Millers Dale, Chelmorton and Cheedale
Time taken 3 1/2 hours
This is a lovely walk if you get the chance and is pretty dog friendly, offering interest to both human and canine alike with plenty of the Peak District and its Dales to enjoy.
The start is at Millers Dale Station car park, which once served a busy rail line to St. Pancras, London, with the Monsal Trail to your right you walk out to the Wormhill road and turn right before dropping to the Tideswell Road (B6049) where you again turn right and cross over the river (Wye) and walk up the road for about 10 minutes until you reach Long Lane. Ascending gradually you follow a walled track straight ahead for about a mile, keeping Blackwell Dale and the road to your right.
When you meet the road out of Blackwell, keep walking straight ahead and then make a right turn into Priestcliff Lane until you get the main A6, where you will see the Waterloo Hotel directly opposite. Cross over the road with care as it can be busy and make for the left hand side of the building to then continue walking up another walled track until you reach a gate, after a right hand bend. Follow this track around to the left when the ground evens out with limestone outcrops more prevalent under foot. Make use of the gate to the left which takes you to Sough Lane/Moor lane and then to the Taddington Road.
Turn right in reaching the road and continue along until after about 10 minutes you will see a sign post for the Pennine Bridleway, turning immediate right into Pillwell Lane. After another 10 minutes you will meet up with another bridleway to the left, which is signposted, and drop down to reach Chelmorton Church and inn, opposite. Follow the walled path to Chee Dale, which is signposted through a gate as the track descends.
On descent into Chee Dale you will pass by Pillwell Farm on your left and you will need to turn right just after it, then left onto a tarmac path a little distance further, which leads back to the A6.
Cross the A6 with care, once again and follow the lane off to the right near to Cottage Farm then take another lane off to the left which will take you into Chee Dale – this track follows the base of the slope and if you keep to it will lead to a gate, close to the A6, that will lead to Chee Dale Nature Reserve to the right.
Descending steeply towards the Monsal Trail you will come out at a former railway bridge that crosses the trail. Cross over the bridge and turn left and left again to get onto the trail. Follow the trail along passed some high limestone outcrops, which offer good climbing for those mad enough to try, and follow it until you reach a footbridge that will lead you back over the River Wye. Crossing the footbridge you continue along the Dale, alongside the river, making use of the stepping stones and passing the massive Chee Tor on the right.
Follow the path as it ascends out of the dale and cross a small bridge that will bring you out to fields near the river. Follow close to the river on the right to a footbridge and cross to the left across the field back to the Monsal Trail following it all the way back again to Miller’s Dale station.