Beginners/Light Hike

Chee Dale Peak District

Price: £15

Concessionary: £4

To understand if you are eligible for concessionary tickets please go to https://womenoutdoors.co.uk/do-i-qualify-for-concessions/

Route Statistics

Length: 4.4 Miles

Elevation Gain: 225m

Time: 3.5 hrs

Technical Difficulty: Easy

Start / Finish Point: Millers Dale Car Park

Route Type: Footpaths

Parking Costs: £4.75

Directions

Millers Dale Car Park – Peak District NP – Google Maps

All of our hiking leaders hold the relevant qualifications and have heaps of knowledge on the plants, landscapes and history of our national parks. The leader will create a WhatsApp group before the event providing all the information you need and you ladies can also use the group to organise car share and get to know each other.

Route Description

This ease of the Chee Dale circular route is great for beginners yet offers so much variety. You walk through a beautiful gorge, take in two sets of stepping stones which see far fewer crowds than the ones at Dovedale as well several fun abandoned tunnels.

From the parking area the walk heads onto the Monsal Trail and right, heading west in the direction of Wye Dale. The first 750m are all completely flat, heading along the wonderfully maintained, wide path which is shared with cyclists and horse riders.

We will reach an old railway viaduct, which is now a popular abseiling spot. Just before this bridge on the right, we will see a path downhill towards the river, which is signposted. After taking the stairs down to the waters edge, we will  follow the narrow dirt path along the river. After a walk along the river, we will reach a junction, and head straight, onto the wooden boardwalk. The boardwalks are very pretty, often lined on both sides with giant plants.

The next part of the walk is the most atmospheric, and my favourite section of the whole track. We will be wandering along a dirt path alongside the river and tall silvery gorge walls. It’s so picturesque and on a still day you’ll see a perfect mirror image of the limestone cliffs in the water. The path is again often lined with the plants that give it that childrens storybook feel.

Beyond the gorge we will come to the first set of Chee Dales stepping stones. These stepping stones are nice and even, both in terms of terrain and spacing, so they’re easy to cross.

The next 1.8km are all flat and back on the well manicured Monsal Trail. You walk through three tunnels in total, with the most impressive being the Chee Tor Tunnel, which is so long it is actually lit, unlike the others. It goes for over 100m and was good fun to walk through.

Just beyond the final tunnel we will come back to the abseilers favourite bridge and retrace our steps to the car park.

What do I need to bring with me?

Walking boots: waterproof and breathable hiking boots with good ankle support

Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and prevent blisters

Water: Bring at least 1 litre of water

Medication: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor aliments etc

Day Rucksack: something comfortable to wear, 20 litres+

Waterproof bags: keep spare clothing, electronics and anything else dry even when your rucksack leaks by using ziploc type food bags or outdoor activity waterproof bags.

Comfortable clothing: bring layers to let you adapt quickly to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (t-shirt) and a mid layer (micro fleece) and outer layer (jacket)

Trousers: no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry. On a warm day shorts are ok.

Waterproof jacket: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry.

Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example. Put them in an easy reach area.

Packed lunch: bring a pack lunch unless otherwise stated

Hat or cap: stay warm in the winter and shaded in the summer

Gloves: weather dependant

Sunscreen: can be useful even on cloudy days

Dogs

Well behaved dogs are more than welcome, there may be livestock around so they may need to stay on the leads for parts of it.

Terms & Conditions

By booking or participating in a trip or event with us you are agreeing to the Women Outdoors Terms and Conditions Terms & Conditions Women Outdoors (womenoutdoorsuk.com)

Any questions please do not hesitate to contact me,

Emma xx

emma.winter@womenoutdoorsuk.com