Chatsworth Circuit

Park in the National Trust P&D carpark next to the Robin Hood Inn just off the Baslow to Chesterfield road, a couple of miles East of Baslow.
Walk back onto the main road, and head towards Baslow before crossing the road and dropping down the bank opposite the camping field.
It's then a case of following the path along Dobbs Edge until you get to the Hunting Tower overlooking the Chatsworth Deer Park.
The first half of the path it is a narrow path right on the edge, whilst the second part is on a farm/estate access lane.
Ignore the Hunting Tower for now, and bear left until you get to the Emperor Lake.
Come down the right hand (west) edge of the lake and pick up the path following the sound of falling water to the stream that eventually becomes the Cascade through the Chatsworth House Gardens.
Enjoy the view, before heading north along a track under the trees to the Hunting Tower, which you will pass and drop onto the access lane in front of it.
Straight in front is a semi-concealed path that drops down the very steep hill and brings you out by the Adventure Playgound at Chatsworth House.
Cross the car park and head towards the river to the north of the much painted bridge over the River Wye.
Follow the path past the cricket ground towards Baslow.
Leave the Deer Park by a rather unusual hanging kissing gate, and then take the next exit of the path and skirt around the Cavendish Hotel up to the main road, which you then cross and take a path up through the houses to a minor road (Eaton Hill). Turn left and go to the next junction a few hundred metres along.
There is a small supermarket here if required for refreshments.
Once replete, following Bar Road uphill past the primary school, before turning down the lane on the right and then through a gate at the end into Yeld Wood.
Follow the right hand path, and then take a left to contour around the hill heading northwards towards and through Raddowhole Plantation.
When you exit the plantation, you can turn right and follow the footpath to the road, or continue onwards across some boggy rough ground and climb over a wall to get onto the footpath that comes down from Wellington's Monument high above you.
Either way, you need to walk down to the Sheffield Road, and cross over onto a footpath opposite the Wellington Monument path. The boggier route is worth it for a gem of a bridge over a gorge to get to the road.
Once over the Sheffield Road, follow the path across and up below Gardoms Edge, cresting near the Three Men rock feature.
It is downhill all the way now heading southwest before getting back onto the road near the camping field and the car park where you started.

Date Walked: 03Jun13
Distance: 7.4 miles
Time: 3h35m
Ascent: 1010'
Descent: 978'

Hover over photo for description, if available, or click for full size version

Points to note

• These walks are listed as a record of walks that we have done. If you wish to follow them then you do so at your own risk.
• Distances given are those recorded on our GPS as Track Distance.
  Actual distance walked may be slightly longer, due to the way that the two distances are calculated. This article explains why.
• Times given may or may not include breaks.
• You'd expect on a circular walk that the Ascent and Descent values would be the same, right?
  Well, yes, but sometimes I didn't stop the track at the exact same place I started it, and also sometimes it takes a while to get a strong enough 3D fix for a reasonably accurate altitude setting.
• Any photos shown will be of the ground covered by the walk, but may cover more than one visit.