Name: Walking in the Peak District - White Peak East
Brand: Cicerone Press
Price: 12.95 GBP
Availability: InStock

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Walking in the Peak District - White Peak East

42 walks in Derbyshire including Bakewell, Matlock and Stoney Middleton

This guidebook to walking in the Peak District details 35 day walks and 7 longer trails in the eastern part of the White Peak, part of the Peak District National Park, Derbyshire. The book includes walks near Bakewell, Matlock and Eyam, as well as the Monsal Trail, Tissington Trail and White Peak Circular. GPX files available to aid navigation.

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Printed book £12.95 Full guidebook with maps & profiles. Available and ready to dispatch

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Quick facts

Guidebook name: Walking in the Peak District – White Peak East
Location: White Peak, Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, England
Number of walks: 42 routes – 35 circular day walks and 7 longer trails
Distance: Day walks 7–19 km (4–12 miles); longer trails 15–70 km (9–43 miles)
Typical duration: 2–6 hours for day walks; longer trails can take multiple days
Terrain: Limestone dales, riverside paths, upland plateaus, historic villages, trails along disused railway lines
Difficulty: Easy to moderate, suitable for beginners, families and experienced walkers
Highlights: Monsal Trail, Tissington Trail, White Peak Circular, Chatsworth House, Haddon Hall, Cromford Mill, Arbor Low
Navigation: 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey maps and downloadable GPX files
Facilities: Practical information on public transport, refreshments, parking and local amenities for all routes
Best season: Year-round walking, though limestone landscapes can be especially slippery when wet

Detailed overview

Explore the rolling limestone landscapes, deep green dales and historic villages of the White Peak, the southern heart of the Peak District National Park. This beautiful area of Derbyshire is known for its dramatic limestone valleys, charming market towns and iconic walking routes linking places such as Bakewell, Matlock and Eyam.

This expert guidebook to walking in the eastern White Peak features 42 routes, including 35 circular day walks and 7 longer trails exploring the area’s valleys, plateaus and historic landscapes.

The day walks range from around 7 to 19km and can be completed in 2–6 hours, while longer trails such as the Monsal Trail, Tissington Trail and White Peak Circular allow walkers to explore the region in greater depth.

42 varied routes across the eastern White Peak, including 35 circular day walks and 7 longer trails connecting classic Peak District landscapes and picturesque villages, including Tissington, Youlgreave, Stoney Middleton and Wirksworth
Walks ranging from 7–19km (4–12 miles) for day routes, with longer trails covering 15–70km for extended adventures, all of which are easily accessible from Bakewell, Buxton and Sheffield
Clear 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey mapping and GPX files for each walk, helping you navigate the limestone dales and upland plateaus characteristic of the White Peak landscape of Derbyshire with confidence
Highlights along the way include historic landmarks such as Chatsworth House, Haddon Hall, the UNESCO-listed Cromford Mill, and prehistoric sites like Arbor Low
Practical details on transport, refreshments and facilities to help plan enjoyable walking days across the Peak District

From peaceful riverside paths and flower-filled limestone dales to historic estates and sweeping countryside views, the eastern White Peak offers some of the most rewarding walking routes in the Peak District. Whether you’re exploring quiet valleys, visiting historic villages or following classic trails through the heart of Derbyshire, Walking in the Peak District – White Peak East provides everything you need to discover this beautiful landscape on foot.

Discover the full White Peak region of the Peak District with Cicerone’s 2-part series. Walking in the Peak District – White Peak West is available to purchase separately, offering more routes and day walks across the western dales and limestone plateaus.

Where and when to go

Seasons

Walking in the Peak District is enjoyable all year round although the famous limestone landscapes can be slippery in or after wet weather. A snowy winter walk in the White Peak can be an enchanting experience.

Centres

Ashbourne, Bakewell, Calver, Chatsworth, Cromford, Eyam, Hope, Matlock, Middleton, Monyash, Parwich, Stoney Middleton, Tissington, Tideswell, Youlgrave, Wirksworth, Winster

Difficulty

Ranging between 4 and 12 miles in length and largely following well-marked paths over gentle landscapes, these walks are suitable for walkers of all abilities. Free GPX files available to aid navigation.

Must See

Market town of Bakewell; medieval village of Tissington; plague village of Eyam; Thorpe's Norman church; Chatsworth House; Haddon Hall; Cromford World Heritage Site; Stanton Moor stone circle; the Dales of Lathkill and Cressbrook; Thorpe Cloud; the Monsal Trail; the Companion Stones on White Edge; limestone plateaus; Neolithic burial site of Arbor Low; the Headstone Viaduct

Map key

Overview map

Introduction

Geology

Plants and wildlife

History

Local communities

Customs

Peak District National Park

Local services and transport

The walks

Responsible walking

Maps and navigation

Using this guide

Northern section

Walk 1 Bradwell to Offerton

Walk 2 Hope to Shatton

Walk 3 Longshaw to Curbar Gap

Walk 4 Grindleford to White Edge

Walk 5 Foolow to Wardlow

Walk 6 Eyam to Abney

Walk 7 Eyam to Grindleford

Walk 8 Eyam Village

Walk 9 Tideswell to Cressbrook

Walk 10 Curbar to Gardom’s Edge

Walk 11 Calver to Hassop

Walk 12 Calver to Great Longstone

Walk 13 Taddington to Monsal Dale

Walk 14 Chatsworth to Beeley

Walk 15 Ashford in the Water to Monsal Head

Walk 16 Bakewell to Chatsworth

Walk 17 Bakewell to Monsal Head

Walk 18 Bakewell to Over Haddon

Walk 19 Monyash to Sheldon

Walk 20 Rowsley to Birchover

Southern section

Walk 21 Youlgreave to Elton

Walk 22 Middleton to Elton

Walk 23 Middleton to Kenslow Knoll

Walk 24 Winster to Bonsall

Walk 25 Matlock to Dethick

Walk 26 Biggin to Minninglow

Walk 27 Cromford to Black Rock

Walk 28 Cromford to Crich

Walk 29 Middleton to Harboro Rocks

Walk 30 Brassington to Kniveton

Walk 31 Parwich to Alsop en le Dale

Walk 32 Parwich to Tissington

Walk 33 Wirksworth to Alport Height

Walk 34 Tissington to Thorpe Cloud

Walk 35 Ashbourne to Thorpe

Long Walks and Trails

Walk 36 Derwent Valley Heritage Way

Walk 37 Eastern Gritstone Trail

Walk 38 Limestone Way

Walk 39 White Peak Circular

White Peak Trails

Walk 40 High Peak Trail

Walk 41 Tissington Trail

Walk 42 Monsal Trail

Appendix A Route summary table

Appendix B Useful websites

Appendix C Bibliography and further reading

Which format is best for me?

Printed book

A guidebook with detailed route descriptions, stage breakdowns, accommodation listings, profiles and maps — everything you need on the trail.

ISBN	9781852849764
Availability	Published
Published	15 October 2022
Reprinted	15 October 2026
Weight	260g

eBook

The complete digital edition of the guidebook, with full route descriptions, accommodation listings, profiles and maps, ready to use on any device.

Updates

Updated 25 August 2023
Walk 11 Calver to Hassop
Third Edition Reprinted 2022)
Page 77, paragraph 1
It should read:
'Where the lane meets a minor road, bear diagonally left and walk along Mill Farm Close. At the end, enter a passage between two fences.'
Updated 2 October 2023
Updates
White Peak Walks East Third Edition Reprinted 2022)
Walk 2 Hope to Shatton Page 37)
The text should read:
Where the road forks, bear right down Bowden Lane, cross the bridge over the River Noe, then turn immediately right on to a stone track leading to a fenced lane.
Walk 6 Eyam to Abney Page 58)
Updated 2 October 2023
Updates
Derbyshire County Council closed this path in May 2022 until at least April 2025. Motor vehicles are no longer allowed on that section of road. In view of the length of time and the precarious situation I have completely revised that section of the walk.
The text should read:
Due to a landlsip in the area the following section of the walk has been rerouted.
Go through two gates along the path and, at the stone wall running N-S, pass through the gate and head NW downhill to cross a footbridge over Bretton Brook. Follow the signposts NNE uphill to a stone wall. Go through the gate and follow the wall on your right round the field passing the farm at Abney Grange and exiting on to a minor road via a stone stile. Turn left up the road until you come to a fingerpost on the left just before the road junction. Follow its direction heading SW to the field corner. Go through the next gate, following the fence downhill, cross a small brook then continue uphill along the fenceline. Pass through a small gate and cross the large field SW keeping the woodland ahead, to your left. Descend to a small building, cross the stream and ascend the opposite bank. At the top of the field exit via the gate then walk to the fingerpost ahead, leading on to a minor road. Go left down the road until you come to stone steps on the right. Descend the steps to take the footpath immdeiately left down through the brush exiting via a gate on to the road. Walk diagonally left across the road to take the footpath to Grindlow.
New GPX has been provided. The map is shown.
Walk 8 Eyam Village Page 64)
The text should read:
I recommend continuing into the village to visit Eyam Hall, and the village craft and information centre, opposite. Then, walk N, back along Church Street taking the next left down New Close, then left into Dunlow Lane.
Walk 11 Calver to Hassop Page 77)
Actual distance is 12.65km 7.86 miles). New GPX has been provided. The map is below.
Updated 2 October 2023
Updates
Walk 16 Bakewell to Chatsworth
I have made a small change to the map for clarity. New GPX has been provided. The map is below.
Updated 2 October 2023
Updates
Walk 17 Bakewell to Monsal Head
The book description is correct. However, the map is incorrect. New GPX has been provided. The map is below.
Updated 2 October 2023
Updates
Walk 22 Middleton to Elton
The book description is correct. However, the map is incorrect. New GPX has been provided. The map is below.

Meet the author

Paul Besley

View author

Paul Besley is a writer who began exploring the British Landscape while at school in the 1970s. His focus of work is the interaction between human and the land. His work has evolved into the study of how the physical environment imprints itself on humans and how as a race we respond. His belief that walking is a simple activity has led him to support the effort of many just starting out on a lifetime of pleasure. He has a desire to show people that walking does not just have to be in the hills and mountains of national parks or rely on expensive equipment but can be enjoyed from the front door of home through our urban landscape and out into our local countryside. His books, Day Walks in the South Pennines and 1001 Walking Tips for Vertebrate Publishing, and the three Peak District guidebooks for Cicerone Press, are well respected by walkers and explorers of all ages. He lives close to the Peak District in The Outdoor City of Sheffield with his partner, metalsmith Alison Counsell, their three dogs Monty, Olly, and Scout.