A walk around Matlock by John Merrill – 3 miles – allow 2 hours.
Basic route – Car Park – Bank Road – Rutland Street – Wishing Stone – Lumsdale – Matlock Green – Parish Church – Hall Leys Park – Car Park.
Map – 1:25,000 Outdoor Leisure Map – The White Peak – East Sheet.
Car park and start- Beside the Matlock Railway Station.
Inns -The Gate Inn, Rutland Street, Matlock. Horse Shoe Inn, Matlock Green. The Duke of William Inn, Old Matlock.
Cafes – Several in central Matlock – Firs Parade.
ABOUT THE WALK – This short walk brings you to many of the places associated with the Matlock story. You get the hardest part over first by ascending Bank Road, following the line of the Matlock Cable Tramway. As you ascend you see the County Council offices, formerly Smedley’s Hydro. From the old tram depot it is basically all down hill! First you cross to the wishing stone with views to Riber Castle and the Heights of Abraham. You descend steeply to Lumsdale and the remains of lead smelting. You pass several mills as you walk to Matlock Green and the short and gentle ascent to Old Matlock and the parish church. Here you descend for the last time to Hall Leys Park and return to the car park passing the iron tram shelter.
WALKING INSTRUCTIONS – From the car park turn left along the A6 over the River Derwent to Crown Square.
Your route is straight ahead up Bank Road. Cross over to Bank Road and start ascending the road and line of the tramway. Pass the Post Office, Police Station, and Youth Hostel.
Just beyond is the bulge in the road where the trams passed. Continue ascending to The Gate Inn.
Continue ahead more steeply up Rutland Street to the road junction with Matlock Green Repair Garage on your left, in the former tram depot.
Turn right, as footpath signed along a small road which soon becomes a tarmacked path. Follow this to the A632 – Chesterfield Road.
Go straight across and follow a path to the road beside the Presentation Convent on your right. Follow the road which again becomes a tarmacked path and approaching houses keep left along the path to a road and houses. On your right is Bull Farm Mews.
Turn right and in a few yards left and pass Wishing Stone Cottage on your right. Again this becomes a path and gain the large gritstone boulder, the wishing stone. Make your wish and just before the stone turn right and descend steeply down the cobbled and stone stepped path. Keep descending to the road at Lumsdale.
At the bottom it is worth turning left to explore the extensive buildings of the once very active lead smelting mills that date back to the mid 18th century.
Turn right and walk along the road passing Lumsdale Mill. 1/4 mile late reach another mill and turn right as footpath signed – Matlock and Hurst Farm. The path is mostly tarmacked and at the first path fork keep left.
At the second fork, again keep left with playing fields on your right. Soon pass another mill on your left, as you follow a tarmacked path all the way to Matlock Green and the A615 road.
Turn right along the road to Horse Shoe Inn. Here turn left along Church Street and ascend to St. Giles parish church. Just before it is Stoney Way, down which you descend. But first walk through the lynch gate and explore the church.
Descend Stoney Way and turn left along the road and where it turns right keep straight ahead on the tarmacked road and walk through Hall Leys Park, passing the boating lake, band stand, tennis courts and tram shelter to reach Matlock Bridge and the A6. Turn left and retrace your steps back to the car park.