CHEEDALE - Exploring the River Wye & Monsal Trail, Peak District, UK

Today on Run Adventurer we’re near in the White Peak of the Peak District National Park near Buxton in Derbyshire to explore the steep sided limestone gorge on the river Wye at Chee Dale. I was going to start at Millers Dale but the car park pay and display machine wasn’t working so I started at Blackwell, parking on the roadside. I would suggest you start instead from the car park I’ve marked off the A6 near King Sterndale which is just a short distance from where I meet the river at Blackwell Mill. We follow alongside the river, definitely a summer route this, I can imagine it would be very wet and probably impassible in the winter but worth a visit, it’s stunning. Alongside the river my run was broken up by periods of walking due to the rough nature of the path, particularly at the far end at the bend in the river near Wormhill. Here we cross the river and head back down the other side before joining the Monsal trail at Chee Tor Tunnel. We run through both Chee Tor tunnels and Rusher Cutting Tunnel getting fantastic views down into the gorge from above and close our loop at the end of the Monsal Trail near Blackwell Mill.

Give it a visit, running through the tunnel is great and the gorge is stunning.