Baslow lies on the banks of the River Derwent and at the northern edge of Chatsworth Park. Around the village, six walks, the Derwent Valley Heritage Trail, which passes through Baslow, and historic buildings come together. Bronze Age remains can also be found on the moors above the village. When choosing a base for your trip, you can first decide whether walks, the river and village scenery, or architectural history should take centre stage; Baslow offers specific points of interest for each of these.

Walks and trails around Baslow

The walking programme around Baslow comprises six walks. The shorter options range from 3 to 5 miles, and the longer ones from 6 to 8 miles. This lets you choose according to distance: the shorter and longer ranges offer different scales. When planning, you can first consider which distance range better fits your day, then choose from the available options.

All six walks start and finish at the village’s main car park, where there are toilets. The shared start and finish point provides a consistent reference when choosing between the options, while the distances vary. The Derwent Valley Heritage Trail also passes through Baslow. This gives you another named trail connected to the village, in addition to the six walks.

River, bridges and village scenery

Some stones from Baslow’s old river crossing are visible when the river level is at its lowest in summer. Both the season and water level matter: the stones are visible when the summer water level is at its lowest. This is a different kind of connection to the River Derwent from Baslow Bridge, which can be understood through its architectural history.

At Goose Green in Nether End, a narrow packhorse bridge leads towards Chatsworth House, past thatched houses. Together, the bridge, its direction and the houses give a specific impression of the village scenery. The walks’ mileage helps you choose a route; this location, by contrast, indicates a direction and distinctive building styles along the way.

Architectural history and earlier remains

Baslow Bridge is largely in its present form from the early 17th century. A small, gable-ended tollhouse is attached at the north-west end. Its location helps place this detail in context: it is a small addition at the north-west end, not a separate building elsewhere.

The parish Church of St Anne dates from the 13th and 15th centuries and was restored in 1852–1853. It is listed as a Grade II* building. The clock face on the east side bears the inscription VICTORIA 1897. To understand the dates, it is worth distinguishing the restoration from the inscription: 1852–1853 refers to the restoration, while 1897 appears on the clock face. The church brings together different aspects of its history: its construction, restoration and a distinctive inscription.

On the moors above Baslow, Bronze Age huts and fields are preserved alongside stone circles, burial mounds and clearance cairns. These remains broaden the view beyond the village’s buildings to the archaeological landscape above Baslow. Several pubs, cafés and restaurants are also part of what the village has to offer, adding a food and drink dimension to its walking and history themes.

Discover more destinations: Marston, South Normanton, Castleton, Yeaveley, Bolsover, Tansley, Edale, Furness Vale

For the wider travel overview: Derbyshire.