Sep 2026 - Dewsbury’s Railways (West Yorkshire)
Area: Yorkshire
Distance: 6m
Description: A walk viewing the sites of all four railway companies to arrive in Dewsbury: LNWR, Midland, L&Y, GN. We take in the route of the Midland Railway’s ill-fated West Riding Line to Savile Town, and their massive goods shed, also several stretches of the L&Y’s Dewsbury Market Street Station branch, plus Great Northern routes. We cross Headfield Viaduct which gave the GN access to the L&Y’s main line plus, with additional running powers, the Spen Valley towns and Low Moor, finally gaining the trackbed of the GN’s Ossett-Dewsbury line for a short deviation to walk out and back through the 179yd (lit) Earlsheaton Tunnel, then follow the GN trackbed almost to the town centre where the old Central Station frontage survives as a supporting structure for the modern ring road. Returning to Dewsbury Station, we see the impressive 8-arch stone viaduct which carries the ex-LNWR line to Leeds, and nearby warehouse buildings erected on surplus land sold off by the LNWR. We also walk a short stretch of the Calder & Hebble Navigation’s Dewsbury branch to Savile Town Wharf
Saturday 5th Sep 2026 - Kingsthorpe (Northampton) to Lamport (Northamptonshire)
Area: Midlands
Distance: 10m
Description: A walk investigating the former line between Northampton and Market Harborough on the southern section from the outskirts of Northampton back to the village of Lamport. Whilst this section does not have the heavy engineering of further north, the southern section has got the Northampton and Lamport Railway which we will be able to walk alongside and view its progress.
Wednesday 9th Sep 2026 - Brynmawr to Abergavenny: Heads of the Valley Line (Monmouthshire)
Area: Wales
Distance: 9m
Description: One of the finest railway walks in Britain through the Clydach Gorge which despite remaining superbly scenic was one of the earliest large scale industrial areas in Wales. The railway engineering is of necessity on a massive scale in this difficult terrain. There are two tunnels which are fenced off but the resulting detours are via sections of pre-existing tramways.
Saturday 12th Sep 2026 - The Cuckoo Line - Heathfield to Hellingly (East Sussex)
Area: Southern
Distance: 6.5m
Description: Starting with viewing the south portal of Heathfield Tunnel before commencing the walk proper as we follow the route of the old trackbed on towards Horam and to Hellingly Old Station
Saturday 19th Sep 2026 - The Cole Green Way, Welwyn Garden City to Hertford (Hertfordshire)
Area: Chilterns
Distance: 7m
Description: A walk along the former branch line that connected the LNER at Welwyn Garden City to Hertford North. The line left the east side of the station in a northerly direction and then curved away to run east towards Hertford. The initial part of the line has now been built over, but we plan to follow as much of it as closely as we can before joining the track bed which is now a walking/cycling path known as the Cole Green Way. There were two intermediate stations at Cole Green and Hertingfordbury, and a stop at each site will be made. The trail finishes at the Hertford football ground close to the current railway viaduct from London Kings Cross. However, the original line would have continued to Hertford North and then terminated at a long-gone station named Hertford Cowbridge.
Saturday 19th Sep 2026 - Leigh Loop - Pennington to Leigh/ Ellenbrook to Eccles (Manchester Region)
Area: North West
Distance: 6.5m
Description: This walk will follow as much of the former loop line through Leigh as is possible. We will then follow the route to Bolton Great Moor Street, then follow another surviving section to the south west of Leigh. On to the former station site. We shall then ride the guided busway on the trackbed to Ellenbrook. From there we follow the formation to Monton Green, converging with another route from Bolton Great Moor Street at Roe Green. Then view the scant remains of the rest of the route to Eccles.
Saturday 26th Sep 2026 - Lavenham to Long Melford/Sudbury (Suffolk)
Area: Eastern
Description: A walk on the former line