Whaley Bridge Heritage Walk

From the Station Car Park, turn right, passing under the Railway Bridge. Continue up Reservoir Road, taking a left turn into Memorial Park. Cross over Todd Brook below the dam and take the lower path until the next bridge. Cross the River Goyt into Wheatsheaf Road and turn right onto the main road.

Immediately before the bridge over Randall Carr Brook cross the main road and take the track of the former Cromford and High Peak Railway. Turn right onto the track bed and follow the path under Chapel Road, past Cromford Court to Shallcross Incline.

This was an important industrial estate served by the railway. The railway continued uphill via the Shallcross incline, to the east of the scout hut.

Follow the incline to Shallcross Road, turn left to reach Elnor Lane. Cross the road and take the track past Shallcross Nursery. Follow this path over the next three stiles, fork left and descend to the rear of Cadster House, where a left turn leads down below the railway to join Chapel Road.

Cross the main road, turn left and continue to a signposted track. Follow the track passing Ivy Bank Farm. Proceed down Eccles Road, taking the first right by Park House. The path then runs from Horwich Fold through open fields with good stiles, passing the cricket pitch to emerge on the New Horwich track.

A left turn onto the rough path takes you to a signposted path to the right. This skirts Throstledale, keeping close to the Roosdyche.

Originally thought to be of Roman origin, the Roosdyche is in fact the bed of the glacial melt-way, 13m wide and 8m deep. The path provides exceptional views across Whaley Bridge.

Continue over a series of ladder stiles. The route follows a fence into open fields below Mosley Hall Farm, to a stone stile above you. Follow the well-marked path through fields, exiting onto Western Lane, Buxworth. Turn right and take the path on the left between the football and cricket pitches. Cross the footbridge over the A6 bypass to arrive at the Buxworth Basin at the head of the Peak Forest Canal

Buxworth Basin was an extremely busy inland port. Limestone was brought down by wagon under gravity from the quarries near Buxton and transferred to barges.

Pass the Navigation pub and take the towpath towards Bridgemont. Continue around the bend under the A6, and cross the canal using footbridge no. 34. Cross the A6 to a track heading to the railway bridge.

Immediately after the bridge take the footpath on the left to Hockerley Farm and Hockerley Old Hall to enter the field over a stone stile.

Turn left to follow the wall behind the houses up to Stoneheads. On reaching the Whaley Bridge to Disley road, turn left and follow the road downhill to turn right onto Start Lane.

Proceed along the lane, until you reach the stone ginnel footpath just past Purdown·s garage and before Springbank. Follow this down to Reservoir Road, turn left to pass Todd Brook Reservoir and Brookfield Pond nature reserve to return to the station.