Tideswell 4 Dales Walk | 8 Miles
Looking for a walk that explores the beautiful Derbyshire Dales around Tideswell? This 8 mile walk visits 4 of the nearby Dales – Peter Dale, Monks Dale, Millers Dale and Tideswell Dale and is a great day’s walking in Derbyshire.
Tideswell 4 Dales Walk Overview
- Facilities – On street parking and public toilets in the centre of Tideswell, along with cafes, pubs and a Co-op
- Distance – 8 miles
- Difficulty – Easy to Moderate
- Route type – Circular
- Start point – Tideswell village centre
- Terrain – Road, rough tracks, meadows, rocky terrain in Monks Dale
Highlights of the Walk
- Peter Dale – a short, peaceful dry valley with crag-sided limestone walls, flanked by farmland plateau on either side. One of the quieter and less-visited dales on this route, Peter Dale is a lovely introduction to the walk and a great spot for wildflowers in spring and early summer.
- Monks Dale – a nature reserve and one of the most atmospheric dales in the White Peak, with a rugged valley floor that can be muddy and challenging underfoot, involving fallen trees, moss-covered boulders and uneven ground – part of what makes it so special. Exquisitely beautiful and lesser known, it rivals Dovedale and Lathkill Dale for scenery despite its more secretive character.
- Millers Dale and the Monsal Trail – the route drops down into the village of Millers Dale, where the twin viaducts that carried the former Midland Railway until its closure in 1968 make for a dramatic landmark above the River Wye. The Monsal Trail follows the old railway line and offers easy, flat walking with excellent views along the valley.
- Tideswell Dale – a gentler, more open limestone dale that carries you back towards Tideswell on a pretty riverside path, offering a peaceful contrast to the wilder character of Monks Dale earlier in the walk.
- Wildlife and wildflowers – this walk passes through some of the finest nature reserve habitat in the White Peak.
- Tideswell village – known as the “Cathedral of the Peak”, Tideswell makes a fine start and finish point with its impressive medieval church, good pubs and a welcoming village atmosphere.
The walk starts from the centre of Tideswell. We parked on the street near the Horse and Jockey pub, and walked past the public toilets and a curious Black Beauty display. We turned left up the road at the old fish and chip shop, then right at the top of the road. The road forks, and we took the left road.
We walked through the Tideswell community orchard and out onto Wheston Bank. The route passes various farms in Wheston, then drops down the hill. We took the footpath on the left into Peter Dale, an open grassy dale with limestone walls.
Crossing the road, we went from Peter Dale into Monks Dale. Monks Dale is very different to Peter Dale – the path is narrow and very overgrown, and is rocky and slippery in places. It does get very muddy as well.
Eventually Monks Dale opens out into more of a “classic” dale, with the path running up above the river. It drops down, and there is a set of stepping stones to cross to reach the road near the Church of St Anne.
We crossed the road and walked past the Millers Dale Meal Mill, with its water wheel, over the bridge near the Anglers Rest pub. The path climbs up to join the Monsal Trail, which we followed until the signpost for Ravenstor.
The route descends by some steps, and by footbridge over the River Wye. We walked on the road a short distance, passing a car parking layby and turned left into Tideswell Dale.
We walked along the well made paths through Tideswell Dale, passing the Peaky Grinders coffee van in the car park.
The path runs alongside the road to a wooden gate, then we crossed the road onto a rocky path. The route then arrives at a crossroads, near the old pinfold, and we walked along Thorncliffe Terrace back to the Horse and Jockey for a nice pub lunch.
This was a lovely walk, exploring some of the lesser known Derbyshire Dales. The route only got busy along the Monsal Trail, so it’s perfect if you want a quiet hike.
Walk Map (Opens in OS Maps): Tideswell 4 Dales Walk
Parking: Queen Street, Tideswell, Buxton SK17 8JZ W3W:///tablet.imposes.heckler.
Dogs: Dogs on leads near livestock – the route uses public footpaths but does cross a lot of farmland. There are signs asking for dogs to be on leads in Tideswell Dale.
Facilities: Public toilets, cafes, shops and pubs in Tideswell.
Walk Time: 3-4 hours
Difficulty: ▲▲
Distance: 8 miles (12.87km)
Elevation: 950ft (289m)
Trig Points Bagged: None
Peak District Peaks Bagged: None
Peak District Ethels Bagged: None
You might also like:
