The unusually wet winter of 2023/24 has left the ground in many parts of the Peak District very wet and muddy. As a result of this, we have been forced to temporarily revise or postpone a number of our walks. Fortunately, this walk is unaffected by these changes, and so is still available as advertised.

In 1771, inventor Richard Arkwright built the World's first successful water-powered cotton mill in the small Derbyshire village of Cromford. Arkwright's pioneering mill was the birthplace of the modern factory system, and so can claim to be the true birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Soon overtaken by larger mills in the big towns and cities of Lancashire, cotton spinning ended at Cromford in 1844, but the village's place in history was assured. In 2001, the historical importance of Cromford Mill was recognised when it, along with the surrounding village, became a keystone of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.

The walk begins at the site of the now-demolished original medieval village of Cromford and the adjacent wharf of the Cromford Canal. It then makes its way up into the modern village of Cromford, where it explores the pioneering houses, pubs and other facilities constructed by the Arkwright family for their workers. Leaving the village, the walk continues by looking at the grand house of Willersley Castle, and St Mary's Church where many members of the Arkwright family have been laid to rest. It then concludes outside the gates of Cromford Mill itself, where it is possible to join one of the Arkwright Society's own highly-recommended tours of the preserved Cromford Mill.

This walk is led by a guide with over 30 years experience of leading guided tours around the village, and who was formerly one of the senior guides at Cromford Mill from 1988 onwards and a historical adviser for the BBC's landmark Restoration TV series. As they are quite possibly the most experienced person currently doing tours of the village today, with a wide range of stories about the history of the village and the restoration work at Cromford Mill, this makes this walk one of the top things to do in Cromford.

Duration (approx):	2 to 2.5 hours (including lunch).
Start point:	Cromford Meadows, Off Mill Road (Mill Lane), Cromford, Derbyshire.
Start time:	10:00am.
End point:	Car park of Cromford Mill Mill Road (Mill Lane), Cromford, Derbyshire.
Dates available:	Available year-round as an open walk on a date of your choosing on Mondays, some Tuesdays, Wednesdays, some Thursdays, Fridays, most Saturdays and some Sundays. Scheduled walks available on the following dates: March 1st, 3rd, 6th, 10th, 16th, 20th, 23rd, 27th, 31st. April 3rd, 6th, 14th, 17th, 20th, 24th, 27th. May 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 18th, 22nd, 25th, 29th. June 2nd, 5th, 7th, 16th, 19th, 22nd, 26th, 30th. July 3rd, 6th, 14th, 17th, 20th, 24th, 26th, 31st. August 3rd, 7th, 9th, 17th, 21st, 23rd, 28th, 31st. September 4th, 8th, 13th, 15th, 18th, 21st, 25th, 29th. October 2nd, 5th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 23rd, 27th, 30th. November 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 20th, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 27th, 29th, 30th. December 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 13th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 20th. (Online pre-booking is essential for these walks.) Private group bookings are also available on a date of your choosing via a Personal Walking Guide (subject to availability and Coronavirus restrictions)..

When is this walk available?

This walk is available all year round on a date of your choosing. Scheduled walks take place at least once per month, and more frequently in the winter months. If you wish to have the exclusive services of one of our guides, it is also available year-round as a private booking on a date of your choice via a Personal Walking Guide. For Personal Walking Guide bookings, we are usually able to offer a range of different start times from 9:00am to early evening on most days.

All bookings are subject to the availability of a suitable guide - Please see our online calendar or e-mail us for availability of your chosen date.

Is this walk Covid-secure?

At Derbyshire Heritage Walks we follow all current government and industry guidelines, and all of our guides have been fully vaccinated. Therefore you can be confident that this walk is as Covid-secure as we can possibly make it. Details of how we do this can be found here.

Will we have the exclusive services of the guide?

All of our open and scheduled walks are open to all. If you book onto either of these types of walk, then there is a chance that there may well be other people on the walk with you. If you wish to have the exclusive services of the guide, you MUST book a Personal Walking Guide.

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