Walks from Derby

Parks, river and heritage trail.

Museum of Making

Darley Park

Time: 5h–10h30

6 lunch spots: Darley Park (1h–2h30 in) — Darley Park Terrace Cafe, the Little Darley in the Park, the Abbey Inn, or the Darleys; plus the Joiners Arms (3h–6h in), or the Orangery Café (3h–6h in)

4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Victoria Inn, or the Waterfall

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Similar walk: North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership.

Waterways — River Derwent, Derby & Sandiacre Canal and Erewash Canal.

Time: 5h30–11h

2 lunch spots: Canal Cottage Cafe (2h30–5h30 in), or the Navigation (3h–6h30 in)

2 end-of-walk rewards: Peking House, or the Sawley Junction

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Largely urban walking on pavements and a riverside path, through parks and along the line of the Derby Canal.

1 lunch spot: Waterside Café

Warnings: Only a few trains a day call at Peartree.

Walk details: North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership (tips and turn-by-turn directions).

Mixture of off-road cycle path and on-road sections. Part of the longer London-to-Lake-District route.

Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).

Repurposed railway track along the Great Northern Greenway.

Time: 4h30–9h30

2 lunch spots: the Bell and Harp (1h–2h in), or the Three Horseshoes (2h–4h30 in)

4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Waterfall, or the Merry Widows

Warnings: Follows a busy road for a sixth of the walk.

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

Good views, lots of interest; the weir at Darley Abbey is spectacular. A straightforward, well-walked route through the Derwent valley, mostly following field and riverside paths with some pavement and quiet village-road sections. Varied countryside with steps, stiles and some mud and plus a short stretch on roads without pavements or verges. The flood-plain section near the A38 can be affected after severe weather. Mainly follows the Derwent Valley Heritage Way through the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Well served by buses for bail-out at intermediate points (Duffield, Little Eaton).

Time: 4h–8h

Lunch: Refreshment options at Makeney, Duffield, Little Eaton and Darley Abbey, with a pub at each of Makeney and Duffield, and shops, a cafe and a pub at Little Eaton.

Warnings: About 900m is on roads without pavements or verges, though these are mostly quiet village roads. Steps and stiles throughout; some mud. Long grass encroaches in places, so tick precautions are worth taking. The section between the A38 and Darley Abbey is on a flood plain and can be affected after severe weather.

Walk details: Slow Ways.