Heights of Abraham to Matlock Walk

You start this walk from the Peak District Mining Museum. Turn right at the main road past the fishpond with its Tufa column and fountain. Cross the A6 at the pelican crossing and turn right. Take the first left at the side of the first shop, bear right and then follow the footpath running up the hill (you’ll see a sign for the Temple Hotel).

At the top, go up the steps that come out on a road near to the Temple Hotel. Turn right and then first left, you’ll see a sign pointing to the Heights of Abraham. In Victorian times this was the route used by donkeys carrying visitors up to the Heights! At the top turn right by the entrance gates to the Heights of Abraham and follow the road downhill.

After about 100 yards take the footpath on your left, signed to Matlock. Go up through the woods. You’ll go over a footbridge and then pass under the cable cars. Continue along this path until you reach another sign for Matlock and emerge on to a lane. Turn right, downhill and turn right again onto St John’s Road. The chapel here was built in 1897 to the design of Sir Guy Dawber, an architect of the Arts and Crafts Movement.

Just after the chapel, go left at a fingerpost. Go through the stiles along the path. Note the good views of High Tor over the wall on the right. After a while the path bears left across more open countryside. Then the path swings right as some farm buildings come into view ahead of you. The path then follows a wall, there is a good view of Riber Castle from here too. You will then come to a gap stile in the wall, by a fingerpost. Go through the stile and head diagonally left towards a gap in the hedge across the field.

All of Matlock is revealed before you. Cross the next field bearing slightly right to reach a stile midway between two metal gates. Continue down, following the path across the next field until you reach a stone stile by a house. Go through the stile and down some steps continue ahead into the lane. Cross the railway bridge and turn right into Snitterton Road. Turn left at the bottom, then right over the road crossing and continue ahead over the river bridge towards Crown Square and Matlock Tourist Information Centre.