Stagecoach Yorkshire has begun operation of a seasonal tourist service in the heart of the Peak District following an innovative tender bid by the operator.
The Hope Valley Explorer is funded by the Peak District National Park and is operating for the six weeks of the school holidays, daily from 21 July to 31 August. Its aim is to reduce car journeys within the park and open up an area of natural beauty and interest to the significant populations of Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, north Derbyshire and farther afield who do not have access to a car or who choose not to drive there.
The route runs from Derwent Dams via Fairholmes, Bamford, Hope, Edale and Castleton before climbing the steep Winnat’s Pass to serve Blue John Caverns. Alternate journeys double run along a narrow road from Hope to Edale Village, the southern end of the Pennine Way. Connections are offered at Edale, Hope and Bamford rail stations on the Hope Valley railway line that links Manchester with Sheffield.
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