This high level route attempts to avoid any flooding of the Henmoor Brook. Only services on route are at Kirk Ireton, the community shop and the Barley Mow, a pub interior of exceptional national historic importance, says CAMRA. The exit or perhaps heading in would not prepare you for the delights of the town but it’s away from the main road and soon leads into open fields and a quiet road to Sturston Mill. The route takes us into fields of sheep with ups and downs but all pasture. There is a sneaky change of hedge side the first of two on this route so keep a look out. Another steam crossing approaching Hays Farm where we meet Ashwir-3 to share the same route to Kirk Ireton. The lane could provide a route down to Wirksworth but the field path used offers a good view over the town. Into the modern part of Wirksworth our route is a mix of decent paths between the houses and estate roads before we arrive in the old town....

Ken

After Agnes Meadow Bridge there is a field with cattle and the well trodden feeding point is bang on the path necessitating an alternative route or wellingtons. Crossing to Down'ards and using the lower part of Ridge Lane might offer a better route. The plotted route later crosses the brook and here the ground is boggy perhaps even in dryer conditions as two streams need crossing. So another route might be to climb to higher ground via Atlow Moat Farm because there is another very wet section on the plotted path by the moat. Time for a break, because from here the route leaves the valley and makes a climb of two hundred feet, it felt a lot more, before a gentler descent to Biggin. Turning off opposite Stainsborugh Hall the path crosses a field of very old lead working, now grazed by sheep, then crosses Summer Lane. The lane could provide a route down to Wirksworth but the field path used offers a good view over the town....

Ken

It starts on the pavements of residential streets, once we reach open country the next half mile was a quag-fest after the recent rail....

StephenWalker

I agree with the previous reviewer that the section to Cromford would not be suitable for those with mobility issues, or wheeled users. The previous reviewer has already pointed out the plotting error where the route crosses the B5023, Middleton Road....

StephenWalker

Two minor problems with the plotting - the shortcut path from Greenhill to the higher path no longer exists on the ground, and at Middleton Road I had to deviate left up the hill to find a viable path - the lower route (if it ever existed) is blocked by a newish house with a private drive. It is best to stay on the road until the main path right is reached - having investigated the supposed shortcut path, the steps lead up to a residential road which cannot be escaped to the right until you return to Greenhill. This path stays behind the wall right of the busy Porter Lane, but is easy to leave opposite Dark Lane, which we follow down to the second path to the left, which goes through a narrow kissing gate and up a grass slope to reach the path that goes right along the quarry fence. When you reach the quarry access road, follow the signs through the quarry to the path that continues downhill, then go left and right to descend to Cromford Hill. Beyond a large car park we go round one more bend then take the footbridge over the Derwent and follow the surfaced path left of the railway through an area of park land and around the bend in the river, then take the path left through Knowleston Gardens to reach the main track through Half Leys Park....

Hugh Hudson

From Ripley, we follow pavements to the end of Sandham Lane and continue on the field path, which starts between fences and continues through trees before emerging onto open fields. We take the field path right between houses (some narrow squeeze stiles here and a little stone bridge) then turn right along more field edges to Hall Lane. At Slack Lane we take a shortcut path up to the quiet Gun Lane, which we follow up to the junction with Crich Lane, then continue across fields over the top of the hill and down to Newbridge Lane (just before the lane you have to go left slightly down a drive. Beyond the pub the road has an S bend, then we take a little path left through a wood and across a horse pasture and more fields to Bent Lane, where we turn right. Beyond the houses a path takes us left along field edges to a lane that leads down to Hay Lane, where we go right again....

Hugh Hudson

On Wyver lane watch out for the path heading up the hedgerow to reach Wyver farm. Soon after we reach Belper Lane End ( good pub !). Alongside the road to leave the hamlet but watch out for the path through the stable yard that climbs to meet Wilderbrook Lane....

StephenWalker

I walked this route from Crich to Wirksworth. The path starts as a lane and then is an obvious route across pasture land. After the pub, the first section of the B5035 descending to Wirksworth is narrow with no pavement - but the route soon leaves it at a stile and fp sign....

StephenWalker

Here we go straight on over a hurdle, more stiles and a few steps to reach the High Peak trail. We follow the railway past Harborough Rocks and through Longcliffe until we reach a little wood under Minninglow, beyond which the track we take is helpfully signposted as a cycle route to Biggin....

Hugh Hudson

We walked most of this route while following WIRCRI 1, and the only part we didn't walk was the short road walk down from Crich Carr down to Whatstandwell. This version is slightly shorter and easier. For my detailed review with pictures see WIRCRI 1....

Hugh Hudson

There's a little, but not much, of a climb out of Crich, then a nice flat stretch with specacular views on the "summit" between Crich and Crich Carr....

mtormey

It's a good route, but there's a point that's not really follow-able. I'll upload an alternative that addresses this....

mtormey

we follow Coasthill round the bend and up the hill then take the left turn onto Stones Lane, then following the obvious path right that leads out into the fields, where we join the MATCRI 1 footpath above the steps that lead down to Crich Carr. Before it turns right we follow the footpath sign right, which leads to the problematic section and eventually the track through Duke's Quarry, where we go sharp left down Robin Hood Road, which leads us down to Whatstandwell. Beyond the brook the path turns left through the wood to emerge on more pastures, where a clear path leads us up to Green Lane, which we follow up to Derby Old Road, where we turn right and then left by the pub....

Hugh Hudson

No refreshments along the way so go prepared but there are seats and views worth time to take in. I do like pottering  around the narrow streets and alleyways of Wirksworth, who remembers the Hovis advert, Wirksworth has a Gold Hill of its own. Just off route but well worth a visit when it's open....

Ken

It starts out on a quiet, wide road out if Biggin and once across the A515, follows the National Cycle Route 548 through stone-walled farmland for a few miles until it meets the High Peak trail. These cycle route sections of the route are very easy to navigate and there are only a few wide gates along the way. The first was just after leaving the High Peak trail, where the footpath (which is signed on a wooden post) goes right off the track, stepping over some low rocks, just before little the live-in van encampment (w3w material.hotspots.describe)....

Mockymock

Plotting is poor and I see no benefit in the detour via Carsington village, there are facilities at Carsington Reservoir main site....

Ken

I don't see any benefit in the detour to Carsington village as the road walk through Hopton has no pavement so stay on the waterside path....

Ken

Excellent views but muddy in winter not easy to navigate in parts even with OS map. Excellent pubs in wirksworth and good bus network...

Timb

Also, the gpx route itself follows the wrong side of field markers, requiring back tracking to get to stiles. Instead there is the public footpath sign 30 meters further up Greenway (road). While there was a public footpath sign, looking back the way of the gpx there is an opening what should have a stile doesn’t and the field is enclosed with barbed wire3 At the gate into the field there was electrified fencing immediately beyond gate – a public deterrent to using footpath and so the gpx route was blocked. Walk the 80 metres to the cottage and you will come to ///skyrocket.thudding.syndicate where I saw a public footpath sign looking into the field5 WM2606: The gpx appears to take you onto the wrong side of the field as there is no stile to cross in the corner of the field that I was in. At ///bats.retailing.includes I went through the stile on my right and walked up to the far right hand corner of the field where there is another stile. I followed the footpath up the hill and across a small road. To enter the field, you need to climb this gate as there is no stile crossing. I chose not to use this path and instead retraced my steps back over a cattle grid and turned right to discover a stile and footpath....

Lynn Jackson

Wirksworth is a lovely small town so I'm sorry to be leaving, first over a hidden rail tunnel to the old quarry then under an unrecorded footbridge. Old Lane, again unrecorded but well used and subject to an application to be added to the footpath map. Crossing the B5035 the route uses another unrecorded path, Dark Lane, but it was okay....

Ken

I walked the route Ripley to Wirksworth on a sunny day but I have walked the paths before. Crossing the Roman route of Ryknild Street then safely under the busy A38 bypass into Morley Park where remains of an early ironworks can be inspected just south of the route....

Ken

The path through the pasture park of Wigwell Grange is a delight. Crossing Mere Brook the path stays on the higher ground with views into the valley. The finger post incorrectly located one hundred metres along the road directed me along a well used twisting path through the remains of old quarry working and spoil heaps before meeting the definitive path at the boundary of the old working....

Ken

Between Matlock and Cromford I took a favourite alternative path half way up the hill which avoids going up so high and is beautiful though the woods then a lovely, quiet dead end road to Upperwood....

SeaGreen

The route across Carrington Pasture and Bee Nest Mine (disused) is not a right of way....

Ken

Nice walk but at 13 miles this is a tour, a direct route (see Bigwir3) is 3 miles shorter but has no refreshment stops along the way so take your pick....

Ken

Very scenic and good views for a lot of the route having climbed out of Wirksworth. less interesting on the approach to Ripley. the Talbot Taphouse is a lovely micro pub in Ripley...

Julian Darke

The exception was about 100m of road walking at Belper Lane end where caution will be needed. It was particularly muddy through the yard of Wyver Farm, soon after leaving Belper, and along Pratthall Lane, on the approach into wirksworth....

Brian in Belper

A fairly steep climb out of wirksworth across fields and lanes with fabulous views....

Timb

great views on this walk often 360 degrees over several counties. regular busses between Belper and Wirksworth...

Julian Darke

Several good pubs in Belper & Wirksworth and the excellent Bulls Head on route....

Timb

East from Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Ashbourne the definitive map and hence the Ordnance Survey is wrong due to house building. About 4km out of Ashbourne the route follows the B road....

Malcolm Boura