A lovely walk taking in some of Derbyshire's high gritstone edges, with their brilliant views, along with a couple of nice villages and a quiet walk alongside the river Derwent. Wonderful at any time of year, but especially spring and early summer.
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Walk Facts: |
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| Start | Baslow (SK 258 721), on the A619 near Chatsworth Park (click for MAP) |
| Terrain | Paths and tracks along gritstone edges, riverside field paths. There's an initial steep climb out of Baslow and a short but rough descent from Froggatt Edge. Note: In April 2005, an elderly man was seriously injured by one of the cattle which graze Baslow moor. Please be very careful around the cattle, especially if you have a dog with you. |
| Length | About eight miles |
| Time | Three to four hours |
| Food/Drink | Shops, cafes and pubs in Baslow and Calver |
| Toilets | Baslow |
| Note | Much of this walk is on Access Land. This is often closed in dry weather, as walkers are seen as a fire risk. If in doubt, check with the National Park Authority |
From the car park in Baslow, cross the A619 Chesterfield road using the pedestrian crossing and head up Eaton Hill. Fork right onto Bar Road and follow this road, which becomes a track after a little while.
Continue along the track, which climbs steeply out of the village. As you struggle up the hill, you can take comfort from the fact that this is the only steep climb of the day! The track itself is interesting enough and eventually your effort is rewarded as you break clear of the trees and views open up into the valley and across Chatsworth Park. Follow the lane until eventually you reach a gate marking the boundary of open country. This is Baslow Moor - the area is grazed by fearsome-looking but placid longhorn cattle. After passing through the gate continue to follow the path, which curves right, until open heather moorland appears and the track divides. The structure straight ahead is the Wellington Monument - if you want to see it, take a detour now!
The
path forks into two distinct branches, the right-hand one going to the monument
and the other heading across the moor towards a huge boulder. Ignore both of
these and look for a smaller path to the left, which doubles back the way you've
come but on a higher level.
The chosen path takes you along the edge of the moor (pictured left), with views down into the valley. You walk on grass amongst boulders which have been carved into fantastic shapes by the weather. This is a magical spot and you should linger and explore. The many paths all lead eventually to the same place so don't worry about which you take. However, there's a steep drop on the left, so keep away from the edge. As you explore, look across to those trudging along the path which crosses the moor past the big boulder and feel sorry for them - they're missing all the fun!
After a while you find your way, via a gate, onto the road at Curbar Gap. Cross the road and use a rough track to enter the moorland again, passing through a white gate after a short while. This is Curbar Edge and the track is now followed for about a mile and a half, firstly over moorland then eventually through thin Birch woodland. Somewhere along here the name changes to Froggatt Edge but you won't notice any difference. The path is so obvious that you'd have to be a genius to lose it. At one point there's a small stone circle a little way off the path to the right.
Eventually you pass through a stile by a gate, and immediately cross a small stream. You need to leave the path here and turn left to enter the woodland. There's a thin path which follows the stream for a few metres, then branches. You need to take the right hand branch, so that you pass to the right of the small rock outcrop which is directly ahead. You now follow the path steeply down through the trees, taking care amongst the boulders. When you come to a wire mesh fence, turn right and follow it until the road comes into view, then make your way down onto the road.
Turn left and walk down the road, which is busy, for a few hundred yards until a side-road branches to the right into the houses of the village of Froggat. Follow the side road and walk through the village, continuing downhill until the bridge over the river Derwent is reached. Cross the bridge and go through the stile on the left to join the riverbank path, initially through trees, then fields and finally through a nature reserve.
This is a lovely stroll alongside the quiet river, usually accompanied by ducks and water fowl on the river. The nature reserve has many nesting birds and bog plants. Look for long-tailed tits nesting amongst the willow trees.
Eventually you rejoin the road alongside another bridge over the river. Cross the road but stay on the same side of the river, taking a track which goes straight ahead at the point where the road turns sharp left to cross the bridge. Follow this track through riverside woodland populated by squirrels and rabbits as well as many birds, until eventually you emerge into a large field with a campsite on the opposite side. Leaving the riverside, walk across the field to a gate alongside a building which looks at first sight rather like a chapel (but isn't).
After passing through the gate, walk down the campsite access road to reach the village of Calver (pronounced car-va). This village is interesting, dominated by the old mill which used to use water power to produce cotton but now has been converted to appartments.
After visiting the shop for refreshments, cross the minor road you emerged onto and take the tarmac path which heads for the riverbank and goes under the bridge carrying the main road over the Derwent. Pass behind a row of houses, to emerge into open fields.
Follow the riverbank again through several fields to eventually get onto a track with woodland on the right. Follow this, then the obvious path across another field to reach a second track. Turn left onto this one and walk along it. Eventually the track turns into a road , which takes you back into Baslow. When a rather grand bridge over the river is reached, cross it and turn right to walk past the church, then cross the road and follow it past the traffic island to return to the car park and the end of a wonderfully varied walk.
