New walk follows 'heritage' river

New walk follows 'heritage' river

The route goes past the popular stately home Chatsworth House

A 55-mile footpath which passes through a national park and a World Heritage Site has been opened in Derbyshire.

The Derwent Valley Heritage Way was officially opened on Thursday after five years planning and with the help of many volunteers.

It follows the passage of the River Derwent from Ladybower Reservoir in the north of the county to Derwent Mouth, near Shardlow, in the south.

The route runs through fields, woodland paths, tracks and also has sections using pavements and roads.

Well known sites it passes include Chatsworth House, the Derbyshire Dales and a series of mills which were given World Heritage Status because of their importance in the industrial revolution.

See the sights of the walk in pictures

In the past 12 months volunteers have laid new surfaces, replaced 34 stiles and installed 73 direction sign posts.

Councillor Bob Janes, from Derbyshire County Council, said: "The Derbyshire countryside attracts visitors from across the world and this route offers the ideal way for people to see it.

"By having a 55-mile route we can appeal to the serious walkers who will want to use it all but also provide an easy route for visitors and local people who want to use shorter sections.

"The partners in the Derwent Valley Trust see the heritage way as an important way of promoting sustainable tourism in the area."

Leaflets about the route are being made available from local tourist information centres.

The path was funded by Derbyshire County Council, Peak District National Park Authority, Waste Recycling Environmental (WREN), Lafarge Cement UK, Southern Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce, the East Midlands Development Agency and the Environment Agency.