Rowsley
9 November 2025
Today’s ramble explores the picturesque outer reaches of the Haddon and Chatsworth Estates, with the bonus of a lunchtime visit to Edensor. This will be a circular walk, beginning and ending at Rowsley. The distance is approximately 10 miles.
We begin the day at Rowsley, where toilets are available. After a brief walk along the main road we head up Church Lane and turn left along a footpath back towards the A6. We turn north along Park Lane and climb through beautiful scenery above Haddon Hall towards Rowsley Moor.
We then plunge into woodland as we climb to the ridge overlooking Calton Pastures and the Chatsworth Estate. This is a very historic landscape, with several tumuli lining our route. Eventually we reach open ground with great views over Calton Pastures towards the north.
We then descend through Calton Pastures, past the famous Russian Cottage. This was inspired by a model of a Russian farmhouse gifted to the 6th Duke of Devonshire in 1855 by the brother of Tsar Nicholas of Russia. The model was offered as a keepsake following the cancellation of a highly anticipated visit from the Tsar, for which Chatsworth’s Emperor Fountain was built by Joseph Paxton.
We carry on down to Edensor for lunch. This path offers a panoramic view of Chatsworth Hall, the River Derwent and the Hunting tower. Hopefully, there will be deer and sheep to entertain us on the gradual descent. There is a tea room and toilets at Edensor. The present village was built in a variety of styles when it was relocated here in the Nineteenth Century. The 1867 parish church was designed by the famous architect George Gilbert Scott, who also designed the London St Pancras Station Hotel. It replaced an earlier Norman church.
After a nice break, we take the road up through this incredibly characterful village towards Bakewell. At the junction with Handley Lane, we pass an ancient milestone hidden in the trees on our right. We continue to Ballcross Farm, where we join a permissive track into beautiful woodland high above Bakewell. Hopefully, the autumn leaves will make this a stunningly colourful experience.
We continue through Manners Wood and on to rejoin a path we used earlier in the day for a short distance, but in the opposite direction. After a short descent with excellent views over Haddon Park, we turn east through Rowsley Moor Wood to make our final approach back to Rowsley, where the Grouse & Claret pub awaits thirsty hikers.
The coach will leave from the shopping outlet at 4pm, or earlier if we get the opportunity.
We always welcome new walkers and if it’s your first walk with us the coach fare is free! There is no need to book,
just turn up at your most convenient bus stop, listed below. The usual coach fare is £14.
The coach picks up at the following points.
(With the agreement of the leader other pick-up points
on the bus route may be available).
| “Staff of Life” pub, Hack Lane | Sutton-in-Ashfield | 9.15am |
| Priestic Road, opp McDonald’s | Sutton-in-Ashfield | 9.20am |
| Eastfield Side, (Blue Bell) | Sutton-in-Ashfield | 9.22am |
| Hermitage Lane stop, Sutton Road | Mansfield | 9.25am |
| ASDA bus stop. Stockwell Gate. | Mansfield | 9.30am |
