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The Industries of Monsal and Miller's Dales
Distance: 11 miles Duration: 6 hours Price: £30.00 per person
(Special family/group rates available - see below)
This walk follows the River Wye through Monsal and Miller's Dales, looking at the stories of the various different industries that once lined the valleys.

Beginning at White Lodge car park on the A6, the route of the walk enters the south end of Monsal Dale and follows the river to the imposing Headstone Viaduct, which used to carry the Derby to Manchester railway line across the valley. Once considered by many to be a blot on the landscape, the viaduct is now the Dale's most famous and photographed landmark. The walk then joins the Monsal Trail to visit the site of Monsal Dale Station and the siding which used to serve the lead mine on the hillside above. Beyond Monsal Dale Station, the walk drops back down to the valley bottom to pass the imposing Cressbrook Mill, originally built by Richard Arkwright in 1779 as part of his expanding cotton-spinning empire. Crossing the river via the footbridge at Cressbrook Mill, the walk then enters the beautiful, if intriguingly named, Water-cum-Jolly Dale.

This leads into Miller's Dale, where the walk passes another former cotton mill, the notorious Litton Mill. There, the walk rejoins the Monsal Trail to visit the remains of the large lime works that once flanked Miller's Dale Station, where passengers from Buxton would join trains to London. After looking at the imposing remains of the lime kilns, the walk then drops back down to the river once more to follow it through the beautiful Chee Dale, now a tranquil nature reserve. Reaching the former railway worker's cottages at Blackwell Mill, the walk climbs the hillside for the last time to the village of Blackwell, allowing a view of the UK's largest working limestone quarry. From there, it is just a short stroll along country lanes to the end point of the walk at The Waterloo Hotel public house.

Please note that some of the riverside paths may be closed as a result of becoming unusable due to severe weather, as they are subject to flooding from the river. It may therefore be necessary to vary the route of the walk to bypass any such closures by using the Monsal Trail instead.

Distance: 11 miles.
View White Lodge car park in a larger map
Duration (approx): 6 hours (including lunch).
Start point: White Lodge car park,
(On the A6 between Ashford-in-the-Water and Taddington.)
OS grid reference: SK170706.
Start time: 9:30am* (Monday - Saturday).
10:30am* (Sundays & Bank Holidays).
End point: The Waterloo Hotel public house,
Taddington,
Derbyshire.
(On the A6 just north of Taddington.)
OS grid reference: SK131714.
(Map of location)
Dates available: Not currently available due to coronavirus-related access difficulties.
(* = As your guide will be arriving by the "Transpeak" bus service, the actual start time may be slightly delayed if the bus is running late.)

When is this walk available?

This walk is not currently available due to issues regarding coronavirus-safe access.

Prices.

The following prices apply for this walk:

Ticket Price Deposit
(Included in overall price)
Adult or Child aged 16 and over
(Up to 3 people in group)
£30.00 per person £5.00 per person
Family Ticket - 1 adult plus up to 3 children
(aged 15 and below)
£66.00 per ticket £16.50 per ticket
Family Ticket - 2 adults plus up to 3 children
(aged 15 and below)
£81.00 per ticket £20.25 per ticket
Personal Walking Guide
(group of up to 10 people)
£100.00 per group £15.00 per group
Personal Walking Guide
(group of 11 to 12 people)
£150.00 per group £22.50 per group

For more information on how to book places on this walk, please see here. If you have any questions about the cost of this walk, please contact us via email at enquiries@derbysheritagewalks.com.

Travel to and from the walk.

This walk is easily accessible by both car and public transport. Full details of how to get to and from the walk will be included in the walk information sheet you will be sent along with your booking confirmation, but detailed information on the various public transport options is also available on our travel information page, which we try to keep as up to date as possible.

By far the easiest way to get to and from this walk from the Derby, Belper, Matlock, Bakewell and Buxton areas is by bus, as the hourly High Peak Buses "Transpeak" service between Derby and Buxton calls at both the start and end points of the walk. The northbound services call at a stop a short distance to the north of White Lodge car park, and so it is necessary to walk a couple of hundred yards back down the road from the stop. Southbound services from Buxton stop closer to the car park, but on the opposite side of the busy road.

By changing to the "Transpeak" at Bakewell or Buxton, it is also possible to access this walk from locations such as Sheffield, Chesterfield and Manchester.

"Transpeak" services also call at stops located by the finish point at The Waterloo Hotel, providing links back to Derby, Belper, Matlock, Bakewell and Buxton. By taking the "Transpeak" to Bakewell, you can then change onto other buses for onwards travel back to Chesterfield and Sheffield, or change at Buxton for trains back to Manchester or buses to Sheffield and Chesterfield.

The Derbyshire Wayfarer day rover ticket is accepted on all of the above buses. If travelling from Manchester, it is possible to use the Greater Manchester Wayfarer day rover ticket on all bus and train services between Buxton and Manchester, and you can also use it on the "Transpeak" to or from Bakewell and White Lodge if needed.

If you have any questions prior to booking regarding public transport options, please contact us and we will attempt to help you if we can.

If arriving by car, White Lodge car park offers "pay-and-display" parking, and is located approximately 2 miles north of Ashford-in-the-Water, or 1.5 miles south of Taddington. Having completed the walk, you can then use the "Transpeak" bus service to return to White Lodge car park to collect your car. Alternatively, and assuming you have the energy left, it is possible to walk back to the car park, and details of the recommended route can be supplied on request. If you decide to have someone else drop you off and pick you up, the sat-nav postcode for the Waterloo Hotel is SK17 9TJ - Unfortunately, there is no postcode for White Lodge car park, but it is so easy to find, you shouldn't really need one!

Is there anything special I need to bring?

Yes - a torch. If it is not possible to use the riverside path through Water-cum-Jolly Dale, the alternative route is along the Monsal Trail through Cressbrook and Litton Tunnels. If the path through Chee Dale is not usable, that section of the Monsal Trail also includes a couple of tunnels. Although these tunnels all have electric lighting installed, this can sometimes fail and leave you literally in the dark. It is therefore a good idea to make sure you pack a torch and spare batteries, just in case.

We also recommend that you bring plenty of water to drink, plus something to eat, as there are few facilities along the route of the walk where you can purchase food and drink apart from at Miller's Dale Station, where you can also refill reusable water bottles. We recommend that you bring at least two litres of water per person, and think seriously about increasing that by at least 50% in hot weather.

While the coronavirus crisis is still ongoing, we also ask that you bring your own facemask or similar face covering, plus your own hand sanitiser. While we endevour to maintain proper social distancing at all times on the walks, there are some occasions where it is necessary to use narrow paths. As it would be impossible in most cases to maintain proper social distancing if we were to encounter someone coming the other way along the path, the recommended advice in such a situation is to use a mask or other face covering while passing the other person. There is also the need to touch gates and stiles to pass from field to field or from fields onto roads. In these situations it is advised to use hand sanitiser before and immediately after touching the gate or stile. As we are not able to supply them for you, due to the high costs currently involved in obtaining supplies, it is your responsibility to provide your own, and failure to do so may result in cancellation of the walk.

Are there any disabled access issues?

Unfortunately, there are a few issues regarding disabled access on this walk, as much of it uses footpaths that are not suitable for wheelchairs or those of limited mobility. It is possible to create a customised disabled-friendly walk that takes in much of the route of this walk and visits all of the most important sites along the way. As a customised walk, we can tailor it to match your exact requirements and capabilities.

Please note that, as a customised walk, we will require extra time to devise and survey a suitable route. As a result, we will require at least 7 days notice prior to the date of the walk in order to prepare and check the route.

If you have any mobility issues, or are acting on behalf of someone who does, and would like to book this walk, please contact us in order to discuss your exact requirements.

Is this walk suitable for dogs?

Unfortunately, due to the fact that this walk passes through nature reserves where they may be a problem for some of the protected wildlife, dogs are not permitted on this walk.

Booking

This walk can be booked privately on a day of your choosing between late March and the end of October, even if we also have another walk scheduled for the same day. The only days the walk is not available are Thursdays and those listed as "unavailable" or "unavailable for private bookings" on the walking calender here.

Availability - The Industries of Monsal and Miller's Dales
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Bank Holidays
Yes No Yes No No Most* Most* Most*
* = Please contact us for details of availability

The normal maximum group size for a private booking on this walk is 8 people, but can be increased to 12 people if required.

For small groups of up to 3 people, the cost of this walk is £30.00 per person, including a £5.00 per person non-refundable deposit. For larger groups, this walk can be booked at a cost of £100.00 per group by booking a Personal Walking Guide (£150.00 per group for 11 or 12 people). This group rate includes a 15% non-refundable deposit.

We also have discounted family tickets available for this walk. These cost £66.00 for one adult and up to three children aged up to 15 years old, or £81.00 for two adults and up to three children aged up to 15 years old. Other discounted family rates can be quoted on request - please e-mail us for details. All family tickets include a 25% non-refundable deposit.

When can I book this walk?

Bookings can be made at any time up to 72 hours before the intended date of your walk, but the earlier you book, the more chance you have of getting the date you would like. We regret that we cannot accept bookings made less than 72 hours prior to the planned start time of the walk.

Please also ensure before booking that you have read and agree to our terms and conditions.

How To Book

If you wish to make a private booking for this walk, it is usually available on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, most Saturdays, some Sundays and most Bank Holidays from late March to the end of October, except for those dates listed as "unavailable" or "unavailable for private bookings" on the calendar on the right. If you would like to book this walk, please e-mail us to request a walk on your chosen date.

Please include the following information in your e-mail:

  • Name of walk (e.g. "The Industries of Monsal and Miller's Dales").
  • Date required.
  • Number in group.
  • Name and contact details of organiser (e-mail and postal addresses).
  • Preferred payment method (PayPal or cheque).
  • Any special requirements.

Once we have received your enquiry, we will e-mail you back (usually within 24 - 48 hours) to confirm if the desired date is available, and that it has been reserved for your booking. We will then send you the payment details for your preferred payment method and, once we have received cleared payment, will then send your booking confirmation and other walk information to you via e-mail.

Bookings can be made at any time up to 72 hours before the intended date of your walk. We regret that we cannot accept any bookings made less than 72 hours prior to the planned start time of the walk.

GuideAdvisor



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