Walking 55 Miles On The Derwent Valley Heritage Way
The Derwent Valley Heritage Way is a 55 mile route that follows the course of the River Derwent from Ladybower reservoir to the mouth of the river a few miles south east of Derby.
I’d been wanting to do this walk for a few years, ever since my eldest was born really. The start point is less than 10 miles from home, a non-circular route felt exciting and the milage felt comfortably doable.
It’s a well trodden route with it’s own website and guidebook that breaks it down into 10 sections that can be completed individually or in one. There’s a plethora of information and videos from people who’ve walked the route, including this video by fellow Sheffield-er Paul Messner who walked the route in 2019.
I’d arranged the walk for mid-June starting on a Wednesday morning. I needed to be home for Friday evening for a pre-planned event and 2.5 days felt a perfect amount of time.
Apart from hastily buying a new lightweight tent, my kit consisted of using stuff I already had.
Day 1 — Ladybower to Cromford (28 miles)
After a short Uber journey I set off from Heatherdene car park at 9.15am on the Wednesday, taking the above obligatory photo of the wooden start signpost. I’d got a campsite booked for this evening and had planned this to be a long day. I’d previously walked 26 miles (many years ago) but had a couple of 21 mile walks in me from just last year, so wasn’t too worried about a few extra miles.
The first two thirds of the walk is stunning following the River Derwent, mostly all on footpaths, that pass through beautiful Peak District villages of Bamford, Hathersage, Calver, Froggat, Curbar, Baslow and Rowsley. It passes through hamlets I’d never heard of; Harper Lees, Carlton Lees and Oaker. The route is marked with plenty of waymarkers, a yellow arrow on a purple background. Each time I past one was like getting a high five that I’d not messed up. I’d do a little fist pump at each.
Stopped at Rowsley for lunch (pre-made ham sarnies and a sausage roll from their village shop) before carrying on, passing by Chatsworth House and Darley Dale.
The latter third takes in Matlock, including walking up the knee-knackering High Tor, and then an unappealing road section along the A6 at Matlock Bath.
The last few miles of the day were walking on the Cromford Canal, very pleasant. Finished the day at High Peak Junction, and a 1 mile detour to my campsite for the day.
Camped at Birchwood Farm, in between Cromford and Whatstandwell. Pre-booked a few weeks earlier and paid £6 cash for a non-electric pitch. It’s a lovely place, with flat pitches and a well stocked on-site shop.
Rested my feet, blister plasters aplenty. FaceTimed the family. Hunkered down in my new, too-small tent. Ate a delicious Decathlon freeze dried chicken curry meal and booked a refundable hotel room for the following evening, with rain forecast.
DVHW sections completed: 1, 2, 3, 4 and half of 5
Day 2 — Cromford to Derby city centre (18 miles)
Was packed up and hobbling back down to High Peak Junction by 8.30am. The first few miles of the day was back on Cromford Canal heading through Whatstandwell to Ambergate where the route moves away from the water via some lovely farmland around Toadmoor before arriving into Belper.
Belper is a lovely market town I enjoyed passing through. The route goes through some distinct cobbled streets with old worker cottages now homes for families.
Continued on through a lovely field section at Milford, passing the Holly Bush Inn a lovely old pub in Makeney apparently frequented by notorious highwayman Dick Turpin in 300 years ago. There’s a long road section at Little Eaton where the hum of traffic and busyness increases on the approach to Derby.
At Darley Abbey the guidebook mentioned a toll bridge which was pretty cool to pass over. There’s a £1 charge, but no-one was collecting on the day. The last few miles were a paved path next to the Derwent.
I’d given myself two options for the day; finish in Derby having walked 18 miles, or carry on a further 5 miles and camp at Beechwood Park in Elvaston. My feet were hurting a lot at this point so I finished the day at 3.30pm with a half mile walk from the route to the Penta Hotel. I felt a bit gutted at staying in a hotel, like it was cheating by not camping for a second night. But I wanted to complete the walk and I’m glad I took this option.
Had an early night after a bland Summit to Eat chicken fried rice camping meal.
DVHW sections completed: Rest of 5, 6, 7 and 8
Day 3 — Derby city centre to Shardlow (10 miles)
Set the alarm for 6am, packed up and filled up on the included breakfast, coffee and juice. Was on the path by 7.30am, following a national cycle path. Easy to walk on but the distant traffic noise was uninspiring.
At Borrowash Bridge headed across the fields to Ambaston, then a few a miles road walking to Shardlow, before the last mile on the canal path next to the Trent and Mersey Canal.
Got to the end point at just after 10.30am just as the first drops of rain started. Spent 20 minutes trying — and failing — to find a wooden sign with ‘Ladybower Reservoir 55 miles’ that was in my guidebook. Assume it’s no longer there.
Walked the mile back to Shardlow, caught a bus into Derby and a train back to Sheffield. Was home for when the kids came back from school. They nodded and asked for a snack. Normal service resumed.
I completed the 55 mile walk, plus 3 miles detour for accommodation, in 2 days and an hour. Happy with that.
DVHW sections completed: 9 and 10
A few reflections
A few days on, and apart from the painful feet, I’m super happy that I had the opportunity to do this walk. For the most parts it’s ridiculously beautiful.
- The guidebook is essential; it’s excellently written, easy to follow and I’m so glad this was how I navigated the walk rather than looking down at my phone. I’ve got the second edition, published in 2014 and it was faultless.
- The OS app was reassuring to have. I’d plotted the route in advance and downloaded it (so no signal needed). This meant I needed to subscribe, but the £34.99 annual cost was well worth it. I went slightly off course twice (pretty good I thought) and this helped me find my way back onto the route. I checked I was on the route a few times each hour still, too.
- My bag was pretty heavy, but I don’t know what I could have done to save much weight. Dropping the hiking poles, taking a bit less water and leaving the spare t-shirt would have saved 1kg max. I think it it what it is.
- Would I have carried on day 2 and 3 if I’d have known how much pain I’d have been in with my feet? I’m really not sure, those last 10 miles were grim, as have been the following few days.
- Could I have done less on the first day and more on the second? Yes, possibly, but I really didn’t want to camp near Matlock which is around the 20 mile marker. I’m happy to have carried on further, camped that first night near Cromford and made the second day an 18 miler.
Kit list
Apart from the tent and food, everything else was stuff I had already owned, most for many years.
Tent
- Alpkit Ultra, bought for this trip. It’s a well made, very lightweight tent — but it’s really tiny. I think I’ll end up selling it and sticking with my old Lanshan 1, which is a similar weight but with more space inside.
Pack
- Used my old Osprey 34 litre bag. It fit everything in, just. It’s a great bag apart from the side pockets are too small for most water bottles
Sleeping
- Exped Synmat
- UGC quilt
Clothes and shoes
- Walked in some old running shorts and running t-shirt
- 2 x pairs Darn Tough socks
- Salomon Outrise shoes
- Rab windproof jacket
- Montane waterproof jacket (needed this for the last few miles only)
- Patagonia puff jacket (needed this for the first night)
- Thermal top and long johns for sleeping in
- Wool socks (used this to keep phone and charger warm on first night)
- Spare t-shirt
- Sunglasses and cap (wore all time walking)
Food, water and cooking
- MSR Pocket Rocket 2 stove, butan canister and lighters
- Toaks 550ml pot and lid
- Sea to Summit collapsible cup
- 3 x freeze dried camping meals (1 from Decathlon, amazing. 2 from Summit to eat, bland)
- Nuts, berries, oatbars and Snickers for snacking
- Coffee sachets (nabbed from last hotel I stayed at)
- 2 x 1 litre water bottles (nothing fancy, just from the local shop)
- Spork
Everything else
- Phone
- Airpods (just used on the train home)
- Bank card and some cash
- Small microfibre towel
- Anker battery pack and phone cable
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Mini first aid kit
- Suncream and vaseline
- 2 x Black Diamond walking poles (didn’t use)
- Headtorch (didn’t use)
