Trip Info
Take a scenic walking tour through some of the most beautiful and historic parts of Derbyshire and the Peak District National Park. This 12-mile walk begins in the historic mill village of Cromford, where inventor Richard Arkwright built his first cotton mill and started the Industrial Revolution. After an exploration of the village, the walk heads out across the beautiful Derbyshire countryside. First call is at the pretty village of Bonsall, home to the famous World Hen Racing Championships, which take place each year at the Barley Mow pub.
After a lunch stop at a highly-rated pub in the village of Birchover, the walk passes over the high plateau of Stanton Moor with its many ancient monuments including the mysterious Nine Ladies Stone Circle. It then crosses the River Lathkill before joining the River Wye close to the medieval buildings of Haddon Hall for the final push on to the finish in the busy market town of Bakewell. At the end of the walk, there is the chance to sample a genuine Bakewell Pudding from one of only three shops in the world to make them to the closely-guarded original recipe.
Both Cromford and Bakewell are easily accessible by public transport, making this walk ideal for those who want a more environmentally-friendly activity. Due to the opening times of the pub in Birchover, this walk is not usually available on Mondays except for Bank Holidays. It is also not available on Wednesdays between the beginning of October and the end of February due to the regular Wednesday closure of the path through Lathkill Dale. This walk has a total ascent of 1,800 feet, making it reasonably challenging, but not too difficult.
