From the centre of Duffield walk north along the A6 (Town Street) over the railway bridge and past the site of the castle. At the junction of Avenue Road go left on the path signposted to Chevin. Join a lane and continue past the golf club until the track reaches a gateway with the fairway ahead.
Go left over the stile for a footpath that goes ahead at a path junction, right at the next and uphill on a clear track above the teeing-off spot for hole 17. Beyond a stone squeeze stile turn left for a path to Hazelwood Hall Farm. Just after you reach the buildings go right through a gate and left via stiles for a field path diagonally right to the far corner.  Â
Turn left and follow the lane past Hazelwood Spring to a road junction and turn right. In 100yds (91m) turn left for a public footpath down a driveway, bearing left to a kissing gate. Now head down the left side of several fields, next to the hedge and via stiles and a footbridge, to reach the railway.
Cross carefully and continue ahead to cross the River Ecclesbourne. Turn right and cross three fields. In the fourth go half left to the road. Cross over the road for the track left of Frampton Rise, ignoring the fence stile, and follow this all the way up to Windleyhill Farm.
Turn left before the buildings through fields, first with a fence on your right, then after a gate a hedge on your left. Go over a stile and ahead. Turn right on to a stony track beside a wood and follow this gated route through the Kedleston Estate past Champion Farm all the way to a road.
Cross over for a footpath almost opposite along field-edges, switching sides at a stile. At the lane turn left, then after 250yds (229m) go left down a tarmac drive by a public footpath signpost. Beyond a building go left through a field to reach a stile and on down the left side of the next field. Continue in the same direction through several more. At the bottom cross a stile on the left for a short path diagonally right to houses.
Cross the road for the alleyway just to the left. It continues beyond another road, becomes fenced, then crosses a cul-de-sac for a narrow wall-side route to the A6. Turn left back to the centre of Duffield.
Duffield is a large village in the Derwent Valley that many drivers on the A6 probably pass through without much of a glance, which is a pity since there are some lovely old buildings and a backdrop of gentle hills with fine views. This walk loops around the Ecclesbourne Valley through a quiet,... pastoral landscape and includes a section through the parkland of Kedleston Estate. A Short-lived Castle Although Duffield’s modern expansion owes much to its proximity to Derby, there’s been a settlement on the fertile land where the River Ecclesbourne meets the Derwent as far back as the Iron Age. The Romans mined ore in the hills to the northwest; but it was the Normans who had a lasting presence. King William first granted land in Derbyshire to Henry de Ferrers and he built a fortification at Duffield originally in wood and later in stone. The keep was around 95ft and 98ft (29 and 30m) wide, and with walls up to 15ft (4.5m) thick it was an impressive castle that at the time was second only to the Tower of London in size and scale. However, later earls used it as a base to rebel against both King Henry II and King Henry III, which inevitably sealed its fate. After Robert de Ferrers was defeated in battle near Chesterfield the castle was destroyed in the late 1260s. The whole castle was systematically dismantled, the stone being used for other buildings, so that all that remains today is the large grassy mound. The site is now cared for by the National Trust and is free to enter. Full Steam Ahead On two occasions the walk crosses the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, a 9-mile (14.5km) restored branch line that runs between Duffield and Wirksworth. It was originally built by the Midland Railway company in 1867, and passenger services effectively ceased in the 1940s, but the line survived for several more decades by carrying limestone from the quarries near Wirksworth. When this increasingly switched to road, the railway ceased operating, at which point enthusiasts began a campaign to save the line. After much effort and considerable fund raising, Wirksworth Station re-opened in 2002 and by 2008 limited passenger services began running again, including steam trains pulled by locomotives owned by the new community-owned railway company. The line is now fully open to Duffield and uses the restored platform at Duffield Station, where you can connect with main line trains to Derby and London. To check the latest timetable and see when steam services are running go to www.e-v-r.com.Â
The natural features of this central English county range from the modest heights of the Peak District National Park, where Kinder Scout stands at 2,088 ft (636 m), to the depths of its remarkable underground caverns, floodlit to reveal exquisite Blue John stone. Walkers and cyclists will enjoy the High Peak Trail which extends from the Derwent Valley to the limestone plateau near Buxton, and for many, the spectacular scenery is what draws them to the area.
From the centre of Duffield walk north along the A6 (Town Street) over the railway bridge and past the site of the castle. At the junction of Avenue Road go left on the path signposted to Chevin. Join a lane and continue past the golf club until the track reaches a gateway with the fairway ahead.
1 of 7
Go left over the stile for a footpath that goes ahead at a path junction, right at the next and uphill on a clear track above the teeing-off spot for hole 17. Beyond a stone squeeze stile turn left for a path to Hazelwood Hall Farm. Just after you reach the buildings go right through a gate and left via stiles for a field path diagonally right to the far corner.  Â
2 of 7
Turn left and follow the lane past Hazelwood Spring to a road junction and turn right. In 100yds (91m) turn left for a public footpath down a driveway, bearing left to a kissing gate. Now head down the left side of several fields, next to the hedge and via stiles and a footbridge, to reach the railway.
3 of 7
Cross carefully and continue ahead to cross the River Ecclesbourne. Turn right and cross three fields. In the fourth go half left to the road. Cross over the road for the track left of Frampton Rise, ignoring the fence stile, and follow this all the way up to Windleyhill Farm.
4 of 7
Turn left before the buildings through fields, first with a fence on your right, then after a gate a hedge on your left. Go over a stile and ahead. Turn right on to a stony track beside a wood and follow this gated route through the Kedleston Estate past Champion Farm all the way to a road.
5 of 7
Cross over for a footpath almost opposite along field-edges, switching sides at a stile. At the lane turn left, then after 250yds (229m) go left down a tarmac drive by a public footpath signpost. Beyond a building go left through a field to reach a stile and on down the left side of the next field. Continue in the same direction through several more. At the bottom cross a stile on the left for a short path diagonally right to houses.
6 of 7
Cross the road for the alleyway just to the left. It continues beyond another road, becomes fenced, then crosses a cul-de-sac for a narrow wall-side route to the A6. Turn left back to the centre of Duffield.
Duffield is a large village in the Derwent Valley that many drivers on the A6 probably pass through without much of a glance, which is a pity since there are some lovely old buildings and a backdrop of gentle hills with fine views. This walk loops around the Ecclesbourne Valley through a quiet,... pastoral landscape and includes a section through the parkland of Kedleston Estate. A Short-lived Castle Although Duffield’s modern expansion owes much to its proximity to Derby, there’s been a settlement on the fertile land where the River Ecclesbourne meets the Derwent as far back as the Iron Age. The Romans mined ore in the hills to the northwest; but it was the Normans who had a lasting presence. King William first granted land in Derbyshire to Henry de Ferrers and he built a fortification at Duffield originally in wood and later in stone. The keep was around 95ft and 98ft (29 and 30m) wide, and with walls up to 15ft (4.5m) thick it was an impressive castle that at the time was second only to the Tower of London in size and scale. However, later earls used it as a base to rebel against both King Henry II and King Henry III, which inevitably sealed its fate. After Robert de Ferrers was defeated in battle near Chesterfield the castle was destroyed in the late 1260s. The whole castle was systematically dismantled, the stone being used for other buildings, so that all that remains today is the large grassy mound. The site is now cared for by the National Trust and is free to enter. Full Steam Ahead On two occasions the walk crosses the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, a 9-mile (14.5km) restored branch line that runs between Duffield and Wirksworth. It was originally built by the Midland Railway company in 1867, and passenger services effectively ceased in the 1940s, but the line survived for several more decades by carrying limestone from the quarries near Wirksworth. When this increasingly switched to road, the railway ceased operating, at which point enthusiasts began a campaign to save the line. After much effort and considerable fund raising, Wirksworth Station re-opened in 2002 and by 2008 limited passenger services began running again, including steam trains pulled by locomotives owned by the new community-owned railway company. The line is now fully open to Duffield and uses the restored platform at Duffield Station, where you can connect with main line trains to Derby and London. To check the latest timetable and see when steam services are running go to www.e-v-r.com.Â
The natural features of this central English county range from the modest heights of the Peak District National Park, where Kinder Scout stands at 2,088 ft (636 m), to the depths of its remarkable underground caverns, floodlit to reveal exquisite Blue John stone. Walkers and cyclists will enjoy the High Peak Trail which extends from the Derwent Valley to the limestone plateau near Buxton, and for many, the spectacular scenery is what draws them to the area.
