Monsal Head overlooks the Monsal Dale, a horse-shoe shaped valley cut by the River Wye. It offers fine viewpoints of the dale and river and of the aqueduct that once carried the Midland Red Railway Line. The viaduct was build in 1863 despite much protest at the time. It was the cause of John Ruskins famous outburst about the valley being gone and now every fool in Buxton can be in Bakewell in half an hour and every fool in Bakewell in Buxton. The Peak section of the line closed in the late 1960's and in 1980 the track was bought by the National Park who converted it into The Monsal Trail. This photograph shows people sitting on a bench enjoying the view, with a carriage and motor car behind.