Walking
The area around the cottage is criss-crossed with footpaths – both rights of way and permissive paths over private land. See overview map.
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For public rights of way, see: OS Explorer Map OL24: The Peak District - White Peak Area or the Derbyshire Mapping Portal where you can zoom in and view rights of way (RoW).
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You can create your own circular walks from your doorstep quite easily but here is a short suggested one: South Darley Parish Walk.
The walk essentially goes round Oker Hill, the small hill that you can see from your property - a Roman hill fort once stood on top of it but now the prominent landmark on top is a single tree, the subject of a Wordsworth Sonnet: The Tradition of Oker Hill.
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Here's a video of a walk that goes up Oker Hill: Darley Bridge, Wensley and Oker Hill walk by Patrick Leach, the Solitary Rambler.
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Other local circular walks direct from your property, include Chatsworth House and Gardens; Haddon Hall; Matlock walking along the River Derwent; Matlock Bath; the ancient Cambridge Wood (SSI); Wensley Dale gorge; The Heights of Abraham; Youlgreave village; Stanton Moor and the ancient Nine Ladies stone circle.
The 172 bus service by Hulley’s (from the end of your drive) can be used to travel to any of the following destinations and then perhaps you can walk back home.
The bus stop for Matlock is on this side of the road, direct to Darley Dale then Matlock.
The bus to Bakewell can be taken from the bus shelter opposite the drive. This is a direct route to Wensley, Winster and Elton, after which it becomes somewhat more circuitous (but always scenic) to Birchover, Stanton in Peak, Haddon Hall then Bakewell.
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Darley Dale Station, a mile away, is on a heritage line with diesel and steam trains run by Peak Rail. This can be used in the same way as the bus service to create walks back home from Rowsley (South) or Matlock. The line connects in Matlock with the main railway network on the Derwent Valley Line.
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The Derwent Valley Line has developed a range of short circular walks in the Derwent valley and walks linking two local railway stations.
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Two long-distance walks pass through the parish Derwent Valley Heritage Way and the Limestone Way.
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Bakewell is is the perfect place to pick up the Monsal Trail and walk to the Monsal Head Viaduct or you can hire a cycle at Hassop Station.
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For other walls in the White Peak, see, for example: Walk in Derbyshire.
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Just in case ... for local taxi services see here.