Matlock — Chesterfield
Matche one
Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Matche here.

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Matche here.
By a Slow Ways Volunteer on 07 Apr 2021
Description
This is a Slow Ways route connecting Matlock and Chesterfield.
Know of a better route? Share it here.
This is a Slow Ways route connecting Matlock and Chesterfield.
Know of a better route? Share it here.
Status
This route has been reviewed by 2 people.
There are no issues flagged.
Photos for Matche one
Photos of this route will appear when they are added to a review. You can review this route here.
Information
Route status - Live
Reviews - 2
Average rating -
Is this route good enough? - Yes (2)
There are currently no problems reported with this route.
Downloads - 13
Surveys
What is this route like?
Surveys are submitted by fellow users of this website and show what you might expect from this Slow Ways route. Scroll down the page to read more detailed surveys.
Grade 4X based on 1 surveys | Sign up or log in to survey this route. | ||
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Description | Note | ||
Grade 4: Route includes very rough surfaces including deep ruts, steep loose gravel, unmade paths and deep muddy sections. Wheelchairs may experience traction/wheel spin issues. Access grade X: At least one stile, flight of steps or other obstacle that is highly likely to block access for wheelchair and scooter users. |
Grading is based on average scores by surveyors. This slow way has 1 surveys. | ||
Full grading description |
Only people who have completed our training can become Slow Ways surveyors and submit a survey. We do not vet contributors, so we cannot guarantee the quality or completeness of the surveys they complete. If you are dependent on the information being correct we recommend reading and comparing surveys before setting off.
Survey Photos
Facilities
Facilities in the middle third of this route.
Challenges
Potential challenges reported on this route. Some challenges are seasonal.
Obstacles
Obstacles on this route.
Accessibility
Is this route step and stile free?
Measurements
Surveyors were asked to measure the narrowest and steepest parts of paths.
The narrowest part of the path is 32.0cm (1)
The steepest uphill gradient East: no data
The steepest uphill gradient walking West 41.5% (1)
The steepest camber: no data
How clear is the waymarking on the route: Unclear in places (1)
Successfully completed
We asked route surveyors "Have you successfully completed this route with any of the following? If so, would you recommend it to someone with the same requirements?". Here is how they replied.
Recommended by an expert
We asked route surveyors "Are you a trained access professional, officer or expert? If so, is this route suitable for someone travelling with any of the following?" Here is how they replied.
Terrain
We asked route surveyors to estimate how much of the route goes through different kinds of terrain.
10.0% of the route is on roads (1)
5.0% of the route is lit at night (1)
10.0% of the route is paved (1)
40.0% of the route is muddy (1)
15.0% of the route is over rough ground (1)
10.0% of the route is through long grass (1)
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1 surveys
Information from verified surveys.
Geography information system (GIS) data
Total length
Maximum elevation
Minimum elevation
Start and end points
Matlock
Grid Ref
SK2966060180
Lat / Lon
53.13797° / -1.55809°
Easting / Northing
429,660E / 360,180N
What3Words
masses.oblige.stubble
Chesterfield
Grid Ref
SK3850071140
Lat / Lon
53.23592° / -1.42464°
Easting / Northing
438,500E / 371,140N
What3Words
silly.shall.hook
Matche One's land is
Matlock | |
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Grid Ref | SK2966060180 |
Lat / Lon | 53.13797° / -1.55809° |
Easting / Northing | 429,660E / 360,180N |
What3Words | masses.oblige.stubble |
Chesterfield | |
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Grid Ref | SK3850071140 |
Lat / Lon | 53.23592° / -1.42464° |
Easting / Northing | 438,500E / 371,140N |
What3Words | silly.shall.hook |
Arable | 1.8% |
Pasture | 51.2% |
Urban | 40.7% |
Woods | 6.4% |
Data: Corine Land Cover (CLC) 2018
reviews
Lynn Jackson
11 Jan 2024I'm afraid that neither of our reviews (as of Jan 2024) do justice to this route as they were both walked in winter. The route does require a map as parts of it are not clearly signed and one area in particular is overgrown with trees and bushes.
I walked from Chesterfield via the Market Square, crossing into Queen's Park and walking up the road into a residential area. The footpath signs here are clear and there was no problem as I found myself leaving the houses and skirting the golf course to begin the route proper.
I came upon Stubbing Pond soon enough and from there walked up a farm track to get into fields which were still waterlogged from the previous week's rains.
At Hazelhurst Farm I found a signpost but not a stile to get me up the hill and so I had to go into the next field and climb over a lock gate to get back on track. Note that this is a cattle farm and the gate at the top of the hill (which had the yellow marker on it) had a sign reading 'Bull in field' on the entry into the field. Fortunately there were no cattle there on that day.
By this time low cloud had dropped and was not able to see the good view back over Chesterfield. I continued to Spancar on the road until I found the footpath to continue the route through fields.
From Hilltop I came upon a lovely bench overlooking Ashover so I stopped there for lunch (although if you have time and the inclination you'll be walking past three good pubs shortly after my stop).
After my lunch stop I walked through Ashover and down a lane that has storm damage. At one point I had to climb around a fallen tree that completely blocking the path. I'll log it to the council and hopefully it will be cleared by spring.
This path opens out to Ravensnest, a disused quarry and a wooded escarpment which is where I now went. The path got steeper as I went up and got a little hairy near the top due to the slippery nature of the mud, so take care at this point if it's been wet.
But I got to the top and continued the route over increasingly muddy fields, cutting into my journey time.
The other time waster was the area around Packhorse Farm where the footpath is overgrown and not easily followed.
It was dark by the time I got to the Chesterfield Road and I was grateful for the straight pavement to take me into Matlock. You can avoid the pavement walking at this point by following Matche 4 - Steven Walker has an excellent review describing most of this route and the path that avoids the A632.
SeaGreen
26 Jan 2023I created an alternative route Matche Three because it is more direct and avoids the big drop into Ashover and the climb back out. Both routes converge at Stubbing Court. However this route has some good things going for it - the farms between Stubbing and Ashover and then Matlock feel more friendly, the farmland is prettier, and Ashover has coffee shops and pubs while the more direct Matche Three passes no shops or pubs.
I walked this one from Chesterfield to Matlock. There are a multitude of stone stiles, wood stiles, wood gates and pinch stiles. The footpaths are mostly well marked and I didn't have any trouble navigating. They are also pretty good underfoot all the way and although there were some very muddy patches where tractors have churned up the mud at farm gates there were no long stretches of tramping through the mud.
On the roads around Ashover take care of cars as they are narrow and steep but not too much trouble on this route. It's possible to skirt around via Goss Hall but a bit longer.
There are alternatives at many points along the route. Having previously got a bit lost coming into Chesterfield to the east of the golf course I took an alternative straight through the golf course and then Walton wood. On a previous walk I also enjoyed going from Stubbing Great Pond via some little reservoirs and then via Northedge - very pleasant but so is the charted route.
It was late January and dull weather so my pictures don't do it justice. There was gorse for a bit of brightness and in places the mosses were glowing green. Some beautiful old trees. And there were great views back over Chesterfield, then over Ashover and finally Riber Castle and Matlock Dale. Saw a few buzzards.
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