I started along the canal at Sandiacre (heading to Long Eaton), before crossing a canal bridge to follow the route of the old Derby & Sandiacre canal (mostly filled in these days but the Friends of the canal have heady dreams)....

Lynn Jackson

It is used by many people to access Eastern Derby and the Pride Park employment area from the surrounding towns. Good for a nice Riverside walk....

James Meek

It should be an easy walk as there is a pavement alongside all the roads, that's the good news. Much as I hate to say this but the section of field path at Thulston spoilt the walk so I'd recommend staying on the road which has a pavement....

Ken

The route can be broken into two parts - the quieter part before Pride Park allows you to enjoy the wildlife and river while the part after has benches and is busier with people using the route to travel between Pride Park and the city centre. All in all an enjoyable walk....

Lynn Jackson

Then we cross the road and take to the river bank. A good path follows the flood bank on the south side of the river Derwent (signed the Derwent Valley Heritage Way (DVHW)). The construction of the A50 has disrupted the path network here and we are diverted eastwards before climbing steep steps onto the road bridge over the dual carriageway. South of the bridge a footpath leads eastward and emerges in to the village of Aston-on-Trent (refreshments)....

StephenWalker

I walked this route from Derby in January. Coming from Derby and using the 1:25000 map I had no difficulty in finding and following the route....

StephenWalker

a nice flat and safe route that follows the river Derwent and uses the cycle track, some is tarmac and some hard pack....

DJ Smith

The section between these crossings are quite pleasant, it basically follows the route of the old Derby canal....

DJ Smith

The field section immediately after you pass under Derby Road at the half way point can get very overgrown in the summer and very muddy in the winter....

Husk

From the Ilkeston meeting point, cross South Street at the pelican crossing and turn right, then left down Albert Street, heading across Queens Drive and Derby Road onto Belper Street. We turn left up Cole Lane, and leave it to cross the A52 bridge on the right. The path follows the main road a short distance then crosses fields left to emerge on Priorway Avenue, where we turn right and follow the road to Ock Brook. Just before the bridge, a path heads right and follows the brook through parkland and across Balmoral Road to reach Nottingham Road, where we turn right to reach the Borrowash meeting point....

Hugh Hudson

We follow the road a long way, over the railway, canal and Derwent, past several entrances to the Elvaston Castle grounds and through Elvaston village and into Thulston. We follow this road out of Aston and through Weston, leaving it just beyond the railway to turn left down Park Lane, taking the right branch where it splits, then following the path to the church. I was misled by Google maps into believing that the farm track just before the railway might offer a shortcut, but this didn't work either and I ended up following Bridge Lane over the railway to Swarkestone Road, which I followed left as far as the bridge under the railway. We cross the Trent and fork right up to Trent Lane, then follow an obvious field path right that takes us onto Main Street, Here we cross and go slightly left to find the footpath opposite which leads to the cemetery and onto Packhorse Road, where we turn left and half right into Chapel Street for the Market Place meeting point....

Hugh Hudson

A five star Slow Way although I felt that the route at Kirk Hallam climbing up Deepdale Drive was unnecessary, there are shops just off route up there but I would recommend taking the gentle descent along St Norbert Drive instead....

Ken

As far as Derby Road this is a well surfaced cycle track, but after the cycle track joins the road the path quality deteriorates, with steps leading under the road and a field path of variable quality with a number of stiles....

Hugh Hudson

I walked it from Borrowash to Derby as the final part of a four route walk starting in Beeston. The road walk down the hill out of Borrowash is quick and easy, from there we join the route of the old Derby canal....

Hugh Hudson

Too much road walking for my taste, though there are pavements, and the stiles on the path from Breaston Lane to the (long gone) Derby canal rather spoil it from an accessibility perspective....

Hugh Hudson

I walked from Melbourne to Borrowash on a cold, clear day. The route started well on the walk out of Melbourne, though a relatively new housing development, into a graveyard though fields and across roads....

Lynn Jackson

Roadside pavements, a bit of cross field work and a very good wide cycle track along the course of the Derby canal. Perhaps I'm being mean offering just 4 stars, I'm not an urban walker....

Ken

Photo 1: I walked the from Sandiacre to Borrowash route heading from east to west which is the GPX route direction. Photo 3: Cross the road to enter the cricket field and follow the footpath. Photo 4: Step stile through a hedgerow (there are a lot of hedgerow stiles on this route). Photo 6: The field ends and you walk onto the National Cycle Path no. Photo 7: The cycle path stops at the Hopwell Road....

Lynn Jackson

If you want a little more field and less road, you can do the Risley section on a footpath that runs parallel to the route – join it at the top of the hill on Rushy lane (if coming from Sandiacre) or opposite the Risley Park Pub (if coming from Borrowash)....

Husk

As the creator identifies, this is an alternative to BorSan One due to a temporary closure of that route. This one is fine, but you'd be sensible to follow the original route that is now reopened....

Husk

A narrow bridge and short narrow section of muddy path could be improved as the section to Spondon otherwise is stone or tarmac surface....

Ken

Now that the canal has been repaired and reopened, Borsan One becomes the better route between Borrowash and Sandiacre....

Lynn Jackson

This is a very pleasant route taking in parks, woods and farmland as well as residential streets. The farmland route is well maintained and clearly laid out, I was able to see all paths across fields as I walked, all parts were easy to access. Breakfast stop before the walk was at Katie's Kitchen (W3W ///crumple.spicy.persuade) - lovely staff and a lovely breakfast!...

Lynn Jackson

The line of the Derby canal offers some easy walking along a surfaced cycle route....

Ken

Camping on the edge of Borrowash at Little Stryne otherwise very little in way of services along the way....

Ken

Walkers on the route share the path with cyclists - the Derbor route is on National Cycle Route 6 which is well used by cyclists. Buses run frequently between the start and finish points of the route in Derby and Borrowash, operated by Trentbarton. A review of another route (Dermel 1) suggests care might be needed in Alvaston park in Derby, as a known anti-social behaviour area....

AF63

A good route that has been temporarily blocked for Canal reconstruction (to be reopened 31/07/21). I will survey the second half once reopened but Borsan_2 can be used in the meantime. EDIT 9/12/21: THIS ROUTE HAS BEEN REOPENED....

Lynn Jackson

River path is super easy to follow and a great no-traffic route for cyling. Tarmac & streetlights out to Raynesway, then dirt/gravel surface....

AlfaFoxtrot