This walk was such a lovely mix of scenery, history and little surprises. We started at Scarthin Books in Cromford, a wonderfully quirky bookshop that feels like a real find. It’s the perfect place to begin a slow, meandering walk because you’re already in a relaxed frame of mind before you even reach the river.
We followed an all trails path that lead up the hill, including finding some fun tunnels, to the top of where The heights of Abraham sits. Some stretches feel peaceful and tucked away, while others open up with beautiful views of the valley sides. The autumn colours made it even more spectacular. It was truly beautiful. You can see our path below:
The route is from one side of the valley, to the other, there was quite a large flat section but there was so much variation to keep it interesting. You pass mills, old industrial buildings and pieces of Peak District heritage that make the walk feel purposeful as well as scenic. The kids loved spotting the peaks of the trees on the other side of the valley at the top of High Tor.
Arriving in Matlock Bath we walked over the river up to High Tor, and followed a trail around the top of the hills, back down through fields and ended up walking around the mills. It makes a brilliant end point for a walk that starts in quiet Cromford.
If you enjoy walks that mix nature with a touch of history, you might also like reading about our walk from Monsal Head into Bakewell. Let me know below if you’ve explored the Derwent Valley — it’s such an underrated part of the Peak District.
