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Reduced Mobility Walks

Wheelchair-Accessible Walks In Derbyshire And The Peak District


Mobility scooter on a trail Mobility scooter on a trail Mobility scooter on a trail Mobility scooter on a trail Mobility scooter on a trail Mobility scooter on a trail


Derbyshire Heritage Walks is currently the ONLY company offering guide-led walks around the Peak District for persons of reduced mobility such as users of wheelchairs or mobility scooters.

As part of our efforts to make the Peak District and Derbyshire as accessible as possible, we have a range of walks which are suitable for persons of reduced mobility. Some of our standard walks are already wheelchair and mobility scooter accessible, while some of the others can be adapted via minor tweaks to the route. We are also working to develop a range of new routes which combine good surfaces, no steps or stiles, and distances suitable for the majority of electric scooters.

The suitability of walks is graded using the same system as developed by Miles Without Stiles, grading the walks as being suitable "For All", "For Many" and "For Some". Details of those definitions can be found below.

In addition to the walks listed below, we can also create customised walks on other routes where suitable. If you would like to request a customised walk, please e-mail us to discuss your requirements.

Suitability Of Routes

  • For All - Gradients up to 1:10. Surface is tarmac or compacted earth, stone or gravel with a diameter of 10mm or less. Suitable for pushchairs and unassisted wheelchairs.
  • For Many - Gradients up to 1:8. Surfacing is earth with stones of 4cm diameter or less. Suitable for assisted wheelchairs and more robust, all-terrain type equipment.
  • For Some - Slopes greater than 1:8 with improved surfacing or handrails. Stone surfacing will be less than 10cm in diameter. Steps or breaks less than 10cm in height. Suitable for robust all-terrain type equipment and off-road mobility vehicles.

If you do not have your own mobility scooter, or think that the one you have may not be up to the challenge, it is often possible to hire one for the various walks. Some of the walks begin and end at visitor centres or other locations where it is possible to hire a "Tramper" all-terrain mobility scooter, or it may be possible to hire a "Boma 7" off-road wheelchair from Hoe Grange Holidays. Details of how to hire from the various visitor centres is included in the description of each walk.

If you, or a person you are booking for, are a person of reduced mobility, please either contact us before booking or let us know when you book, so that we can make any necessary adjustments and send you any additional information you may need regarding access arrangements.



Miller's Dale Station Miller's Dale Station Miller's Dale Station Miller's Dale Station Miller's Dale Station Miller's Dale Station
Miller's Dale Station

At 6.4 miles in length, this is a slightly shortened version of our full Monsal Trail walk, with step-free access onto the trail at both ends. Starting at Miller's Dale Station and finishing at Bakewell Station, the route is completely flat, with surfacing comprising compacted earth and very fine gravel. This makes it suitable for all types of mobility scooter and wheelchair. Both ends of the walk are accessible by bus from Buxton and Sheffield, although access to the start and finish points does include going up and down hills which may be an issue for self-propelled wheelchairs. Car drop-off and pick-up areas are available at both ends of the walk with level access onto and off the trail.

Distance: 6.4 miles.
Price: £15.00.
Accessibility: For All (via car) / For Many (via bus).

Dates available:
Open Walk bookings available on a date of your choosing all year round.

Scheduled walks available all year from January 4th to December 20th. Please see the walk information page for full list of dates.

Private bookings are also available on a date of your choosing via a Personal Walking Guide (subject to availability).

For full details, or to book this walk, please click here.

Ashopton Viaduct Ashopton Viaduct Ashopton Viaduct Ashopton Viaduct Ashopton Viaduct Ashopton Viaduct
Ashopton Viaduct

A six-mile circular route around the northern arm of Ladybower Reservoir, the lowest and newest of the three Upper Derwent Valley dams. Beginning and ending at the Upper Derwent Visitor Centre, this walk loops around both banks of the reservoir, along the way visiting the sites of the two villages sacrified to create the reservoir. It ends back at the Visitor Centre following a slight diversion to the dam wall of Derwent Dam and the memorial to 617 Squadron, better known as "The Dambusters", who used the dam as a practice target prior to the May 1943 mission famously depicted in the classic 1955 movie of the same name.

Distance: 6 miles.
Price: £8.00.
Accessibility: For Many.

Dates available:
Scheduled walks available from March 1st to November 30th. Please see the walk information page for full list of dates.

Private bookings are also available from March to November on a date of your choosing via a Personal Walking Guide (subject to availability).

For full details, or to book this walk, please click here.

Greyhound Pond, Cromford Greyhound Pond, Cromford Greyhound Pond, Cromford Greyhound Pond, Cromford Greyhound Pond, Cromford Greyhound Pond, Cromford
Greyhound Pond, Cromford

A relaxed two-mile stroll around the historic mill village of Cromford, considered by many to be the true birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, led by a guide with over 35 years experience of leading walks around the village. While the regular walk around the village involves a couple of sections which are unsuitable for persons of reduced mobility due to the presence of steps, narrow gates or rough surfaces, the route can be varied to bypass these problem areas without missing out any of the key points of the walk. The walk ends at the gates of Cromford Mill itself, considered to be the world's first true factory, where it is usually possible to join one of the Arkwright Society's own tours of the Mill, or simply wander around the Mill on your own.

Distance: 2 miles.
Price: £6.00.
Accessibility: For All.

Dates available:
Scheduled walks available all year from January 4th to December 20th. Please see the walk information page for full list of dates.

Private bookings are also available on a date of your choosing via a Personal Walking Guide (subject to availability).

For full details, or to book this walk, please click here.

Cromford Canal Cromford Canal Cromford Canal Cromford Canal Cromford Canal Cromford Canal
The Cromford Canal

A four-mile circular route beginning and ending at Cromford Wharf, in the shadow of Sir Richard Arkwright's Cromford Mills where the Industrial Revolution began. This walk follows the Cromford Canal to the popular High Peak Junction, site of one of the earliest railway workshops in the world. There, the walk leaves the Canal and follows the route of the old Cromford and High Peak Railway along the High Peak Trail for approximately two miles to Black Rocks. It then descends Cromford Hill into the historic mill village of Cromford, before returning to the start point at the Wharf. All along the way, it looks at the history of the canal and railway, and the various industries in the area that they both served. Additionally, the section along the High Peak Trail offers some fine scenic views out over the Derwent Valley.

Distance: 4 miles.
Price: £6.00.
Accessibility: For Many.

Dates available:
Scheduled walks available from March 1st to November 30th. Please see the walk information page for full list of dates.

Private bookings are also available from March to November on a date of your choosing via a Personal Walking Guide (subject to availability).

For full details, or to book this walk, please click here.

The East Mill and Horseshoe Weir The East Mill and Horseshoe Weir The East Mill and Horseshoe Weir The East Mill and Horseshoe Weir The East Mill and Horseshoe Weir The East Mill and Horseshoe Weir
The East Mill and Horseshoe Weir, Belper

This circular walk around Belper looks at the various lost industries of the world's first cotton mill town. This includes the cotton mills built by the Strutt family at the very beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the houses the family built for their workers, and the nail-making industry that pre-dated the arrival of the cotton mills. It also looks at the other industries which once provided employment for the town, including hosiery, confectionery, chemicals and engineering.

While many wheelchair and mobility scooter users will be able to complete the full normal route for this walk without difficulty, it may be necessary to include some small diversions around rough surfaces for some users.

Distance: 2.8 miles.
Price: £5.00.
Accessibility: For All.

Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus selected Saturdays and Sundays. Please see the walk information page for full list of dates.

Private bookings are also available on a date of your choosing via a Personal Walking Guide (subject to availability).

For full details, or to book this walk, please click here.

A Cromwell Tank A Cromwell Tank A Cromwell Tank A Cromwell Tank A Cromwell Tank A Cromwell Tank
A Cromwell Tank

As seen on ITV News and featured on BBC Radio Derby, this circular walk looks at Belper's little-known wartime secrets. During the Second World War, Belper played a key role in the Allied victory. However, as those "in the know" never really talked about what they were doing, many people today have no idea of just how important a place it was. This walk tells the story of the secret wartime work that took place in Belper and visits the sites involved.

While many wheelchair and mobility scooter users will be able to complete the full normal route for this walk without difficulty, it may be necessary to include some small diversions around rough surfaces for some users.

Distance: 3.5 miles.
Price: £5.00.
Accessibility: For All.

Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus selected Saturdays and Sundays. Please see the walk information page for full list of dates.

Private bookings are also available on a date of your choosing via a Personal Walking Guide (subject to availability).

For full details, or to book this walk, please click here.




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Reduced Mobility Walks
Wheelchair-Accessible Walks In Derbyshire And The Peak District

Mobility scooter on a trail

Derbyshire Heritage Walks is currently the ONLY company offering regular and affordable guide-led walks around the Peak District and Derbyshire for persons of reduced mobility such as users of wheelchairs or mobility scooters.

As part of our efforts to make the Peak District and Derbyshire as accessible as possible, we have a range of walks which are suitable for persons of reduced mobility. Some of our standard walks are already wheelchair and mobility scooter accessible, while some of the others can be adapted via minor tweaks to the route. We are also working to develop a range of new accessible routes which combine features such as good surfaces, no steps or stiles, and distances suitable for the majority of electric scooters.

The suitability of the various different walks varies with the different terrain and ground conditions found along each route. Some use hard tarmac surfaces all or most of the way, while others spend most of the time on packed gravel or earth paths. To help you know which routes may or may not be suitable for you, the walks are graded using the same system as developed by Miles Without stiles, grading the routes of the different walks as being suitable "For All", "For Many" and "For Some". Details of those definitions can be found in the blue box on the right.

Grading the routes for suitability can sometimes be quite hard, as one person's "For Some" may be another's "For Many". We have tried to grade each route as best as we can, but we always welcome feedback regarding how various wheelchair or mobility scooter users have found a certain route. If you think we may have graded a certain route wrongly, please contact us with your feedback and suggestions.

Suitability Of Routes

  • For All - Gradients up to 1:10. Surface is tarmac or compacted earth, stone or gravel with a diameter of 10mm or less. Suitable for pushchairs and unassisted wheelchairs.
  • For Many - Gradients up to 1:8. Surfacing is earth with stones of 4cm diameter or less. Suitable for assisted wheelchairs and more robust, all-terrain type equipment.
  • For Some - Slopes greater than 1:8 with improved surfacing or handrails. Stone surfacing will be less than 10cm in diameter. Steps or breaks less than 10cm in height. Suitable for robust all-terrain type equipment and off-road mobility vehicles.
If you do not have your own mobility scooter, or think that the one you have may not be up to the challenge, it is often possible to hire one for the various walks. Some of the walks begin and end at visitor centres or other locations where it is possible to hire a "Tramper" all-terrain mobility scooter, or it may be possible to hire a "Boma 7" off-road wheelchair from Hoe Grange Holidays. Details of how to hire from the various visitor centres is included in the description of each walk.

In addition to the walks listed below, we can also create customised walks on other routes where suitable. If you would like to request a customised walk, please e-mail us to discuss your requirements.


Currently Available Walks
Rails Through The Peaks 2 - Miller's Dale to Bakewell

Miller's Dale Station
At 6.4 miles in length, this is a slightly shortened version of our full Monsal Trail walk, with step-free access onto the trail at both ends. Starting at Miller's Dale Station and finishing at Bakewell Station, the route is completely flat, with surfacing comprising compacted earth and very fine gravel. This makes it suitable for all types of mobility scooter and wheelchair.

Both ends of the walk are accessible by bus from Buxton and Sheffield, although access to the start and finish points does include going up and down hills which may be an issue for self-propelled wheelchairs. Car drop-off and pick-up areas are available at both ends of the walk with level access onto and off the trail.

Accessibility: For All (via car) / For Many (via bus). Dates available:
Scheduled walks available from January 3rd to December 20th.

Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing.

For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.

Distance: 6.4 miles.
Duration: 3 to 4 hours.
Price: £15.00.

Ladybower Reservoir Circular 1

Ashopton Viaduct
(© Gerry Machen)
A six-mile circular route around the northern arm of Ladybower Reservoir, the lowest and newest of the three Upper Derwent Valley dams.

Beginning and ending at the Upper Derwent Visitor Centre, this walk loops around both banks of the reservoir, along the way visiting the sites of the two villages sacrified to create the reservoir. It ends back at the Visitor Centre following a slight diversion to the dam wall of Derwent Dam and the memorial to 617 Squadron, better known as "The Dambusters", who used the dam as a practice target prior to the May 1943 mission famously depicted in the classic 1955 movie of the same name.

As it uses a combination of tarmac pavements and gravel/earth paths, this walk may not be suitable for all wheelchairs and mobility scooters, but should be accessible to most.

Accessibility: For Many. Dates available:
Scheduled walks available from March 1st to November 30th.

Personal Walking Guide bookings available from March to November on a date of your choosing.

For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.

Distance: 6 miles.
Duration: 3 to 4 hours.
Price: £8.00.

Cromford - Birthplace of the Industrial Revolution

Greyhound Pond, Cromford
A relaxed two-mile stroll around the historic mill village of Cromford, considered by many to be the true birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, led by a guide with over 35 years experience of leading walks around the village. The walk includes a look at the worker's houses he built in the village and how they compare to what came before, the water-management system he built to power the mill, and the other facilities he built in the area. It ends at the gates of Cromford Mill itself, considered to be the world's first true factory and the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, where it is usually possible to join one of the Arkwright Society's own tours of the Mill, or simply wander around the Mill on your own.

While the regular walk around the village involves a couple of sections which are unsuitable for wheelchairs, mobility scooters or persons of reduced mobility due to the presence of steps, narrow gates or rough surfaces, the route can be varied to bypass these problem areas without missing out any of the key points of the walk.

Accessibility: For All. Dates available:
Scheduled walks available all year from January 4th to December 20th.

Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing.

For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.

Distance: 2 miles.
Duration: 2 to 2.5 hours.
Price: £6.00.

The Cromford Canal and High Peak Trail

The Cromford Canal
A four-mile circular route beginning and ending at Cromford Wharf, in the shadow of Sir Richard Arkwright's Cromford Mills where the Industrial Revolution began. This walk follows the Cromford Canal to the popular High Peak Junction, site of one of the earliest railway workshops in the world. There, the walk leaves the Canal and follows the route of the Cromford and High Peak Railway along the High Peak Trail to Black Rocks. It then descends Cromford Hill into the historic mill village of Cromford, finishing back at the Wharf. Along the way, it looks at the history of the canal and railway, and the various industries that they both served. Additionally, the section along the High Peak Trail offers some fine scenic views out over the Derwent Valley.

The surfacing of this walk is a mix of compacted earth/gravel and tarmac pavement. The climb up to Black Rocks involves a mile-long incline of up to 1 in 8, and Cromford Hill has an equally long and steep descent. For this reason, this walk may not be suitable for many manually-propelled wheelchairs.

Accessibility: For Many. Dates available:
Scheduled walks available from March 1st to November 30th.

Personal Walking Guide bookings available from March to November on a date of your choosing.

For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.

Distance: 4 miles.
Duration: 2 to 2.5 hours.
Price: £6.00.

Belper's Lost Industries

The East Mill and Horseshoe Weir, Belper
This circular walk around Belper looks at the various lost industries of the world's first cotton mill town. This includes the cotton mills built by the Strutt family at the very beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the houses the family built for their workers, and the nail-making industry that pre-dated the arrival of the cotton mills. It also looks at the other industries which once provided employment for the town, including hosiery, confectionery, chemicals and engineering.

As an urban walk, the majority of the route is on tarmac pavements and other hard surfaces. Most of the time, the surfacing is good and reasonably smooth. There are some sections where the surface is more irregular, such as the cobbles of Long Row and the poorly-maintained roads of The Clusters. As this is Belper, there are some slopes involved, but none of them are excessively steep. While many wheelchair and mobility scooter users will be able to complete the full normal route for this walk without difficulty, it may be necessary to include some small diversions around rough surfaces for some users.

Accessibility: For All. Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus selected Saturdays and Sundays from January 3rd to December 20th.

Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing.

For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.

Distance: 2.8 miles.
Duration: 2 to 2.5 hours.
Price: £5.00.

Belper's Lost Industries

A Cromwell Tank
As seen on ITV News and featured on BBC Radio Derby, this circular walk looks at Belper's little-known wartime secrets. During the Second World War, Belper played a key role in the Allied victory. However, as those "in the know" never really talked about what they were doing, many people today have no idea of just how important a place it was. This walk tells the story of the secret wartime work that took place in Belper and visits the sites involved.

As an urban walk, the majority of the route is on tarmac pavements and other hard surfaces. Most of the time, the surfacing is good and reasonably smooth. There are some sections where the surface is more irregular, such as the cobbles of Long Row and the poorly-maintained roads of The Clusters. As this is Belper, there are some slopes involved, but none of them are excessively steep. While many wheelchair and mobility scooter users will be able to complete the full normal route for this walk without difficulty, it may be necessary to include some small diversions around rough surfaces for some users.

Accessibility: For All. Dates available:
Scheduled walks available most Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus selected Saturdays and Sundays from January 3rd to December 20th.

Personal Walking Guide bookings available on a date of your choosing.

For full details and dates, or to book this walk, please click here.

Distance: 3.5 miles.
Duration: 2.5 hours.
Price: £5.00.


GuideAdvisor



Cookie policy

Like almost every other website on the Internet today, this site does use cookies. The only thing they are used for is as part of Google Analytics, so that we can tell how successful this site is at attracting visitors and which pages they look at most. If you don't want cookies on your system, then please don't view this site any further, as we can't change the underlying technology used by Google Analytics. We also suggest that you clear your cookies after leaving this site.