PILSLEY WALK
THE WALK
An outstanding walk with excellent views and with Edensor, Chatsworth House and Baslow all on the route, this walk could take a considerable time to complete with so many fascinating places to explore.
After a short walk towards Ballcross, a rough track leads down to Edensor. The splendid collection of differently designed houses makes you feel, when you leave, as if you had been on a whistle-stop tour of Europe.
If you can resist visiting Chatsworth House, the route continues through the Park close to the banks of the River Derwent, passing the lovely little estate cricket ground on the way to Baslow. If you have time, there is much to explore in this attractive little Peak District village.
After leaving Baslow, the walk continues through fields before descending sharply to the A619 and then climbing steeply back to Pilsley.
LOOK OUT FOR
Route Point 2 Initially, Edensor lay between the river and the drive through the Park, where the houses ran down the road in an untidy line. This arrangement did not appeal to the 4th Duke of Devonshire, who had spent considerable money and effort improving Chatsworth House, redesigning the gardens and building a brand-new bridge over the river. He decided to demolish the houses visible from his home. The tenants were safely re-housed in the nearby estate villages of Pilsley and Beeley before the demolition work commenced. The Duke died in 1764 before the completion of the job, and it was the 6th Duke who completed the building of the present village.
Point 4 Cricket has been played at Chatsworth for nearly 200 years and has always been
supported by successive Dukes of Devonshire and other members of the Cavendish family throughout its history. Historically, the team has mainly comprised players working on the estate and living in the surrounding villages such as Edensor, Pilsley, Beeley and Baslow. The cricket ground with its thatched cricket pavilion is one of the prettiest in the county.
Point 5 Chatsworth Park is entered/departed through the skilfully designed Cannon Kissing Gate. The gate allows wheelchair access to the Park without leaving an opening through which grazing stock might escape.
Point 6 As you walk along Bubnell Lane, Baslow Church soon comes into view. The tower clock displays on one side’ Victoria 1897′ instead of the usual numerals. Another surprise waits inside in the form of a dog whip in a glass case, supposedly to drive out stray dogs during service, or, as has been rather unkindly suggested, to keep the congregation from snoring! It is well worth taking a short diversion to explore the church and churchyard.
Point 7 The Old Bridge, close to the church, built in 1603, attracts considerable interest from visitors with its impressive stone arches. It is the only ancient bridge across the Derwent that floods have never destroyed. It played a significant role in the history of Baslow, providing access to an important route over the moors to Chesterfield and the North Sea ports.
Point 12 The Pilsley Inn, formerly The Devonshire Arms, is a long, narrow pub of pleasing appearance, set in the old part of Pilsley. It is a traditional country pub built about 300 years ago, with four distinctive gables and high chimneys. Popular with local people and visitors alike, it also provides accommodation of a high standard.
WALK DETAILS
Length: 6 miles.
Start: Roadside car parking in Pilsley Village, close to the Pilsley Inn.
Location: On B6048 through Chatsworth Park, to the west of Chatsworth House.
Terrain: Mainly good walking conditions, but the approach to Edensor tends to be uneven underfoot. There is a steep ascent and descent near the end of the walk.
Refreshments: There are numerous refreshment stops on the way, including at Edensor, Chatsworth House and Baslow.
THE ROUTE
1. Walk up the road from the Pilsley Inn, formerly Devonshire Arms, and where the houses end, keep straight on along a rough track that soon swings to the left. Where the track forks, keep to the left, go over a stile and cross a field to another stile by a gate leading onto a road.
2. Cross over to the other side and continue up the road opposite, Handley Lane and when it levels out, just before rising again, turn left down a rough track leading to Edensor.
3. Leave the Edensor by the main gates and cross the road to join a surfaced path that curves to the right and leads to the River Derwent.
4. Go over the bridge and immediately turn left alongside the river path for about one mile, passing Chatsworth cricket ground, with the Derwent only a short distance away on the left.
5. The Park is left through a swing gate. In about 100 yards*, go through a gate stile on the left and, within a short distance, cross a narrow stone bridge. Walk across a field behind the Cavendish Arms to join a fenced path leading to the main road. (*In extremely wet weather, the path may get waterlogged, and it is best to continue forward before turning left through Baslow to link up with the walk route.)
6. Follow the main road round to the left and after crossing Devonshire Bridge, turn right along Bubnell Road. Baslow Church soon comes into view on your right, on the other side of the river.
7. Directly opposite the ‘Old Bridge’, go through a stile between two cottages and walk up a narrow path. Go over a stile before crossing two more stiles with the wall close on the right.
8. When the wall ends, turn left across the field and go through a gate, turning right along Wheatlands Lane for approximately 60 yards before going left through two stone pillars into an open field.
9. Keeping close to the wall on the left, walk to the other end of the field and turn right by the side of the wall without leaving the field. After a short distance, go over a stile in the wall close to a gate.
10. Follow the path to the right as it drops down quite steeply to the A619 road.
11. Cross the road with care and follow a steeply climbing track to the right to go through a gate.
12. Immediately turn left and walk alongside the wall to reach a minor road, where you turn right and walk back into the village of Pilsley and the start of the walk.
