Derwent Valley Mills (5k)

Sep 16

4 min read

World Heritage Sites (WHS) are a big deal. They are considered by UNESCO to be so exceptional and of such outstanding universal value that they transcend national boundaries and are important to all of humanity. The UK currently has 35 World Heritage Sites, which comfortably places it in the top ten (joint 7th if you are asking, some way behind Italy with 60)… but viewing things this way is probably frowned upon. World Heritage Sites are all about an internationalist ethos and the collective achievements of humankind.

This blog aims to explore all of the UK's World Heritage Sites by running in and around them. But where should we begin? How about an early big hitter... maybe one of the original sites designated in the late 1980s... such as Bath, Stonehenge, or the Tower of London? No, we decided to start with a location that might not be as well-known but has played a crucial role in shaping our lives today. You could argue that it has had as big an impact as any World Heritage Site in the UK on the way you live your life… (pipe down Ironbridge Gorge, your time will come).

We have chosen the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site for our inaugural run on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Running Series. For it was here, along the banks of the Derwent River 250 years ago, that the Factory System was born and water was first harnessed to power textile manufacturing on a mass scale. In the last quarter of the 18th Century, new technologies, buildings, and infrastructure developed as engineers and entrepreneurs set in motion new processes that would help drive the Industrial Revolution.

What makes Derwent Valley really special is the fact that the mills and landscape are so well preserved. This is because the textile industry in Derbyshire declined in the early 19th Century as production moved increasingly across the Pennines to Lancashire. This has meant that many of the early mills and associated buildings have survived, and the wider landscape remains relatively undeveloped. It is therefore possible to appreciate the landscape as it might have looked when it was at the very cutting edge of global innovation.

To make the most of the limited time I had to see the major sites, I planned a short out-and-back 5k route along the Cromford Canal (built in the 1790s), taking in the northern section of the WHS that includes the two finest examples of early textile mills Cromford Mill (1771) and Masson Mill (1783), both built by the pioneer Richard Arkwright.

The route starts at the Masson Mill Car Park and heads south along the Derwent. Take a left turn through the gates with stone pillars along the path behind Cromford Mills that offers views of Willersley Castle (1792) on the opposite bank (also built for Richard Arkwright). You will come to St. Mary’s Church (1792) (built by the same architect as Willersley Castle) where you can pick up the Cromford Canal (opened 1794) at Cromford Wharf. The canal path is flat, and trail shoes are not necessary.

After running just over 2.5km, you will reach the High Peak Junction. Here, you have the option to turn back for a straightforward out-and-back route. Alternatively, if (like me) you prefer a circular route, you can cross the canal at High Peak Junction and loop back to Cromford Mill following the path of what was once the historic High Peak Railway, which dates back to 1830. This railway connected the coalfields of Derbyshire with the industrial areas near Manchester, effectively closing the gap in the waterway network that was caused by the Pennine Hills.

Cromford Mill (1771) The world's first water-powered cotton spinning mill

It’s a steep 300ft climb (running at this point is not essential) but the effort is worth it once you reach the top, offering views across the valley that allow you to appreciate the wider landscape of the area. Don’t miss the cart pit on the left hand side as you climb. Make sure to pick up the footpath veering right that passes beneath the track you’re on to head back to the Cromford Mill. Along the way, you will pass by some modern development on your right before reaching the A6. Cross over the road and take the footpath opposite that leads to Cromford Mill. Pass through the site gates to see the mill in all its glory. You can finish the run here or, for those keen to clock the full 5k, retrace your steps along the riverside path and finish at Masson Mill, where you started.

What to listen to on the run?

What to do afterwards?

Enjoy looking around Masson Mills and Cromford Mills, and then pop into the historic spa town of Matlock Bath, once compared by Lord Byron to Switzerland.