Where to go for a short walk in Derbyshire to break M1 journey

[VenusClapTrap]

Driving all the way down the M1 today and thought we’d break the journey with a nice walk in the fresh air. Derbyshire would be nice? Peak District? But unfortunately we don’t have wellies or hiking boots with us as we weren’t expecting to have much time (but plans have changed and now we have all day to get home).

I don’t know Derbyshire very well. Any suggestions that would fit the bill? Cake/lunch opportunities a bonus.

It's a bit muddy, especially down by the lake. Plus, there is all the duck poo on the grass.

Cannon Hall (just a few miles from jct37) has a paved path by the lake now and rubber grid matting up to the house, so you can avoid the mud. There is a cafe at the garden centre (Thyme) and two large cafes up at the farm (one is for dogs and their owners). The other is dog free.

The food is good in all the cafes.

Matlock is absolutely lovely.
Now I have a yearning to visit again!

Come off at 26 and park in IKEA carpark (2 mins off the M1). From here it's a lovely walk to Bennerley Viaduct.

You can walk by the canal to see it. Or walk through thr naturised old coalpit site. Either way is lovely countryside.

Completely free too (plus you can have a coffee in thr IKEA cafe if you feel like it)

First image is ikea to Bennerly.

Second image is the better way tho. Drive past ikea and cone off at the next tiny exit slip. This goes directly onto all the lovely footpaths snd bridle ways around the Erewash valley. You can walk for 30 minutes or 5h from here and not see a car or road. Beautiful.

I don’t know where this cafe is!? I live v nearby and cycle or run round the reservoir most weekends…. Do you mean the kiosk bit at Fairholmes car park?

I second what others have said about most of these places being ludicrously impractical as a quick stop-off from the M1… and I second the previous suggestion to go to Hardwick Hall…. It’s right on the M1, and a lovely National Trust property with grounds, walks, tearoom, and a lot of historical significance (look up Bess of Hardwick).

If you get off at junction 31, Rother Valley is 10 mins or so away. Junction 30 and you're 15 mins away from Creswell Crags and within about 5 mins from junction 29a, you've got Poolsbrook Country Park. All have nice cafés and clean footpaths for a walk. Rother Valley is the longest walk around the lake. The Peak District is beautiful but never would I consider it to be a stop off from the M1, it's miles away! You can't go wrong with any of these three suggestions for a break for an hour or so. Enjoy!

Thanks everyone. Great suggestions and useful insider info! We don’t mind a longish detour because we’ve got all day and it doesn’t matter how late we get home, but I think the inappropriate footwear is going to be the biggest problem. So annoying we didn’t bring boots with us.

DH really wants to go for a proper hike, but I just don’t think that’s practical today. Plus ds (hormonal tween) has just announced he has a sore foot 🙄 to fend off any suggestions of robust exercise.

We went to Hardwick Hall on the way up - it’s such a perfect stopping point we have broken the journey there several times in the past. Lovely place.

I like the sound of Matlock and some of the other river/canal type walks might work.

We’ll save proper hikes in the Peak District for another time.

Hardwick Hall is your best bet.

@Skillest can you park there where you have circleled in the second image?

We must live close to one another and I love a good walk but my dog doesn't like being on the lead. I've only been to the viaduct once and I got 'lost' in that I didn't know where I was apart from under a massive viaduct!

Elvaston Castle or Woollaton Hall are both pretty close to the M1.

@AyeupDuck do you mean Fairholmes? That little shack in the carpark.

I live 5 minutes form Fairholmes amd Ladybower. There’s no cafes at either. I’m a cafe connesuier. Ladybower has 2 pubs.
Derwent has the shack at Fairholmes.

I’d be very interested in cafes at either!

@savoycabbage not officially, but people (locals) do on a regular basis. There's some massive stones off the slip road, people park by them. Or on the road down to the water treatment place.

Circled are the places you could park. The one at the bottom of the map is the 'official's car park. I ususlly park at the top circle and walk down Halls Lane to get onto the walks and bridal paths.

Another easy place to park for the viaduct is KFC in Langley Mill. You can get onto the canal directly from the carpark. About 4km to the viaduct.

(These are all my run routes)

Thank you @Skillest l am going to do that next week.

Where's good to park please AyeupDuck?

Thank you

I was going to suggest markeaton park

No need to go through Sheffield. you can get to Ladybower North of sheffield coming off the MI.

Jct 36, along Stocksbridge Bypass and over by Strines?

Probably too late but J24, drive into Shardlow, park at Wilne Lane carpark, cross the road to the NEw Inn or the MAlt Shovel for a pub lunch, then quick circular walk down the canal, see the ducks and back through the village, and still less than 5 mins away from the M1.

Don't bother. Go to Hardwick instead!

Having done heights of Abraham in an un named storm I'd give it a swerve!

The mining museum was lovely in Matlock if it's still open.

Bakewell and Buxton were utterly boring for my kids.

Yes. Well I have a friend lives in Upper Midhope and I'm sure you you can get over to ladybower that way. may still be a bit of a trek from the M1 !

Thanks again for all the suggestions. In the end we went to Wollaton Hall, had a nice walk, got close to the deer, and the dc enjoyed the taxidermy in the museum. Interesting how the house is a similar style to Hardwick. Shame there’s little left of the interiors.

I’m going to save this thread for future ref - so many good ideas!

@Celeous you can park in the council car park just by the pub The Trent Lock.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow we just went to the window, assume there is no cafe in that building then.