Rowsley and Chatsworth from Robin Hood

The walk will take us from Robin Hood along a footpath and track to Gibbet Moor and passed ‘Hob Hurst’s House’. We continue on footpaths skirting The Rabbit Warren and then a track around Hell Bank Plantation where we can enjoy excellent woodland views across the ravine. Leaving the plantation, we have a little road walking for a short distance until turning onto a track down to Smeltingmill Wood. We take a small footbridge across Smeltingmill Brook and continue on footpaths through Rowsley Wood, again enjoying spectacular views across the Brook, and eventually dropping down into Rowsley Village.

Depending on progress, we will take a lunch break before this point, or have lunch at the Rowsley Village Shopping Outlet where there are toilets, café’s, Ice-cream and outdoor shops. Either way, we will take a break at the Outlet.

Leaving the Outlet, we will walk through the village and pick up the Derwent Valley Heritage Way and walk alongside the River Derwent which takes us across farmland until reaching Calton Lees and here we enter Chatsworth Park and follow the western side of the river until reaching Chatsworth House. We continue through the park, passing the Jubilee Rock – inscribed in commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria (originally known as the ‘Elephant Rock’ because of its shape). We then continue along a track beneath Dobb Edge back to our starting point, and then a well-earned ‘debrief’ in the Robin Hood Pub!

This is a 12 miles walk and is classed as Moderate/Strenuous because of the distance. There are a number of high stiles on the walk.