Monsal Head - Ashford in the Water - Sheldon - Monyash - Deep Dale - Monsal Head

Paul John Bridgett

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This area is among the most popular tourist regions in the White Peak area. Most people who have visited Derbyshire will be able to recognise the old railway viaduct crossing Monsal Dale.

This walk is a bit up hill and down dale, crossing from high ground at Monsal Head to the A6 running along the valley at Ashford in the Water and climbing back to high ground to Sheldon and Monyash. The return is mostly level or downhill with a short, quite steep climb from Monsal Dale to Monsal Head.

The area can be quite busy with walkers, so paths are well-walked and easy to follow, with only a few stiles, missing (knocked down) close to the Magpie Mine, near Sheldon.

The central point of the walk in Monyash has facilities for most tastes with a cafe / tea rooms and pub situated next to each other on the central green area. Both offer good-value food and refreshments. The pub The Bull's Head has several guest real ales changing frequently, usually with something from the local independent brewer Whim Ales; on day of walk Hartington Bitter was offered.

England - Central England - Derbyshire - Peak District

Features

Birds, Church, Flowers, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Industrial Archaeology, Pub, Public Transport, River, Tea Shop, Toilets

7/25/2019 - Saira Jackson

I did this walk on a warm and sunny 18/7/19. A brilliant and varied walk, well worth doing. With fabulous views, points of interest (the viaduct, the mine, Deep Dale and the villages) and lovely countryside to walk through with colourful wild flowers and butterflies. All paths good. A few points - the toilets at 1 are permanently closed. At 2 the Ashford sign is broken, the path was a little overgrown for a short distance but soon opened up again. I missed the turn off at 6 but carried on to the road in Ashford in the Water. (The toilets marked on the map in Ashford were open). At 18 turn right and right again - look around you for the scene in the photograph! I was a bit confused by the instructions 22/23 but basically keep going straight - when you arrive at the gate in picture 23 it will be obvious. The café and pub at Monyash were both open and popular. At 31 the 'hurdle' is like a piece of wall, and the 'gated stile on right' is a way past it, but obvious when you get there with an information board by it. At 32 turn left and follow path around to the left and downhill. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.