Six Dales Walk

Start point: Monsal Head, Ordnance Survey Map OL24, Grid Ref: SK 184 715.

Click on images to see larger versions.

The walk begins from Monsal Head car park, and the picture shows the view looking along Monsal Dale towards Cressbrook. The buildings in the middle distance are Upperdale Farm.

Having descended the path from Monsal Head, this is the start of the Monsal Trail (a former railway track) that leads to Cressbrook.

Our path leads off and under the viaduct that is at the start of the Monsal Trail.


The path from under the viaduct goes by this bridge that leads to Upperdale Farm, but we will be continuing straight on.


Looking back towards the bridge near Upperdale Farm, with Monsal Head in the background.


Having ascended the path leading out of the dale, the route once again takes us along the Monsal Trail.


When the path reaches the tunnel at the end of the old railway track, the Monsal Trail continues along a hillside path. The building in the background is the once derelict Cressbrook Mill that has been turned into desirable appartments.


As we make our way off the Monsal Trail our path crosses this wooden footbridge near the weir at the back of Cressbrook Mill.


This picture shows the mill pond and the weir at the start of Water-cum-Jolly Dale, that were built to help drive a waterwheel for Cressbrook Mill.


Leaving Cressbrook Mill we cross this wooden footbridge at the back of the mill, and leading into Water-cum-Jolly Dale.


Our path now takes us upstream alongside the River Wye into Water-cum-Jolly Dale towards Miller's Dale.


In this part of Water-cum-Jolly Dale the River Wye has become very overgrown with plant life. The main flow of water seems to have been diverted into a narrow channel behind the trees on the left.


As the path passes through Miller's Dale lit eads past this long since abandoned waterwheel on the bank of the River Wye and now almost lost in the undergrowth.


As we continue along Millers Dale we come to Litton Mill. The picture shows one of the mill buildings that has been converted to apartments.


This picture shows a group of former mill workers cottages on the banks of the River Wye just past Litton Mill.


Just beyond the cottages our path heads off to the right to leave Miller's Dale and go into Tideswell Dale.


On the upper slopes of Tideswell Dale the path briefly diverges into two, only to revert to one again after about 1/4 mile. The right hand path is a little more picturesque.


One of several carved tree stumps in the upper part of Tideswell Dale.


As we reach the top of Tideswell Dale the path runs close by the road into Tideswell village.


The path out of Tideswell Dale finally comes out onto the road just on the edge of the village. The title "Cathedral of the Peak" seen on the sign is in recognition of the beauty of the village church.


As we enter the village our path leads away left from the main road into Tideswell to go past some typical houses of the village.


Coming into the centre of the village we pass this magnificent church that that is proudly proclaimed as the Cathedral of the Peak.


Just past the church, and opposite the George Hotel, our path goes off to the right between the houses.


The path rises steeply between the houses as it goes to meet to road to Litton village.


This picture shows the road approaching the outskirts of Litton village, with Litton Edge in the centre background.


The village green in the centre of Litton.


As the road heads north eastwards out of Litton, our path goes off to the right over the stone stile at the side of the house.


After crossing a couple of fields, the path now approaches to top of Tansley Dale.


The path through Tansley Dale descends steeply, before levelling out at its junction with Cressbrook Dale in the background.


Once in Cressbrook Dale the path ascends again, this time up the eastern face of the dale. There is an alternative path that goes along the valley floor but it is not as picturesque.


This picture shows the view from the top of Cressbrook Dale, looking back towards the village of Litton seen on the left in the far distance.


After descending back down into Cressbrook Dale, the path winds its way through the dense woodland and over this small wooden footbridge.


Almost at the end of Cressbrook Dale the path goes past this small group of houses, called Ravensdale Cottages after the original name of the dale.


Back at the mill pond behind Cressbrook Mill, it has become more populated with visitors.


Climbing back onto the Monsal Trail the path now heads back towards Monsal Head, which can just be seen in the far distance in the top left of the picture.


As the Monsal Trail reaches what remains of the old Monsal Railway Station ticket office, our path goes off to the right behind it.


Our path now goes underneath the Monsal Trail and heads towards the banks of the River Wye. The picture shows a stone footbridge over the River Wye, not far from Monsal Head.


After crossing over the River Wye and taking the road back towards Monsal Head we cross this stone footbridge close by Upperdale Farm, that takes us back over the River Wye.


The path now leads away from the footbridge to take us back under the old railway viaduct that marks the end of the Monsal Trail.


The old former railway viaduct at the end of the Monsal Trail. Our path leads left up the northwest flank of the dale to get up onto the viaduct.


Back onto the viaduct on the Monsal Trail, heading back to the car park at Monsal Head as seen top left of the picture and the end of our walk.