Bakche one

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

Another lovely walk from Chesterfield to Bakewell. Everything really has been said in previous reviews, so I will make just a few points that I hope will help future walkers.

The western (Bakewell) side of East Moor can be boggy and so decent boots and gaiters are advised if you are walking after rain.

Beeley Bar Lane from Beeley Moor has been badly damaged by winter storms ('23-'24) and looks to be impassable to vehicles. I would advise using trekking poles to avoid slipping here.

The fallen tree in Manners Wood needs to be taken on the left side if going downhill or the right side if walking uphill. I was a little anxious that I’d taken the wrong side, but the opposite side is overgrown with brambles and is pretty well impassible.

UPDATE 20/12/24: The fallen tree in Manners Wood has been cut back and the path is now accessible.

I can't add much to the other reviews except to apologise that the plotting at the Chesterfield end is not up to standard. I hadn't walked this route before plotting so it was a pleasure to go take a look. I walked from Chesterfield on what was forecast to be a very hot day, so I set out at 6.30am hence the long shadow. Cannon Mill, restored in 1957 is in need of more attention which prompts me to remind councillors that likewise improvements to footpaths don't last for ever and the time has arrived for urgent investment.

Fencing panels around one business were very attractive and appreciated. The strong perfume of buddleia confirmed abandonment of some sites. Morrisons, which opens at 6am offered useful services. The route gently climbs alongside the River Hipper which feed the ancient mill pond beside which the public footpath keeps the route off road.

I didn't need the shop in Holymoorside so stayed on the route along the fringe of the settlement. The real climb start here and is relentless but arriving in Bakewell I felt the east west route offered gentler climbs. Before meeting Claypit Lane the path has been diverted around a house and garden. If you miss the fenced path around the perimeter and stay on the farm track there is no way out onto the road, so watch for the unsigned gap in the fence.

A stile leads onto East Moor. Here I made the mistake of following a narrow path up the wall side, the path is a few yards to the south. More use will tramp it out. The flowering heather was glorious and looked inviting for insect and bees but I saw none. Hob Hurst's House is half way so I made use of a bench to rest or was it a stile? Close by is a well preserved marker post indicating the routes to Sheffield, Chesterfield and Bakewell which must confirm this is more than a concessionary path.

The unmade road down to Beeley Bridge is rough with evidence of wheeled traffic but I only saw one cyclist, like me out early to avoid the heat already building. The short cut west of the bridge is signed Rowsley then our route again climbs along a track towards Calton Pastures a very pleasant area to walk over. The path down through the woods is steep and uneven with the added obstruction of a fallen tree blocking the path. I rang the bell as requested at the golf course. Bakewell was, as usual busy, so I jumped on the imminent bus and headed home.

This is a varied and challenging route through East Moor, up to Hartland Edge and along the edge of the Chatsworth House estate. There are a couple of places for refreshments en route including Chatsworth House Garden Centre and the village of Holymoorside. Bakewell and Chesterfield have a large selection of shops and pubs for supplies too.

This walk is extremely varied under foot too with urban paths in Chesterfield, pedestrian tracks, narrow footpaths across fields, some open heather covered moorland and a tiny bit of road walking. In fact there is only about 100 metres which is a bit tricky at the Derwent Bridge by Chatsworth. There are a number of narrow bridges and high stone styles, and this coupled with the off-track (knee deep Heather) across the moors and the steep climbs means you have to be relatively fit and agile. I'd recommend using mapping which has footpaths and woods marked as the way marking across East Moor is sporadic (and hidden by the heather).

My Strava measured 23km in all.

5 stars for the beauty, tranquillity and nature!.

This is a varied and well thought out route which includes two significant climbs. I thoroughly enjoyed the route but there are features that might deter some users. It requires some care in navigation and a map is strongly recommended. Surfaces vary from pavements and cycleways to grassland and rough moorland. There are several stiles including a step stile over a high stone wall. I walked much of the central section of the route in very dry conditions in late April 2021, and am familiar with the remainder.
Starting in Chesterfield town centre, where there are plenty of refreshment options, the route crosses a footbridge into Queen’s Park then follows quiet urban roads through a former industrial area. After passing next to the disused Walton Mill the route emerges alongside a Morrisons supermarket before crossing Walton Road at a pelican crossing. The route then follows a well surfaced footpath and cycleway alongside a lake, through woodland and across Somersall Park before crossing Somersall Lane and leaving Chesterfield. The footpath to Holymoorside is clear, level and well used. It crosses grassland which is sometimes grazed by cattle. It can become very muddy after wet weather.
There is a shop near the route at Holymoorside. From here the route climbs out of the village along Loads Road before branching off along farm tracks and across fields towards the small settlement of Upper Loads where it joins Claypit Lane, a minor road with little traffic. At the end of Claypit Lane the route briefly joins a busier road with fast moving traffic. There is a grassy verge but no pavement. It then crosses a stile onto heather covered moorland. The next section is level and waymarked, but the path is narrow and uneven. This is the most remote part of the walk and has no shade or shelter. This path ends at a stone wall enclosing woodland near to the Bronze Age burial mound of Hobb Hurst ‘s House. The route then turns down Harland Edge, a short steep section which was dry at the time of walking but is usually waterlogged. After passing through a gate the path levels off and crosses a wooden bridge to an unsignposted junction. Here the route forks left – the right fork leads eventually to Chatsworth House which offers toilets and refreshments but is off the direct route. The path continues across rough grassland before dropping down to a wider path and a high stone stile over a wall.
After the stile the route turns downhill onto a track which is initially very uneven but becomes a surfaced road serving Beeley Hilltop Farm. There is very little traffic. At the bottom of the hill it meets the busy B6012 through Chatsworth Park where it is necessary to walk a short distance along a narrow verge to reach a stone bridge over the River Derwent. After the bridge there is a short climb through woodland to reach Calton Lees car park. The nearby garden centre has toilets available to walkers and accessible from outside the building. It also has a coffee shop. From here the route follows a minor road which skirts the small village of Calton Lees before becoming a well surfaced track. This is a popular walking route and also provides road access to some Chatsworth Estate properties, though traffic is very sparse. It is a long uphill section which zig zags steeply towards the top. After passing between some cottages the gradient eases and the route continues across open grassland where sheep may be grazing. Finally it turns steeply downhill onto a sometimes muddy path through Manners Wood before crossing a golf course to reach the edge of Bakewell. From here the route continues downhill on pavements to reach the centre of the town.
Bakewell is a popular tourist centre with lots of options for refreshments and accommodation. However it does get very busy at peak times.

Share your views about this route, give it a star rating, indicate whether it should be verified or not.

Include information that will be useful to others considering to walk or wheel it.

You can add up to 15 photos.