1: There are two carparks at Monsal Head – one long-stay and the other (by the viewing point) restricted to an hour.  But it’s often possible to find free parking on the road to Little Longstone. The no.173 Bakewell to Castelton bus service also stops here. And there’s a pub, tearoom and toilets nearby.

2: Go through the gap in the stone wall just beyond the cafe and turn immediately right down a series of irregular stone steps.

3: Turn left at the footpath sign beside the wooden bench and follow this fairly narrow path down the slope until you exit onto the Monsal Trail.

4: To your left is Headstone Tunnel, the longest of six  railway tunnels along the Trail that were only reopened in 2011. Turn right, away from the tunnel, to cross Headstone Viaduct, with its stunning views across both sides of Monsal Dale and the River Wye.

5: You soon come to the remains of a railway platform on your left. This is all that’s left of Monsal Dale Station. The platform on the right was made of wood and supported on timber stilts because of the steep drop and has long since vanished.

6:  There’s a gate just before Cressbrook Tunnel that leads down to the small village of Cressbrook but the footbridge over the river has been closed for repair since 2020. Work is due to start soon to reopen it, at a cost of some £300,000. Continue through the tunnel.  

7: Pass through Litton Tunnel and then look out for a footpath signpost on the right to Litton Mill. Follow this narrow track as it snakes down to the river. (There was a fallen tree across the path when I came down, but it’s fairly easy to get under it.)

8: Cross the narrow footbridge and turn right along the lane. 

9: Go between the large stone gateposts towards Litton Mill. The building is now divided into modern appartments but was once a Victorian cotton spinning mill with a notorious reputation for using pauper children as unpaid and poorly-treated workers.

10: Follow the track past the end of the mill around to the right and then left to reach the picturesque riverside path beside the Wye. A notice pinned to the first gate when I walked the route in March 2024 said the bridge at the end of the path was closed. I’ll update this description when it’s reopened. 

11: This picturesque path beside the Wye can get water-logged in places during winter months and after rain. So even when the bridge is repaired, the diversion offers an alternative route to avoid sections than can get too muddy.

12: The diversion is well signposted but the first section up some irregular steps is a bit steep and wouldn’t be suitable for pushchairs. (Some people are still continuing along the riverside path and crossing the bridge, but I couldn’t recommend it.)

13: Follow the obvious path through the trees and then a gate, heading to the right of Cressbrook Hall.

14: The path eventually emerges onto a lane. Continue in the same direction down the slope, passing the entrance to Cressbrook Mill. Like Litton, this is now modern apartments but once had a reputation for exploiting child labour. (The closed footbridge is a short distance along the drive to the right.)

15: Continue along this attractive lane for some distance. There are picnic tables beside the river just before the hamlet of Upperdale.

16: Turn right between when you reach Upperdale, heading towards the bridge over the Wye in the distance.

17: Follow the track up the slope and under a bridge. Both the bridge and the track were built to take passengers and goods up to Monsal Dale Station. Follow the lane around to the left, going through a gate at the top to reach the Trail and then turn right.

18: Retrace your steps from the start of the walk by following the Trail over Headstone Viaduct, and head up the path on your left just before the entrance to Headstone Tunnel. Turn right when you reach the wooden bench to return to Monsal Head.

19: Hobbs Cafe on the right has only recently reopened, with outside tables giving wonderfully panoramic views over the valley below. Monsal Head Hotel also serve drinks and meals from the main building, as well as a next-door stable block. And the Packhorse Inn in nearby Little Longstone is always worth a visit.