FREE Peak District Dog Walk: Chatsworth & Edensor (5.5 miles)
Great news, dog walkers of Derbyshire & the Peak District! Below is a free chapter from our book, Derbyshire & the Peak District Dog Friendly Pub Walks, packed with 20 brilliant walks around the county.
CHATSWORTH & EDENSOR
Whatever you do, don’t go into the little settlement of Edensor pronouncing it as it reads. Instead, do as the locals do and refer to it as ‘Enzer’. Many of the buildings in this small village – home to around 150 people – are owned by the Duke of Devonshire, as you can tell by the colour-coordinated blue doors and gates. Although it appears that Edensor has been here for several centuries due to the picturesque, timeless feel of the place, its location here dates back only to early Victorian days.
Before then, the village of Edensor stood in a completely different place, close to the banks of the River Derwent much nearer to Chatsworth House. The estate was extensively remodelled under the supervision of legendary landscaper Capability Brown and it was suggested that Edensor should be moved to the other side of the hill, completely removing it from the view of the country house.
Other changes made to the grounds at Chatsworth included arranging groups of trees in a more scenic position and altering the course of the river. This walk takes in many of the highlights across the estate.
- How to get there: Baslow is just to the north of the Chatsworth Estate, where the A619 meets the A623.
- Sat Nav: DE45 1SD.
- Parking: In the pay and display Village Hall Car Park on Church Lane,
- just off the A619 in Baslow. Alternatively, the Devonshire Arms has a
- car park for patrons.
RECOMMENDED PUB
The Devonshire Arms commands a fine location in the centre of the village, and has a reputation for being dog friendly as well as providing a great country atmosphere. Come in after an autumnal or winter walk and you’ll find a log fire burning and a good choice of food and drink to recharge your batteries. The accommodation is dog friendly and you’ll find both doggy treats and water bowls in the bar at all times.
THE WALK
1. From the car park, head to the road and turn right. Take the right turn at the edge of the green that keeps you on Church Lane. Cross the bridge and take the path on the right that will lead you by cottages with thatched roofs and a stream called Bar Brook. You’ll soon come to a well-known and rather unusual kissing gate in the wall; you may find there’s a little queue to get through here at busy times.
2. Once you’re through the gate, you’ll find yourself inside the Chatsworth Estate and the path you need to follow goes straight ahead. This is a fabulous stretch of the walk, passing ancient trees on the left that are centuries old.
You’ll need to put your dog on a lead here because there are likely to be sheep in the area. This is an easy track to follow, and in no time at all you’ll be able to see magnificent Chatsworth House ahead of you, to the left. The track
eventually brings you to the road leading up to the house where you should
turn right over the bridge. The bridge is a listed building and dates back to the 18th century.
3. Take the path that heads to the left towards Beeley; you’ll now be walking to the south with the River Derwent on your left. The path continues ahead, taking you beyond Chatsworth House and heading up some steps and past a ruined building. After you have passed the weir in the River Derwent, the path soon starts to veer to the right and up the hill. Cross over the stream you meet and climb up the slope to the right.
4. At the road, carefully cross over and turn right, picking up the track that runs back towards the house. This will start to lead you over the green fields of Chatsworth and you should make sure that you keep close to the road on the right. Look out for the path that leads off away from the road to the left; follow this as it takes you up the hill to the wood. Before you reach the trees, the path branches to the right and you’ll reach a junction of paths.
5. Take the path that leads off to the right, heading down the hill and beyond the trees towards Edensor. At the end of this path, go through a gate and down the steps that take you into the middle of the village. Turn right onto the road and walk towards the village green and the main road.
6. Leave Edensor through the main gate. Cross the road, picking up the path at the other side. This well-established route heads over the small hill and brings you to the historic bridge over the River Derwent. Once you’re at the other side, take the path on the left towards Baslow and follow the track back to the village you set out from. Having passed through the kissing gate, continue beyond the cottages, turning left onto the road and proceeding over the bridge towards the village green.
- Rory Batho
Comments 0