A day's outing on part of the Chatsworth estate that not many people see.
Park at the Chatsworth garden centre at Carlton Lee, or more accurately at the car park opposite, then leave the car park following the lane to Carlton Lee hamlet.
Then head west up the access track towards Carlton Houses.
Pass through Carlton Houses and leaving the main track behind pass through the gate and keep heading west, before passing through the two plantation blocks and head south and up the hill opposite.
Before reaching the top of the hill, turn right onto the footpath that then takes you through Calrton Pastures, past a small reservoir, and then along the southern side of Moatless Planation standing on it's own little knoll.
There are some benches towards the western end of the plantation to sit and enjoy the view.
Once suitably rested, continue in the same direction to come to the road.
Turning left drop down through Manners Wood and the edge of Bakewell golf course until you come out near the old Bakewell Station.
Pass through the car park, and the station buildings onto the track bed (the railway long since gone) and turn easterly and follow the railbed to it's end.
Although we will, broadly speaking, be following the line of the railway for a few miles, we can't actually walk on it beyond the viaduct.
Drop off the railway and before going under the viaduct follow the lane off to the side until you can get onto the footpath that takes you down towards and then alongside the River Wye.
This brings you to a lane, turn left here and follow it uphill and around the corner towards Haddon Park Farm, however before getting to the farm turn right onto the bridleway that will take you across the top of the Haddon Hall Estate towards Bowling Green Farm, where you pick up the lane once more.
The lane from here is unsurfaced, and although part is a byway it is mostly used to access parts of the farms and estates.
After going round the top of the farm, the lane splits.
Either go right and down through Aaron Hole Plantation to the main road, or you could go left and go through Brouns Corner to Rowsley.
We took the first option as we thought, incorrectly as it turned out, that we could pick up the old railway again and walk into Rowsley on that.
On reaching the main road, go left on the pavement until you can re-gain access to footpaths that lead you across the fields, and through a farm into Rowlsey village. It was very muddy getting to the farm, but worse was to come.
Turn right in the village until you come to another farm on your left, and walk through the lane and onto the river bank. If the other farm was muddy, this lane surpasses that - hundreds of metres of track under inches of cow slurry as it is the main route used by the cattle to get to their fields. Nice!
The path soon cleans up, and you simply follow it north across the fields to Carlton Lees, and the car park.
Date Walked: 15Oct12
Distance: 9.2 miles
Time: 3h58m
Ascent: 1269'
Descent: 1251'