Cromford - & Matlock Bath - Matlock: Walks 9 to 12

1. Matlock 7. High Tor Matlock is overlooked by two dominant buildings, High Tor grounds were originally laid out in Georgian both built by the same person, John Smedley. To the Matlock times as pleasure gardens including romantic woodland north of the town on Bank Road, which once carried Station 1 walks with cavern grottoes and spectacular viewpoints. a spectacular tramway, lies Smedley's Hydro. Hall Leys Construction on this began in 1853. Here Matlock’s Park 6. Matlock Bath Station spa waters were taken for health reasons. It is now The former station buildings at Matlock Bath were built the headquarters of County Council. to a Swiss chalet type design, maybe by Joseph Paxton, to reflect the Victorian name for the area of “Little The impressive form of Castle is silhouetted Switzerland”. A term originally coined by Lord Byron. against the town's south east skyline. This folly was John Smedley's house until he died in 1874. It has had a number of uses since, including a zoo, and was rescued from ruin to become accommodation. 2

Matlock - Matlock Bath Walk 12 2. St John's Chapel 2 Miles This unusual building was designed by the architect Sir Guy Dawber. It was commissioned as a private chapel by the residents of Rock House which stands below. Matlock Bath 7 White Lion - Matlock Cable Cars Walk 11 Public House 3 3 Miles 6 Matlock Bath Station

3. Heights of Abraham Matlock Bath Alpine style cable cars from - Cromford the Heights of Abraham to Walk 10 Cromford - Matlock Bath were installed 3 Miles in the early 1980s giving a Matlock Bath spectacular ride across the Walk 9 Derwent Gorge. Entry to the 2.25 Miles show caves beneath the hill is included in the admission price Cromford for visitors reaching the top by cable car. Station 5

Cromford 4 Mill

5. Cromford Bridge Viewing of the bridge from either side 4. Scarthin reveals curiously different architecture. Impressive even today, the Scarthin was once a At the side of the bridge are the remains continuous cliffface separating Cromford from Matlock Bath. of a bridge chapel and a square fishing A small gap, to permit laying a road, was blasted through lodge, built in 1796 and mentioned by Sir in the late eighteenth century. This was made progressively Izaak Walton in “The Complete Angler”. larger to accommodate the building of the A6.

Scale © Crown copyright and database rights 2019. Ordnance Survey 100023251. 0km 1km N

station walks station

4 scenic station to station scenic 4

the station. the

follow the path between the river and railway back to to back railway and river the between path the follow World Heritage Site Heritage World Mills Valley Derwent

Leave the grounds next to the cable car station and and station car cable the to next grounds the Leave This leaflet was produced by Derbyshire County Council for the the for Council County Derbyshire by produced was leaflet This

Tel: (01629) 533298 (01629) Tel:

Middleton Top Visitor Centre, Visitor Top Middleton centuries of lead mining. lead of centuries

FOR MORE INFORMATION MORE FOR Either descent passes the “Roman Cave”, the result of of result the Cave”, “Roman the passes descent Either

summit and then downhill to the exit near the cable cars. cars. cable the near exit the to downhill then and summit

HAPPY WALKING! HAPPY

The more intrepid walker must follow the path uphill to the the to uphill path the follow must walker intrepid more The

is shown on the map by a dotted red line). red dotted a by map the on shown is STATION

two more leaflets. more two main exit by the terminus of the cable cars. (This route route (This cars. cable the of terminus the by exit main CROMFORD

exploring the Derwent Valley. The other eight walks are detailed in in detailed are walks eight other The Valley. Derwent the exploring footpath on the right down through the trees to the the to trees the through down right the on footpath

The four walks in this leaflet are part of a collection of 12 walks walks 12 of collection a of part are leaflet this in walks four The

as far as an exit gate and then take the waymarked waymarked the take then and gate exit an as far as

left down the track well before the summit. Follow this this Follow summit. the before well track the down left

Valley Walks. Walks. Valley

For those not wishing to take the highest path, fork off off fork path, highest the take to wishing not those For

and horseriders. All the discs bear the legend Derwent Derwent legend the bear discs the All horseriders. and

bridleway status and can be enjoyed by walkers, cyclists cyclists walkers, by enjoyed be can and status bridleway

STATION

top where the drops are huge! are drops the where top

status to be used by walkers. Blue arrows indicate indicate arrows Blue walkers. by used be to status

MATLOCK BATH MATLOCK

children and dogs under close supervision, especially at the the at especially supervision, close under dogs and children bearing a coloured arrow. Yellow indicates footpath footpath indicates Yellow arrow. coloured a bearing

High Tor. There are sheer drops close by so please keep keep please so by close drops sheer are There Tor. High All walks have been carefully waymarked by green discs discs green by waymarked carefully been have walks All

The path now leads gradually uphill towards the summit of of summit the towards uphill gradually leads now path The

River Derwent River

visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/buses www.derbyshire.gov.uk/buses visit

A6

Alternatively, for local bus times, call Traveline 0871 200 22 33 or or 33 22 200 0871 Traveline call times, bus local for Alternatively, sharp right turn into the entrance of High Tor grounds. Tor High of entrance the into turn right sharp

www.nationalrail.co.uk www.nationalrail.co.uk turn left under the railway bridge and go uphill until the the until uphill go and bridge railway the under left turn

For train times call National Rail Enquiries 03457 48 49 50 or visit visit or 50 49 48 03457 Enquiries Rail National call times train For

the path alongside the Derwent. At the end of the path, path, the of end the At Derwent. the alongside path the

Turn right over the footbridge and right again to follow follow to again right and footbridge the over right Turn

services.

STATION

circular or linear walk and travel back by train or on various bus bus various on or train by back travel and walk linear or circular

MATLOCK end of the park and into Knowlestone Place. Knowlestone into and park the of end

car parks at each of the stations, from where you can start your your start can you where from stations, the of each at parks car

the wide path into Hall Leys Park. Continue through to the the to through Continue Park. Leys Hall into path wide the However, if you do travel to the Derwent Valley by car, there are are there car, by Valley Derwent the to travel do you if However,

centre. Immediately after crossing the river bridge, take take bridge, river the crossing after Immediately centre.

From Matlock follow the fingerposts towards the town town the towards fingerposts the follow Matlock From VALLEY Long Eaton, and the local Stations. Stations. Line Valley Derwent local the and Derby Eaton, Long

frequent service between Nottingham, Beeston, Attenborough, Attenborough, Beeston, Nottingham, between service frequent

grounds with its spectacular views. spectacular its with grounds views along the way. Trains on the Derwent Valley Line operate a a operate Line Valley Derwent the on Trains way. the along views

DERWENT opportunity to leave the car at home, relax and enjoy the great great the enjoy and relax home, at car the leave to opportunity

River with a moderate climb to High Tor Tor High to climb moderate a with River

The train service through the Derwent Valley provides a great great a provides Valley Derwent the through service train The An easy walk alongside the Derwent Derwent the alongside walk easy An

THE

to Matlock to circular route or use the train to get back to the start. the to back get to train the use or route circular

3

scenic Derwent Valley Line. Choose one or more walks to create a a create to walks more or one Choose Line. Valley Derwent scenic

DISTANCE 2 MILES 2 DISTANCE

Site have been designed to link together the stations along the the along stations the together link to designed been have Site

WALK 12 WALK Explore These walks in the beautiful Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Heritage World Mills Valley Derwent beautiful the in walks These

MATLOCK - MATLOCK BATH MATLOCK - MATLOCK Cromford GENERAL INFORMATION GENERAL

right up steps to Cromford Station. Cromford to steps up right the railway station. railway the

Turn right under the railway bridge then immediately immediately then bridge railway the under right Turn

descends via steps and a farm road into Matlock just above CROMFORDabove just Matlock into - MATLOCKroad farm a and steps BATH via descends MATLOCK BATH - CROMFORD MATLOCK BATH - MATLOCK

downhill to a stile on the left and on down to the road. road. the to down on and left the on stile a to downhill the end of the trees on the right. This path crosses fields and and fields crosses path This right. the on trees the of end the

line of poles, cross a wall stile and track, and continue continue and track, and stile wall a cross poles, of line

Follow this path as it sweeps round to find a gate in the wall at at wall the in gate a find WALKto round 9 sweeps it as path this Follow WALK 10 WALK 11

DISTANCE 2.25 MILES a Following DISTANCEright. bear fields 3into MILESEmerging wood. beech DISTANCE 3 MILES turn right through a stone gateway down the edge of the the of edge the down gateway stone a through right turn

bear left along a footpath emerging into a field. a into emerging footpath a along left bear Continue downhill and, after passing a stile on the left, left, the on stile a passing after and, downhill Continue

Turn left down the road and just past the unusual chapel An easychapel walkunusual takingthe past injust theand historicroad the villagedown left ofTurn After an initial steep climb to Riber Castle, A walk out of Matlock Bath on to Masson

Masson Farm. Follow this path down to St John's Road. CromfordRoad. John's andSt to a beautifuldown path woodlandthis Follow path.Farm. Masson Hill rising steeply at first then descending Continue downhill over two stiles and then left above above left then and stiles two over downhill Continue a hilltop walk with magnificent views,

descendingenjoyed. be can throughValley Derwent woodlandthe of views tomagnificent gently through woods and fields directly

Take the driveway out of the station car park, turn right at the trackway, ancient this of summit the Knoll, Bilberry into the centre of Matlock. right up Hearthstone Lane by a cattle grid. Approaching Approaching grid. cattle a by Lane Hearthstone up right

entered for the use of the restaurant and coffee shop. coffee and restaurant the of use the for entered Cromford. road and continue over the river bridge, past the church and

Turn left on the road for approximately 200 yards then bear bear then yards 200 approximately for road the on left Turn

Heights of Abraham. At this point, the grounds can be Arkwright's be can Mill to grounds find the the A6 point, road. this At Abraham. of Heights

the wood and gradually descend to open fields above the the above fields open to descend gradually and wood the Leave the station car park via the bridge, cross the main road

straight on through the stone stile, signposted Matlock, into into Matlock, signposted stile, stone the through on straight From the station follow the track below the Whistlestop A6. the of side far the on situated

Cross the A6 at the Pelican crossing and then turn right at and go directly up Holme Road beside the County and

and on to a corner of the wood. Do not turn left but go go but left turn not Do wood. the of corner a to on and quarters of a mile down the road to Matlock Bath station station Bath Matlock to road the down mile a of quarters Café towards High Tor and the cable cars. Do not enter theFarm.

the Market Place up to the Scarthin and past the mill Station public house. Follow the road as it bears left and

the left side before bearing right to pass through a farm gate gate farm a through pass to right bearing before side left the The walk now continues for approximately three three approximately for continues now walk The by way of squeezer stiles across fields to Hearthstone grounds, but turn Hearthstone to right and fields head across uphill. stiles At the fork squeezer in of the path way by

pond on the left. enjoy wonderful views over Matlock Bath and the Derwent. Cross the track and climb up through the field keeping near near keeping field the through up climb and track the Cross

Hall. Turn left at the pond and take the path on the right bear right the toon emergepath oppositethe take theand Whitepond Lionthe at pub.left BearTurn leftHall.

A tarmac road leads to a junction. Turn right past Riber on theRiber road,past and rightright upTurn the stepsjunction. ina frontto of leads Owl Cottageroad ontarmac A

Turn right opposite an old chapel, up a steep cobbled “jitty” the Riber Road. Continue up the road and, at the next bend, Bear right continuingStation). Matlock up to Upperwoodlead would Road,here left passturn (a theroad

Upperwood, continue on the track until reaching a tarmac tarmac a reaching until track the on continue Upperwood,

leading into woodland. After 150 yards, the pathfields. turnsinto backemerge take the footpath between the cottages. Follow this path. as entrance to the Heights of Abraham then on to where the

the two forks in the path keep left uphill and on reaching reaching on and uphill left keep path the in forks two the

find a much worn squeezer stile and up the zigzag path to onto itselfpath on a waymarkedzigzag the up pathand stile by two largesqueezer beechworn trees.much a Atfind it joins a stone flagged path, uphill towards Riber Castle. road dips down and becomes a track. Turn right uphill to

it joins a stone flagged path, uphill towards Riber Castle. Riber towards uphill path, flagged stone a joins it

on itself on a waymarked path by two large beech trees. At At trees. beech large two by path waymarked a on itself on

road dips down and becomes a track. Turn right uphill to theto two uphill forksright in theTurn path track. keepa left uphillbecomes and and ondown reachingdips road find a much worn squeezer stile and up the zigzag path to

take the footpath between the cottages. Follow this path. as as path. this Follow cottages. the between footpath the take

leading into woodland. After 150 yards, the path turns back back turns path the yards, 150 After woodland. into leading

entrance to the Heights of Abraham then on to where the Upperwood,the where to continueon then on the trackAbraham of until reachingHeights the to a tarmacentrance emerge into fields.

the Riber Road. Continue up the road and, at the next bend, bend, next the at and, road the up Continue Road. Riber the

Turn right opposite an old chapel, up a steep cobbled “jitty” “jitty” cobbled steep a up chapel, old an opposite right Turn

Bear right continuing up Upperwood Road, pass the road the (a turn pass left here Road, would lead Upperwood to up Matlock Station). continuing right Bear

on the road, and right up the steps in front of Owl Cottage on A tarmacon roadCottage Owl leads of tofront ain junction.steps the Turnup rightright and pastroad, Riberthe on

bear right to emerge opposite the White Lion pub. Bear left Hall.left TurnBear leftpub. at theLion pondWhite andthe take theopposite pathemerge onto the right bear Cross the track and climb up through the field keeping near pond on the left. the on pond

enjoy wonderful views over Matlock Bath and the Derwent. the and Bath Matlock over views wonderful enjoy

The walk now continues for approximately three by waypath the ofin squeezerfork the At stiles uphill. acrosshead fieldsand right to Hearthstoneturn but grounds, the left side before bearing right to pass through a farm gate the Market Place up to the Scarthin and past the mill mill the past and Scarthin the to up Place Market the

Station public house. Follow the road as it bears left and and left bears it as road the Follow house. public Station

quarters of a mile down the road to Matlock Bath station Farm.the enter not Do cars. cable the and Tor High towards Café and on to a corner of the wood. Do not turn left but go Cross the A6 at the Pelican crossing and then turn right at at right turn then and crossing Pelican the at A6 the Cross

and go directly up Holme Road beside the County and and County the beside Road Holme up directly go and

situated on the far side of the A6. Whistlestop the below track the follow station the From straight on through the stone stile, signposted Matlock, into

Leave the station car park via the bridge, cross the main road road main the cross bridge, the via park car station the Leave the wood and gradually descend to open fields above the

Turn left on the road for approximately 200 yards then bear Heights of Abraham. At thisroad. point,A6 the thefind groundsto Mill can beArkwright's

road and continue over the river bridge, past the church and and church the past bridge, river the over continue and road

right up Hearthstone Lane by a cattle grid. ApproachingCromford. entered for the use of the restaurant and coffee shop.

into the centre of Matlock. of centre the into

Bilberry Knoll, the summit of this ancient trackway, the at right turn park, car station the of out driveway the Take descending through woodland to to woodland through descending

gently through woods and fields directly directly fields and woods through gently magnificent views of the Derwent Valley can be enjoyed.

a hilltop walk with magnificent views, views, magnificent with walk hilltop a Continue downhill over two stiles and then left above Cromford and a beautiful woodland path. woodland beautiful a and Cromford

Hill rising steeply at first then descending descending then first at steeply rising Hill Masson Farm. Follow this path down to St John's Road. After an initial steep climb to Riber Castle, Castle, Riber to climb steep initial an After

An easy walk taking in the historic village of of village historic the in taking walk easy An A walk out of Matlock Bath on to Masson Masson to on Bath Matlock of out walk A Turn left down the road and just past the unusual chapel

Continue downhill and, after passing a stile on the left, bear left along a footpath emerging into a field.

turn right through a stone gateway down the edge of the

DISTANCE 3 MILES 3 DISTANCE MILES 2.25 DISTANCE

beech wood. EmergingMILES into3 fields bear right.DISTANCE Following a

WALK 11 WALK 9 WALK line of poles, cross a wall10 stile and WALK track, and continue Follow this path as it sweeps round to find a gate in the wall at

downhill to a stile on the left and on down to the road. the end of the trees on the right. This path crosses fields and MATLOCK BATH - MATLOCK - BATH MATLOCK BATH MATLOCK - CROMFORD Turn right under the railwayCROMFORD - bridgeBATH then immediatelyMATLOCK descends via steps and a farm road into Matlock just above right up steps to Cromford Station. the railway station.

MATLOCK - MATLOCK BATH GENERAL INFORMATION Cromford WALK 12 These walks in the beautiful Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Explore DISTANCE 2 MILES Site have been designed to link together the stations along the scenic Derwent Valley Line. Choose one or more walks to create a 3 circular route or use the train to get back to the start. THE to Matlock An easy walk alongside the Derwent The train service through the Derwent Valley provides a great River with a moderate climb to High Tor opportunity to leave the car at home, relax and enjoy the great DERWENT grounds with its spectacular views. views along the way. Trains on the Derwent Valley Line operate a frequent service between Nottingham, Beeston, Attenborough, From Matlock follow the fingerposts towards the town Long Eaton, Derby and the local Derwent Valley Line Stations. VALLEY centre. Immediately after crossing the river bridge, take the wide path into Hall Leys Park. Continue through to the However, if you do travel to the Derwent Valley by car, there are car parks at each of the stations, from where you can start your end of the park and into Knowlestone Place. MATLOCK circular or linear walk and travel back by train or on various bus STATION services. Turn right over the footbridge and right again to follow the path alongside the Derwent. At the end of the path, For train times call National Rail Enquiries 03457 48 49 50 or visit turn left under the railway bridge and go uphill until the www.nationalrail.co.uk sharp right turn into the entrance of High Tor grounds. Alternatively, for local bus times, call Traveline 0871 200 22 33 or A6 visit www.derbyshire.gov.uk/buses River Derwent The path now leads gradually uphill towards the summit of High Tor. There are sheer drops close by so please keep All walks have been carefully waymarked by green discs children and dogs under close supervision, especially at the bearing a coloured arrow. Yellow indicates footpath status to be used by walkers. Blue arrows indicate MATLOCK BATH top where the drops are huge! STATION bridleway status and can be enjoyed by walkers, cyclists and horseriders. All the discs bear the legend Derwent For those not wishing to take the highest path, fork off Valley Walks. left down the track well before the summit. Follow this as far as an exit gate and then take the waymarked The four walks in this leaflet are part of a collection of 12 walks footpath on the right down through the trees to the exploring the Derwent Valley. The other eight walks are detailed in main exit by the terminus of the cable cars. (This route two more leaflets. CROMFORD is shown on the map by a dotted red line). STATION

The more intrepid walker must follow the path uphill to the HAPPY WALKING! summit and then downhill to the exit near the cable cars. Either descent passes the “Roman Cave”, the result of FOR MORE INFORMATION centuries of lead mining. Middleton Top Visitor Centre, Tel: (01629) 533298 Leave the grounds next to the cable car station and This leaflet was produced by Derbyshire County Council for the follow the path between the river and railway back to Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site the station. 4 scenic station to station walks