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Derbyshire; The Monsal Trail
  • Andrew's Travels

Derbyshire; The Monsal Trail

Walking the length of the Monsal Trail and exploring the area around it via a series of circular walks from our booklet; The Monsal Trail, a selection of 8 walks. Read more
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  • Trip start
    August 3, 2025
    Andrew's TravelsDerbyshire; The Monsal TrailTraveler
    Holme Bridge, an ancient packhorse bridge
    Bakewell Bridge; an ancient road bridgeBakewell Station; disused as a station now and along the former Midland Railway LineView along the Monsal TrailHassop Railway Station, now a cafeChurchdale Hall; Grade II listedView near the hallAshford in the Water; Village Hall and War MemorialAshford; Church of the Holy TrinityAshford; The Sheepwash Bridge, a 17th century packhorse bridgeAshford; by the River WyeView along the River WyeView along the River WyeWeirView along the River Wye

    Bakewell, Hassop Station, and Ashford

    August 3 in England ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    Today, we do a circular walk from Bakewell, based on walk 3 from our Monsal Trail booklet; the Monsal Trail is a popular footpath and cycle way that follows the route of the former Midland Railway Line from Bakewell to Blackwell Mill, near Chee Dale.

    From our accommodation, we take the footpath down to the All Saints Church in Bakewell and join the walking route. We walk out to Holme Bridge and then double back to town via the waterside meadows known as Scott's Garden. We then walk up to the Old Bakewell Station, close to the start of the Monsal Trail, and follow it past Hassop Station, before leaving the trail and descending at a bridge to walk south towards Churchdale Hall and on to Ashford in the Water, a beautiful village located on the River Wye 2 miles north west of Bakewell. We follow the footpath via the River Wye along rolling meadows to get back to Bakewell. It's been a good walk, and we've covered over 7.5 miles (according to the OS app).    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsDerbyshire; The Monsal TrailTraveler
    Tideswell Dale
    Litton MillMiller's Dale; limestone cliffs on the other side of the River WyeCressbrook MillWater-cum-Jolly DaleCressbrook MillCressbrook HallView back from the heights down to the Monsal TrailView back from the heightsLitton MillViaduct over the Monsal TrailAlong the Monsal TrailEn route back to the car parkDerelict farm buildingsThornbridge Brewery Tap RoomInsideInsideServing areaBeersPizza

    Miller's Dale Valley from Tideswell

    August 5 in England ⋅ 🌬 14 °C

    We drive to Tideswell Dale Car Park to do most of Walk 6 and a little of Walk 7 from our Monsal Trail booklet; the circular covers Tideswell Dale, Litton Mill, along Miller's Dale valley to Cressbrook Mill, along the heights on the other side to descend to the Monsal Trail, on to Miller's Dale Village, and back to Tideswell Dale.

    We walk down the attractive Tideswell Dale to pass through Litton Mill - formerly a textile mill, but now living spaces - to follow the Miller's Dale valley along the River Wye; there are lovely views of the limestone cliffs on the other side of the river. We reach Cressbrook Mill, another former textile mill situated at Water-cum-Jolly Dale, now a small village. We cross the river here and walk towards the Monsal Trail, but don't take this as our route is via high-level footpath; there are fine views of Cressbrook House, a historic Grade II listed country house on the Grand Tudor style.

    We eventually descend to the Monsal Trail and follow the former railway route, the Walk 7 part, as far as a turnoff for Miller's Dale village. From here, it's up to Meadow Farm and back to the car park; a good 7.2-mile walk.

    In the evening, we visit the Thornbridge Brewery tap room for pizza and beers; a great way to end the day!    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsDerbyshire; The Monsal TrailTraveler
    Coombs Road Viaduct; the top is the start of the walkable part of the Monsal Trail
    Haddon HallThe CourtyardMain HallThe Chapel of St NicholasInside the chapel; stained glass window / detail of reredos (rood screen)Inside the chapel; wall muralsThe kitchen areaMain hallView of the Walled GardenTapestryThe Long GalleryThe symbols of Lord and Lady Manners are the peacock and the boarView of the rear of Haddon Hall from the gardenView out onto the groundsView of Haddon Hall from the Haddon Fields, as we continue our walkLathkill DaleOver Haddon village

    The start of the trail and Haddon Hall

    August 6 in England ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Our walk today is based on walk 2 from our Monsal Trail booklet; Bakewell to Haddon Hall, and back via the River Lathkill.

    We walk up to join the Monsal Trail from Bakewell and walk along it south to the Coombs Road Viaduct (the start of the Monsal Trail) where we descend it to follow the footpaths to Haddon Hall, which we stop at to visit.

    Haddon Hall is over 900 years old and one of the UK’s most elegant and timeless stately homes; it has remained in one family's ownership for its entire existence, although it was unoccupied at one point for over 200 years! Home to Lord and Lady Manners, Haddon Hall has fine Todor and Elizabethan architecture, with a beautiful walled Elizabethan garden and surrounded by medieval parkland. We have a very interesting visit; see captions on photos for details.

    After our visit, continue west along a bridleway towards Haddon Fields before following our route via Conksbury Bridge and along part of the beautiful Lathkill Dale towards Over Haddon. We then have a steep ascent before heading across fields back to Bakewell; it's been over 8 miles today, but a great day out.    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsDerbyshire; The Monsal TrailTraveler
    The front of Bakewell Station
    Manners WoodView en route to EdensorEdensor; St Peter’s ChurchEdensorChatsworth HouseChatsworth HouseChatsworth HouseThe rear of Bakewell StationThe MannersA healthy meal 😋

    Bakewell Station and Chatsworth Park

    August 7 in England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Our walk today is Walk 1 from the Monsal Trail booklet. We start from Bakewell Station but walk away from the Monsal Trail and up towards Manners Wood; this marks the boundary between the estates of the Dukes of Devonshire and Rutland (so we cross from the Haddon Estate into Chatsworth Park).

    It is a steep ascent through the woods, but there are good views as we head down to Edensor village; much of this is privately owned by the Dukes of Devonshire (the Cavendish family), and we pass St Peter’s Church to go through the entrance gates to the village and on to the footpath towards Chatsworth House. We have visited this previously, and do not visit on this occasion.

    At Chatsworth Bridge, we follow the footpath across Chatsworth Park by the River Derwent; the gardens of Chatsworth House were designed by Capability Brown in 1762. We eventually reach the Chatsworth Garden Centre, where we head west across meadows back towards Bakewell via a steep descent this time through the Manners Wood. We join the Monsal Trail and walk up towards Bakewell Station, where we end our interesting 7.5-mile walk and head back to our accommodation.

    Later on, we went to The Manners for dinner and Robinsons beer!    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsDerbyshire; The Monsal TrailTraveler
    Little Longstone; Congregational Church
    Great Longstone; St Giles ChurchEn route to RowlandToll Bar House, close to the Monsal TrailThe Monsal TrailThe former Great Longstone StationEntering the Headstone TunnelInside the tunnelLeaving the tunnelThe Headstone ViaductMonsal DaleMonsal DaleBrushfield Hough Farm; at the top of the ascent from Monsal DaleLeaving the farmView towards Monsal DaleView towards Upper DaleViews of the River Wye from the top of Headstone ViaductView from Monsal Head

    Monsal Head, Monsal Trail, Monsal Dale

    August 8 in England ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    We continue with our walks on and around the Monsal Trail with two shorter circular walks starting from Monsal Head Car Park.

    The second walk, walk 4 from the booklet and described first for clarity, goes out via Little Longstone towards Grsat Longstone and then across many fields and stiles up to Rowland, before heading south via the outskirts of Hassop Park towards the Monsal Trail. Here, we walk west, passing the old Great Longstone railway station (closed in 1962) to walk through the Headstone Tunnel (535 yards long), before the steep ascent back up to Monsal Head Car Park.

    The first walk, walk 5 from the booklet, also starts from Monsal Head, where there are excellent views of the Headstone Viaduct, one of the most famous parts of the Monsal Trail, and then takes us down to Monsal Dale beside the River Wye. We follow the Trail and then take a steep ascent via woodland to Brushfield Hough Farm. From here, there are good views as we walk along the upper Dale to pass the remains of former lead mine workings before descending to join the Monsal Trail and cross the top of Headstone Viaduct back to the tunnel and the steep ascent back up to Monsal Head again.

    It's been about 9.5 miles in total in good walking weather; warm, but not hot.    Read more

  • Andrew's TravelsDerbyshire; The Monsal TrailTraveler
    View down to Wyedale from the Chee Dale ascent
    Cows and sheep viewed en route to WormhillViews across meadows leaving WormhillMonk's Dale; in the woodsMonk's Dale; in the woodsMonk's DaleMonk's Dale after the rocky section in the woodsMiller's Dale Railway Station on the Monsal TrailLime kilns on the Monsal TrailOn the Monsal TrailChee Tor tunnel no. 1 / Chee Tor tunnel no. 2 nextView down from one of the bridgesLimestone cliffs along the valleyRusher Cutting tunnelView on the Monsal TrailThe end of the Monsal Trail at Topley Rise JunctionWyedale; on the way back to the car park

    Monk's Dale and end of the Monsal Trail

    August 9 in England ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    We drive to Wyedale car park for the final walk (8) of the Monsal Trail booklet to complete it at its end (Topley Rise Junction).

    We walk back along Wyedale and turn off to follow the Pennine Bridleway (PBW) up to the ancient village of Wormhill, zigzagging up the side of the steep Chee Dale valley towards Mosley Farm; from here, we cross meadows and leave the PBW and then cross fields towards Hassop Farm and on to Wormhill. We skirt the village and then walk via bridleways and tracks up to a footpath that takes us down to Monk's Dale, which heads south on the east of Wormhill, down to the Monsal Trail.

    Monk's Dale is one of the five valleys in the Derbyshire Dales National Park; the valley is dry over the summer, but it has a winterbourne stream that runs into the River Wye at Miller's Dale. The footpath along the valley is challenging rough terrain for walkers, comprising slippery limestone rocks in a wood. We make it and eventually emerge from the rocks and trees to the more open part of the Dale and walk down to Miller's Dale Railway Station to walk the final part of the Monsal Trail to its end.

    We pass an old lime kiln as we walk along the valley, with steep crags and the slopes of Chee Dale around us. We reach the Chee Tor tunnels (401 and 94 yards long, respectively) constructed to allow the Midland Railway to skirt the base of Chee Tor. We eventually reach Topley Rise Junction and the end of the Monsal Trail before returning to the car. It's been a good and interesting 10 mile walk!    Read more

    Trip end
    August 10, 2025
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