|
Discover the beauty,
splendour and heritage of Derbyshire's River Derwent
by following the Derwent Valley Heritage Way. This is a 55-mile walk along the Derwent valley from Ladybower
Reservoir in the Peak District National Park via Chatsworth and breathtaking scenery around
the Derbyshire dales and through the Derwent
Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Follow the Riverside Path through Derby and continue onwards to the historic inland port of Shardlow. Journey's end is at Derwent
Mouth where the Derwent flows into the River
Trent.
The Derwent Valley Heritage Way can be enjoyed as a long distance walk or as a
series of shorter walks.
Stay in local
accommodation and enjoy relaxing rambles through the valley. Take a
walking break and explore the valley from end to end.
Use Public Transport, it is frequent and reliable for getting
around the Derwent valley. Leave the car at
home and put your feet up while someone else worries about the driving.
Use buses and trains to see more of the valley. Walk a section of the
route and use public transport to return. A series of shorter walks will
give you longer to explore the valley's rich heritage and numerous
visitor attractions.
Walking the Derwent Valley Heritage Way
The Derwent Valley Heritage Way has been way-marked using small yellow and purple
disks, look out for these at road crossing
points and path junctions.
To walk the route you
are advised to use the appropriate 1:25,000 scale (4cm to 1km or 2.5 inches to the
mile) Ordnance Survey maps. The route will appear on the following OS
maps: Explorer 1 The Peak District - Dark Peak, 24 The Peak District - White Peak, 259 Derby, 260 Nottingham.
Derwent Valley Heritage Way Guide Book
Jarrold Publishing is producing The Derwent
Valley Heritage Way Walking Guide. This is essential reading for anyone
walking the route. It will contain route descriptions, maps, travel
information and details of attractions and heritage. Until this guide is
published a leaflet called "Walking the Derwent Valley Heritage Way" will be available from the listed Tourist
Information Centres.
Cycling in the Derwent Valley
The Upper Derwent valley is excellent for cycling. There is a
Peak Cycle Hire centre at Fairholmes, Derwent near Bamford (01433 651261).
The cycle routes around the Derwent Reservoirs,
the Thornhill Trail and cycle lanes to Hathersage offer safe cycling in this area.
The High Peak Trail
joins the Cromford Canal (which forms part of ther Heritage Way) at High Peak Junction near Cromford.
The High Peak Trail provides 17.5 miles of traffic free route and links
with the Tissington Trail. Cycle Hire is
available at Middleton Top, Middleton by Wirksworth
on the High Peak Trail (01629 823204). Carsington
Water also offers cycle hire (01629 540478). From Little Eaton The Derwent Valley Heritage Way follows Route 54 of the
National Cycle Network which links with the cycle route through Darley Playing Fields into Derby city centre. From the city centre the Riverside
Path becomes Route 6 of the National Cycle Network, which leaves the Derwent Valley Heritage Way at Borrowash and
continues on to Nottingham. A Derby cycle route guide is available from Derby City
Council, contact 01332 715017.
Access for All
The Derwent Valley Heritage Way follows field and woodland paths, tracks and sections
of pavement and road. Although a valley walk
there are climbs and descents. The terrain generally makes for easy
walking, however, some sections can be wet underfoot and prone
to flooding. Within the Peak District National Park many stiles have been replaced with gates to
make access easier. The National Park produce a free Access For All Guide
( 01629 816200). Sections of the Derwent Valley Heritage Way that are accessible by
wheelchair include Ladybower Dam, The Thornhill Trail, Matlock Parks including Hall Leys
and Lovers Walk in Matlock Bath, Cromford Canal
from Cromford to High Peak Junction and the
Little Eaton and Derby cycle routes as described above.
Accommodation
Accommodation to suit
all is available along the route including hotels, guesthouses,
campsites, Bed and Breakfast and Youth Hostels. Full details are
available through the Tourist Information Centres.
Other walking
opportunities in the Derwent Valley
The Derwent
valley passes by many beautiful places and fascinating attractions. A
comprehensive guide to walking publications for the Derwent
valley can be found on the Derwent Valley Trust
web site.
www.nationalheritagecorridor.org.uk Amongst them are 'The Derwent Valley Walks' which are based around railway
stations on the Derby - Matlock line, and 'Walks from the Hope Valley
Line'
Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site
In December 2001 the Derwent valley between Matlock Bath and Derby was granted World Heritage Site status. This
international designation confirms the outstanding importance of the area
as the birthplace of the factory system, where water power was first
successfully harnessed for textile manufacture - a milestone in the
Industrial Revolution.
The site contains a
series of historic mill complexes, including some of the world's first
'modern' factories. No less important are the watercourses that powered
them, the settlements that were built for the mill workers, the canals,
railways, roads and other supporting infrastructure - all in a beautiful
landscape that has changed little over two centuries.
Travel Information
for the Derwent Valley
The Derwent
valley is easy to travel to and within, so why not leave the car at home
and relax and enjoy the journey by bus or train. Use these services and
you will be able to explore the whole length of the Derwent Valley Heritage Way on foot. Do a linear walk and return by bus or
train.
Rail Services Tel 08457 48 49 50 www.nationalrail.co.uk
The Hope Valley Line
serves the northern section of the Derwent
valley. There are regular trains from Sheffield and Manchester that call at Bamford,
Hathersage and Grindleford.
Derby is well served by the national rail network.
From Derby there are regular services to Matlock calling
at Duffield, Belper, Ambergate,
Whatstandwell, Cromford
and Matlock Bath .
Bus Services TRAVELINE 0870 608 2 608 www.traveline.org.uk
For up to date public
transport information in Derbyshire visit www.derbysbus.net
There are regular
direct bus services that will enable you to travel to and from Sheffield, Chesterfield, Manchester, Nottingham and Derby. Regular services link Heatherdene
and Bamford, Hathersage,
Grindleford, Calver, Baslow and Bakewell. Buses
serve Rowsley, Darley
Dale, Matlock, Cromford, Whatstandwell,
Ambergate, Belper,
Duffield, Little Eaton, Derby, Elvaston, Borrowash and Shardlow.
The Derbyshire Wayfarer
Day Rover Ticket is an excellent way to tour the county. The ticket is
valid on all buses and trains in Derbyshire and is available for
individuals or groups. Ring Traveline for more
information.
For full public
transport information the Peak District and Mid and South Derbyshire
timetables are available from Tourist Information Centres (cost 60p) or by
post from Derbyshire County Council Public Transport Unit, County Hall,
Matlock DE4 3AG. (£1.20 inc. postage)
DERWENT VALLEY TRUST
The Derwent
Valley Trust is a charitable trust supported by all the local authorities
and many other organisations and businesses in this beautiful part of
Derbyshire. It was established to
secure recognition of the River Derwent valley
and its immediate corridor for its landscape, wildlife and heritage. The map shows the diversity of things
to do and see. The Trust wants to promote these to a wider audience. At the same time it wants to encourage
visitors to cherish and protect the attractions by using their cars less
and adopting sustainable means of transport such as walking, cycling and
the use of public transport. The
Trust has secured the trademark “The National Heritage Corridor” to
further these aims.
The Trust works through
partnerships with others who share its vision and this walk is a result
of many people and organisations working together. The Trust is especially grateful to
Blue Circle plc, Derbyshire County Council, Peak District National Park
Authority, East Midlands Development Agency, Environment Agency, Southern
Derbyshire Chamber and
WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental) for financial support
for the Way. Amber Valley Borough
Council, Derby City Council, Groundwork Erewash Valley, Severn Trent Water and the Countryside Agency
have also supported the provision of interpretative panels along the
route. All the other local authorities, and many organisations such as Amber
Valley Conservation Volunteers, British Trust for Conservation
Volunteers, the Peak and Northern Footpath Preservation Society and
Derbyshire Dales Ramblers Association have helped with work on the
ground. This is ongoing and
demonstrates the local support and ownership of the project.
Whereas every effort
has been made to ensure that the information given in this document is
accurate,
The Derwent
Valley Trust cannot accept responsibility for any errors, omissions or
misleading statements
in that information and no responsibility is
accepted as to the standing of any firm, company or individual.
This leaflet has been
published by Derwent Valley Trust and designed
by Amber Valley Borough Council
with funding from the Countryside Agency. Printed by
Graphic Repro Nottingham.
Many of the photographs
in this leaflet are provided by the City Photographic Society, Derby and the PDNPA.
(Cover photograph of Darley Abbey Mill by Ashley Franklin).
The registered office
of the Derwent Valley Trust is c/o Robinsons
Solicitors, 83 Friar Gate Derby, DE1 1FL.
Visit the Derwent Valley Trust website: www.nationalheritagecorridor.org.uk
Walks and distances
The Derwent Valley Heritage Way can be walked as a complete route, or you may
prefer to walk certain sections. All are accessible by public transport.
( indicates
a station).
|
Starting Point
|
End Point
|
km
|
miles
|
total miles
|
|
Ladybower, Heatherdene
|
Hathersage
|
9.5
|
6
|
6
|
|
Hathersage
|
Baslow
|
11.5
|
7
|
13
|
|
Baslow
|
Rowsley
|
8
|
5
|
18
|
|
Rowsley
|
Matlock
|
9
|
5.5
|
23.5
|
|
Matlock
|
Whatstandwell
|
10
|
6.5
|
30
|
|
Whatstandwell
|
Belper
|
9.5
|
6
|
36
|
|
Belper
|
Little Eaton
|
7.5
|
4.5
|
40
|
|
Little Eaton
|
Derby
city centre
|
6.5
|
4
|
44
|
|
Derby
city centre
|
Borrowash
|
9
|
5.5
|
50
|
|
Borrowash
|
Derwent
Mouth
|
10
|
6
|
55
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The time it will take
to walk the sections will obviously depend on your walking speed. You are
guaranteed plenty to stop and see along the whole route. Allow yourself
time to visit the many attractions, teashops, pubs and shops along the
way. An estimate for timing is
approximately 2 miles per hour, but this does not include time for stops.
So 6 miles would take about 3 hours of walking without long stops, with
stops it would be a relaxing days walk. More
regular ramblers will manage between 6 and 13 miles in a day.
|