Distance: 12.3 miles
Difficulty of the terrain: hard
Get the route via: Ordnance Survey Maps or download the GPX. file from Dropbox
Walk in the heart of Derbyshire’s White Peak from Bakewell to Miller’s Dale, taking a long route avoiding the River Wye via Laithkill Dale, Monyash and Flagg.
The Story
The Walk
Getting Back
Made by the Midlands Mainline
These days, Miller’s Dale, situated along a dramatic section of the River Wye’s dale, just south of Tideswell is a small sleepy place. One primarily known for being a calling point on the Monsal Trail running west from Bakewell.
One hundred years ago the picture was rather different. Miller’s Dale in its modern form was largely called into being by the arrival of the Midland Railway company’s London to Manchester mainline in 1863. This route, one of the later mainline railways to be constructed in England, opened up a transport route from the heart of the Peak District for the surrounding area’s limestone and milk to the major cities, as well as bringing a mass of daytrippers and holidaymakers to the Wye gorge.
Miller’s Dale was prior to its closure in 1967 an interchange station where travellers heading towards Buxton and its spa would disembark from Manchester bound trains coming from the south and change onto local services. Part of the rationale upon which the Midlands Railway had the route approved was that “invalids” would use the line to reach Buxton for cures and convalescence, and for many years, rather than having to change carriages were detached at Miller’s Dale and connected to onwards services for Buxton so as to avoid those who were mobility impaired having to change trains.
These days there are occasional proposals to reopen the route which closed in 1968, because it remains the most viable southerly course for a transpennine railway line, but so far they have not amounted to anything. Instead since the 1970s the popular Monsal Trail mixed used path, frequented by cyclists, walkers and equestrians alike.
Two great viaducts still soar over Miller’s Dale village which once carried the railway. One of them, the older of the two, now forms part of the Monsal Trail. East of Miller’s Dale heading down the River Wye towards Bakewell and Rowsley where the Wye joins the River Derwent. Not too far, from where sections of the old Midland Railway survive as the Peak Rail heritage line and the National Rail Derwent Valley branch line from Matlock to Ambergate.
Along the way the old Midland Mainline plunged deep through hillsides, carried through 300 million year old limestone, by portals like the Chee Tor Tunnels. As well as crossing the River Wye a spectacular three times, most famously over the viaduct at Monsal Head.
These days, now relatively becalmed Miller’s Dale is surrounded by numerous sites of natural beauty like the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust’s Priestcliffe Lees Nature Reserve, the River Wye, and the towering wooded limestone cliffs of Miller’s Dale itself.
The Walk
Get the route: via Ordnance Survey Maps or download the GPX. file from Dropbox
I create the Walk Midlands routes via Ordnance Survey Maps Explorer enabling me to take them on my phone. Subscribe yourself via the banner above.
This walk from the bus stops in Bakewell town centre to Miller’s Dale, taking a long route via Laithkill Dale, Monyash and Flagg, which avoids the River Wye begins just down from the roundabout in the middle of Bakewell near the Rutland Hotel.
Walk towards the Rutland Hotel and cross the A6 road which runs north west out of Bakewell towards Buxton, Stockport and Manchester.
Here to the right of the Rutland Hotel there is a residential road running uphill towards Bakewell’s distinctive All Saints Parish Church.
At the bottom of the churchyard on your left there is a path running off to the left. Cross over the road and head up this path.
Upon reaching this path and entering the churchyard follow it straight uphill past the church.
Just beyond the church you reach the top of the churchyard and step through a limestone archway out onto a quiet lane.
Once on this lane turn left and walk down hill towards the B5055.
Upon reaching the road turn right and walk uphill along a pavement through a residential area.
Soon on the left hand side of the road you see a quiet lane lined with old houses. Cross over the B5055 and head down this lane.
Look out on the right as you walk for a steep flight of steps leading uphill.
At the top of the steps walk straight ahead along a tarmac track through a small estate of mid-20th Century bungalows.
This soon turns into a snicket which has an old stone stile – probably to stop mopeds – part way along it.
Carry on straight along a quiet road through an estate of modern houses.
Soon you come to a tarmac footpath which you walk along for some distance.
Presently you reach the side of a road right on the edge of Bakewell. Cross over here and head back a snicket between a school and some dog kennels heading for open countryside.
At the bottom of the snicket you come to a gateway out onto a field. Walk straight across the field on the far side making for an old stile in the distinctive very narrow Peak District style.
Once over the stile walk straight across the field on the far side making for a metal gate.
Next to the metal gate there is a wooden footgate which you walk through. On the far side turn sharply to the left walking along the line of a fence and a hedgerow.
Walk straight ahead for quite some distance.
Presently you approach a drystone wall. Upon nearing the wall, turn sharply to the left and walk uphill.
Here there is a gateway into an adjoining field. Walk through the gateway then take a well defined path running to the left, up a shallow wold like dale.
Follow this path uphill for quite some distance. It runs very close to the edge of the field demarcated by a hedgerow and drystone wall.
Nearing the top of the hill there is a wooden gate on your left. Walk through this gate and straight across a narrow field on the far side until you reach a corresponding gate which you pass through.
On the far side of the gate walk uphill along a short stretch of path towards the side of a country road.
Once on the side of the road turn left and begin walking along the road towards the village of Over Haddon. Take care as while visibility is good, drivers and cyclists can travel quite fast.
Upon reaching Over Haddon head to the village’s high street which lies off the main road. Turn right and walk along the high street approaching the village’s car park and public toilets.
Here pick up the steep road which descends to the bottom of Lathkill Dale.
At the bottom of the dale you reach an old stone cottage, where you head through a gate and pick up a footpath running through trees beside the River Lathkill.
The path is initially well made and runs along the thickly wooded bottom of the dale.
Higher up the dale the path remains well trod, but is more uneven. This part of the dale is more dramatic in terms of its visible limestone formations.
All along the dale both the river and the rock walls of the deep valley bear signs of the area’s historically heavy mining and quarrying activity.
Near the top of the dale you reach a wooden bridge across the Lathkill. Cross the river here and head up the well worn path ascending a ravine called Cales Dale running uphill.
Soon you join the Limestone Way long distance footpath and ascend to reach Ash Grange Farm’s large farm yard.
Make your way straight through Ash Grange Farm before continuing across open fields towards Monyash, following a straight well worn path, which presently turns into a bridleway style track.
Upon reaching Monyash, walk straight through the village, passing the village pond, and the green where a cafe and pub are situated.
Just past Monyash a well maintained bridleway runs off to the left climbing a low hill next to a small housing development created from a converted farm. Before reaching a junction where you turn right, heading along a bridleway towards Flagg, a smaller village adjacent to Monyash.
At Flagg you cross a main road, and turn left, walking steadily uphill along the main road through the village.
Then next few miles after Flagg are along roads steadily winding up towards a high ridge with commanding views back across the Peak District, and to the west towards the limestone quarries near Buxton, and the gritstone moors beyond that which mark Derbyshire’s boundary with Cheshire, the place where the East Midlands meets the North West.
Eventually reaching the top of the ridge, the roads you walk along become ever quieter and patchier, until finally petering out in favour of a bridleway.
Cresting the ridge, you descend down the well maintained bridleway into the valley which carries the A6 from Bakewell to Buxton and on towards Great Manchester. Out east in the distance I can see the radio mast on Eyam Moor, pointing the way towards the Derwent Valley and Sheffield the other side of the eastern gritstone edges.
On reaching the side of the A6 you cross and begin heading steadily downhill, first along roads, then along a well maintained footpath towards the bottom of Miller’s Dale where the River Wye flows towards Bakewell and its confluence with the Derwent at Rowsley.
Reaching Miller’s Dale you emerge beside the busy road down to Miller’s Dale village and keep on walking, heading to the right, continuing downhill towards the River Wye at the bottom of the dale. Take care as you do so, because while the road is long and straight, cars travel very fast and there are relatively few places to stand in as they pass.
At Miller’s Dale, village you cross the Wye, and head to the right, along the road through the village, reaching a small, now derelict seeming, Anglican chapel constructed in the early 20th Century when Miller’s Dale with its quarries, dairy farming, and station on the old London to Manchester Midland Railway mainline was at its peak of economic significance.
From here you can head uphill to the site of the former Miller’s Dale Station on the Monsal Trail from Bakewell to just east of Buxton.
This is where the walk ends.
Getting Back
At the time of writing in October 2025 Miller’s Dale was served by the 65 bus from Buxton to Sheffield Meadow Hall Interchange via Tideswell, Eyam, the eastern Hope Valley and Sheffield city centre. The bus ran daily, with five services on weekdays, six on Saturdays and four on Sundays. The final bus from Miller’s Dale in each direction was between 16:00 and just after 17:00. Buxton is served by mainline trains towards Manchester via New Mills and Stockport, while Sheffield and Sheffield Meadow Hall are key national rail stations with trains to a wide array of destinations. Many regional bus services start from both Buxton and Sheffield.