35. Cromford, The Midshires Way and Crich
- Map: Explorer OL24 The Peak District
- Time: 6 hours
- Distance: 20.7km/13 miles
- Ascent: 450m
- Inset: Cromford Canal and Crich National Tramway Museum
A long walk through the delightful lower Derwent valley. The route finding is generally straightforward and much of the circuit is off-road. Shortcuts are easily arranged.
Start at Cromford Canal Basin car park at SK300571 Exit the car-park and turn left past Cromford Mill and at a bend in the road take the Private Drive on the left. After a few metres take the footpath on the right which leads up to the A6, cross the road and enter Intake Lane. Follow intake Lane steadily uphill, at a wood it becomes an unsurfaced track and passes underneath the High Peak Trail dismantled railway. Continue up through the woods and on emerging turn right and after a further 100m turn left, note the Midshires Way logo.
Follow the easy lane past a campsite for about 1.5 km to a minor road, cross this and continue on a footpath. The path passes Whatfield farm and Watergate Farm, then follows a well-made farm track then exits right at a small gate. Continue following the Midshires Way signs and at the top of a field pass through a stile then turn left and pass through another. The path continues to a minor road. Turn right into Alderwasley, cross the bridge and after a few metres take the path on the left.
Short Cut. Turn left and follow the minor road down to the A6. Cross this, pass a cafe and take the short steep hill opposite toward Whatstandwell to join the canal path, signposted Cromford 3 miles.
After Alderwasley there are options.
Option 1 (preferred) Pass the war memorial on its right and continue across fields; at a set of carved seats the path trends off to the right through woods. After a gate and a display board, the path splits, take the obvious one down to the left which eventually leads out onto a minor road at Netherpark Farm. Turn left and after about 600m at Wiggonlea Farm take nthe bridleway on the left. Follow this through Shining Cliff Woods to emerge near the bridge over the Derwent at Ambergate..
Option 2. take the stile on the left by the memorial, cross the football field behind the goalposts and follow a series of fields and stiles, past a lunchtime rock down towards Shining Cliff Woods. Cross a wet patch and follow the path down throught the woods (sometimes a stream) to a major track. Do not be tempted to escape left as it is closed and variations will end in disaster. Turn right and follow the track past disused factory units and mills, through a pleasant section of woodland to emerge as in option 1 at the bridge over the Derwent.
Cross the bridge and join the A6. Turn left and follow the pavement past the Hurt Inn for about 500m then past a line of cottages. Cross the road (care) and take the surfaced track which runs up obliquely right from the main road. Cross the railway and the canal.
Short Cut. From here it would be possible to follow the canal path all the way back to Cromford, signposted 4.75 miles.
However, we are made of sterner stuff, continue towards a big house and take a footpath on the left. This zigzags up through the lovely woods of Crich Chase, eventually levels then takes a sharp right towards the village of Crich, famous, amongst other things for its National Tramway Museum which is well-worth visiting. At a minor road turn left, at a junction turn right and after 100m take the footpath on the left. This leads into Crich, follow the road as it gently curves left through a housing estate then becomes a footpath across fields. After 500m join a road, turn right and pass the Tramway Museum.
Pass the museum and follow the road leftwards and at an immaculate driveway walk up to the Crich Monument. Just before reaching the monument take the well-maintained gravel path on the right and follow this as it gently curves left to meet the end on the tram tracks from the museum. Cross the tracks and continue downhill, past Wakebridge Farm to the road. Turn right, pass two tempting footpaths and after about 200m at a sharp right bend in the road take the footpath on the left which is grassy and traverses to the right as it descends past a sign about non-existant pigs on the loose. Follow the track into Leashaw Wood, cross a small road and continue down a driveway to Leashaw farm. Pass through the farm, over the canal to a footpath on the right which drops down to the canal path.
Turn left to return to Cromford. Welcome cafe at High Peak junction.