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Ashford-in-the-Water and Monsal Dale

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Our view

"Explore John Ruskin's 'Vale of Tempe' returned to glory."

Walk directions

From the car park, leave Corner Cottage on your left then turn right along Vicarage Lane. By a yellow grit bin, a footpath doubles back left, then swings sharp right to climb behind housing. Beyond a narrow gate the path enters a field.

Head uphill, curving to a stile in the distant right corner that leads on to a walled stony track (Pennyunk Lane) which winds among high pastures. At the end, go left uphill along a field edge. Go through a gate at the top, turn right past a dew pond and carry on as the track resumes. Emerging above the rim of Monsal Dale, fork right along a path to the car park at Monsal Head.

After admiring the view, take the continuing path signed ‘Monsal Trail and Viaduct’, descending steeply on steps. Fork left at a junction towards ‘Viaduct and Monsal Trail’, descending to the trail at the western portal of the Headstone Tunnel. Cross the viaduct, then fork right through a gate towards ‘Monsal Head via Netherdale’ at a junction of bridleways. Turn right along the valley, go underneath the viaduct and through a squeeze stile.

The onward path heads downriver, more or less beside the Wye. Eventually, at a path junction, continue towards ‘A6 and White Lodge’, crossing a stream and stile, then up to the A6.

Cross this busy road and enter the White Lodge car park. By the pay station, take a path signed ‘Deep Dale Nature Reserve Ashford’. Beyond a gate, ignore a path to Taddington. Bend right on worn limestone pavement, and go briefly up a mossy rough limestone section beside a wall to cross a stile into the Deep Dale Nature Reserve. Rise up a rough track, then fork left at a junction towards Ashford and Sheldon rising steeply to a junction at the edge of woodland.

Go through the gate towards Ashford, continuing more easily across then gently descending the steep slopes of Great Shacklow Wood. Disregard a later crossing path from Sheldon, but then watch for the drain outflow from the Magpie Mine. Beyond a derelict bone mill, leave the wood and carry on ahead along a broader track, shortly passing the foot of a side dale. Bend left through a gate, then follow the river, ultimately passing through two gates to meet a lane at the bottom of Kirk Dale.

Turn left down to the A6 and then right along the pavement towards Ashford. Cross the busy road then fork left over Sheepwash Bridge. Continue up Fennel Street then right to return to the car park.

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Location

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Well-defined paths and tracks throughout, a few short rougher sections in Deep Dale and Great Shacklow Wood, a few stiles

Landscape - Limestone dales and high pasture

Dog friendliness - Under close control and on lead near livestock

Parking - Ashford-in-the-Water pay car park

Toilets en route - At Ashford car park, White Lodge and Monsal Head

Walks in Derbyshire Dog-friendly walks in Derbyshire

About the walk

The Wye is a chameleon among rivers. Rising as a peaty stream from Axe Edge, it rushes downhill, only to be confined by the concrete and tarmac of Buxton, a spa town, and the quarries to the east. Beyond Chee Dale it gets renewed vigour and cuts a deep gorge through beds of limestone, finally to... calm down again among the gentle landscape of Bakewell. The finest stretch of the river valley must be around Monsal Head, and the best approach is that from Ashford-in-the-Water, one of Derbyshire’s prettiest villages. Leaving Ashford’s streets behind, the route climbs to high pastures that give no clue as to the whereabouts of Monsal Dale. But suddenly you reach the last wall and the ground falls away into a deep wooded gorge. John Ruskin was so taken with this beauty that he likened it to the Vale of Tempe: ‘you might have seen the Gods there morning and evening – Apollo and all the sweet Muses of the light – walking in fair procession on the lawns of it, and to and fro among the pinnacles of its crags.’ It’s just a short walk along the rim to reach one of Derbyshire’s best known viewpoints, where the Monsal Viaduct spans the gorge. Built in 1867 as part of the Midland Railway’s line to Buxton, the five-arched, stone-built viaduct is nearly 80ft (26m) high. The building of this angered Ruskin. He continued: ‘you blasted its rocks away, heaped thousands of tons of shale into its lovely stream. The valley is gone, and the Gods with it.’ The line closed in 1968 and the rails were ripped out, leaving only the trackbed and the bridges. Ironically, today’s conservationists have placed a conservation order on the viaduct. The trackbed is used as a recreational route for walkers and cyclists: the Monsal Trail. The walk continues over the viaduct, giving bird’s-eye views of the river and the lawn-like surrounding pastures. It then descends to the riverbank, following it westwards under the viaduct and beneath the peak of Fin Cop. The valley curves like a sickle, while the path weaves in and out of thickets and by wetlands. After crossing the A6 the route takes you into the mouth of Deep Dale, then the shade of Great Shacklow Wood. Just past some pools filled with trout there’s an entrance to the Magpie Mine Sough. The tunnel was built in 1873 to drain the Magpie Lead Mines at nearby Sheldon.

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About the area

The natural features of this central English county range from the modest heights of the Peak District National Park, where Kinder Scout stands at 2,088 ft (636 m), to the depths of its remarkable underground caverns, floodlit to reveal exquisite Blue John stone. Walkers and cyclists will enjoy the High Peak Trail which extends from the Derwent Valley to the limestone plateau near Buxton, and for many, the spectacular scenery is what draws them to the area.

Route details

Difficulty:

Medium

Gradient:

Moderate

Distance:

6 miles (9.7kms)

Ascent:

1100ft (335m)

If you like this walk, you can try more routes in the area.

Find more walks in Derbyshire

Ashford-in-the-Water and Monsal Dale

Recommended by

Our view

"Explore John Ruskin's 'Vale of Tempe' returned to glory."

Walk details

Difficulty:

Medium

Gradient:

Moderate

Distance:

6 miles (9.7kms)

Ascent:

1100ft (335m)

Walk directions

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The onward path heads downriver, more or less beside the Wye. Eventually, at a path junction, continue towards ‘A6 and White Lodge’, crossing a stream and stile, then up to the A6.

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Turn left down to the A6 and then right along the pavement towards Ashford. Cross the busy road then fork left over Sheepwash Bridge. Continue up Fennel Street then right to return to the car park.

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Location

Starting point

Nearest postcode:

Additional information

Terrain - Well-defined paths and tracks throughout, a few short rougher sections in Deep Dale and Great Shacklow Wood, a few stiles

Landscape - Limestone dales and high pasture

Dog friendliness - Under close control and on lead near livestock

Parking - Ashford-in-the-Water pay car park

Toilets en route - At Ashford car park, White Lodge and Monsal Head

Walks in Derbyshire Dog-friendly walks in Derbyshire

About the walk

Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

Learn more

Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

Learn more

Been on this walk?

Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.

Find out more

Walking in Safety

Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.

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Get an AA guide

Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.

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About the area

Derbyshire

Ashford-in-the-Water and Monsal Dale

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Walking in Safety

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Ashford-in-the-Water and Monsal Dale

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