Above: The picturesque path alongside the River Wye between Litton and Cressbrook Mills can get muddy and water-logged at the far end.
A fairly easy 5-mile walk from Monsal Head and along the Trail before dropping down to Litton Mill. The route also passes Cressbrook Mill – both cotton mills shared a brutal reputation for exploiting and mistreating pauper orphans from the slums of Manchester and London.
The return section runs alongside the picturesque River Wye; parts of which can get muddy and water-logged in winter months and after a lot of rain. So walking boots are often a good idea.
Above: Click the map to open in a new window.
Above: When I first recorded this walk back in March 2024, a small footbridge at the Cressbrook end of the riverside path was roped off for repair.
But when I retook the photos in July, the bridge seemed open and well-used. I’m not sure whether someone had simply removed the tape, but I’m assuming it must be ok to use or it would have been more securely blocked. (I’ll update this page if this does happen.)
Above: This aerial view shows the diversion as a yellow line (click to enlarge).
There’s a well-signposted diversion about half way along the path which avoids this bridge. This route is also useful when the path gets too flooded. But the first section is up some fairly steep and irregular stone steps so it’s not suitable for very young children or anyone with pushchairs.
Monsal Head has a large pay and display carpark, but it’s often possible to find on-street spaces along the lane to Little Longstone. There’s also a nearby bus-stop.
There’s a tearoom at Monsal Head, and the Monsal Head Hotel serves a wide range of drinks and snacks from both their bar as well as the next-door stables. And the Packhorse Inn in Little Longstone is always worth a visit.
Click below for full step-by-step instructions and photos.
A ‘Relive’ version of the walk. Click to play and use the expand option to view in full-screen. Click here for more Monsal Trail ‘Relives’.