Bakewell to Monsal Head Circular | 9 Miles
If you’re looking for a beautiful walk exploring the beautiful White Peak countryside, this is the one for you! This Bakewell to Monsal Head walk visits Monsal Dale, Monsal Weir and returns to Bakewell along the Monsal Trail.
The Bakewell to Monsal Head walk is a 9 mile circular route that starts in Bakewell and heads through the village of Ashford in the Water before reaching Monsal Head. The walk then descends to Monsal Weir and returns to Bakewell along the Monsal Trail. Most walkers complete this route in 3.5 to 4.5 hours, enjoying a mix of riverside paths, countryside views and traffic-free trail walking.
Bakewell to Monsal Head Walk Overview
- Distance – 9 miles
- Difficulty – Moderate
- Route type – Circular
- Start point – Bakewell town centre
- Terrain – Fields, riverside paths, woodland trails and traffic-free trail
- Facilities – Cafes, pubs and toilets in Bakewell, Ashford in the Water and Monsal Head
Key Landmarks on This Walk
This Bakewell to Monsal Head walk includes several well known Peak District landmarks:
- Bakewell town centre
- Ashford in the Water village
- Monsal Weir
- Monsal Head viewpoint
- Headstone Viaduct
- The Monsal Trail
Tips for This Walk
- Some field paths can be muddy after rain, especially near the river.
- The descent from Monsal Head to Monsal Weir can be steep and slippery in wet conditions.
- Monsal Head can get very busy, especially at weekends and during summer. The Monsal Trail is also very busy.
- Bring water and snacks, although there are plenty of places to stop along the route.
- Keep dogs on leads around livestock and near the river.
Bakewell to Monsal Head Walk
The route starts from the car park at Bakewell Bridge and crosses the road, passing through Scots Garden. This path heads across the field to the road, and we walked on the road to reach Lumford Mill, a former cotton mill now known as Riverside Business Park.
Joining the main road, we turned right to follow this a short distance to pick up the public footpath running across the field and between some houses. It then heads off across more fields, passing the weir for Ashford Lake.
Reaching the road, we followed this a short distance and then turned right to head down a track. This track leads to the A6020, which we crossed and then headed up Greaves Lane into Ashford in the Water, passing the Ashford Shop and Deli. We followed Greaves Lane until the junction with Hill Cross, then climbed up to meet Vicarage Lane.
Turning right at the top of Vicarage Lane, we picked up the rough track of Pennyunk Lane and followed this for approximately 1.7 miles until the Monsal Viaduct (also known as Headstone Viaduct) came into view. If you nip into the car park of the Monsal Head Hotel you can get the iconic photograph of the viaduct.
We set off down the hill, following the track into Monsal Dale towards the spectacular Monsal Weir. The Monsal Weir was built in the 18th century, around the 1740s, as part of improvements to the River Wye to power local mills.
Crossing the river using the bridge, we headed upstream towards the Headstone Viaduct. This Grade II listed viaduct was built in 1863 as part of the former Manchester to London Midland Railway line, closed in the late 1960s.
We went under the viaduct and followed the path alongside the river a short distance, and before the stone bridge we climbed up the path to join the Monsal Trail.
The Monsal Trail is a traffic-free trail which runs from Blackwell Mill in Chee Dale to Coombs Road in Bakewell along the former railway line. This section of the route passes through the Headstone Tunnel.
We followed the Monsal Trail for around 3.75 miles, passing what remains of Bakewell Station and reaching Bakewell Station Road Bridge.
We took the path to the left, climbing up and over the bridge, and it led down through a field and eventually out onto Coombs Road. Turning right, we were soon back at the car park.
We went for a lovely lunch at The Castle pub, which is dog-friendly and serves delicious food. Definitely recommend!
We also stopped off for a Bakewell Pudding at The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop.
Walk Map (Opens in OS Maps): Bakewell to Monsal Head Walk
Parking: Bakewell Bridge Car Park, Coombs Rd, Bakewell DE45 1AQ W3W:///breath.buggy.beaten – pay and display, £5 for 4 hours (as of February 2026).
Facilities: Bakewell has lots of pubs, cafes and shops, so there’s plenty of facilities. There are pubs, a shop and toilets in Ashford in the Water. There are cafes along the Monsal Trail including Hassop Cafe and Quackers Cafe at Thornbridge Hall.
Walk Time: 4-5 hours
Difficulty: ▲▲
Distance: 9.2 miles (14.85km)
Trig Points Bagged: None
Peak District Peaks Bagged: None
Peak District Ethels Bagged: None
