Estimated Distance: 6 miles ---- Estimated Time: 3 hours ---- Grading: Quite Strenuous
Food & Drink: Tideswell ---- Parking: Tideswell Dale Car Park
How to Get There - Map Section
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From the Tideswell Dale car park follow the clear track south through Tideswell Dale. Continue through the short dale - typical limestone scenery, with a number of small buttresses for the possible entertainment of passing rock climbers - to the main Millers Dale track.

Turn left here; but a brief detour is recommended to take in Raven's Tor. A brief ramble westwards along the track brings you to the spectacular bitumen-streaked face of one of the most impressive limestone crags in Britain. Once the preserve of 'aid' climbers with their pegs and entriers, the modern 'free' climbers have applied their upper body power to the overhanging face to produce the hardest routes in the world (possibly?) Gawp at the Tor, then return to Tideswell/Millers Dale junction.

From the mouth of Tideswell Dale continue allong the track (east) to Litton Mill. The mill has a rotten history, child/slave labour provided the owners of Litton and Cressbrook mills with a good living. Pass the works. Beyond the mill, a wonderful limestone dale beckons. The River Wye (to your right) opens out into a lake (stepping stones in situ, should the banks flood) as you reach the end of the dale at Cressbrook Mill (the crag here is Rubicon Wall, once a forcing ground for "rock jocks").

At the end of Water-cum-Jolly dale, at Cressbrook Mill, you turn left onto a narrow road. Ascend the road until a signpost on your right points your way through Cressbrook Dale. Stay with the high ground, then descend, by the wood to the vally. High to your right are the impressive buttresses of Ravensdale, another rock climbers' mecca.


Cross the bridge in the dale bottom and gradually ascend the right-hand side of the valley. Ignore the limestone stile and turn left near the yop of the dale. Descend the gentle path back to the dale bottom. Continue up the dale briefly, and turn left through the stile; ascend through Tansley Dale.

Just prior to reaching the end of the dale, turn right and follow the stiles to the Litton Lane. On reaching the lane, turn left to attain the road; turn right along this minor road into Litton village.

Simply walk alongside the minor road from Litton to Tideswell village, with a splendid church - "The Cathedral of the Peak" prominent. Descend a series of steps - on your left - to attain the road in front of the church (St John the Baptist) and continue through Tideswell in the direction of Tideswell Dale. The car park stands approximately one mile south of the village, and a gentle stroll is all that is required to complete the walk.