Canals, Rocks and Mystery: Exploring "Derbyshire's" slice of Little Switzerland.

Sometimes in life the unexpected things happen and it is those unexpected and unplanned events that lead to the best surprises - of course that is what happened when I revisited a location that I had not been to in a little while. Situated just to the south of Matlock, is a small village called “Cromford” and it is one that has a certain charm about it. Idyllic this village is with it’s Derbyshire stone facades and construction, but it is also a village of historical importance due to the industrial heritage that surrounds it, of course though Cromford might just be the site in which the industrial revolution took off from. But here is a village and a landscape in which Industry has shaped the surroundings.

“Somehow Cromford is a place of mystery, it might be one of those places that many visitors to The Peak District will ignore - yet stop off in Cromford and you will discover something truly delightful, in which the old and the new coexist amongst a landscape like no other.”

Whilst Cromford has plenty of delights ranging from the fantastic Scarthin Books, to other independent shops and cafes along with delightful pubs of character. Yet Cromford is one of those places that offers you the chance to get outside and explore - plus the opportunity to step back in time.

Across the road from the popular Cromford Mills is where you will come across one of the most delightful and picturesque stretches of canals, The Cromford Canal is a place of beauty but it is one that holds many secrets; the industrial ghosts from yesteryear can still be seen and the old wharf where the boats carrying freight and coal would have docked - now though the sounds at the old wharf buildings in Cromford at the beginning (or end part) of this delightful canal are those of people enjoying food and drink from the café, located upon the wharf and exploring the small but perfectly formed information point/shop, if you are lucky enough you can take a trip on the Canal, but of course due to Covid - that has not been happening.

The canal towpath at Cromford is one that is flat, and all around you are the most beautiful and stunning views, overlooking this sweeping and wide section of the lower Derwent valley. I had arrived in Cromford and walked up onto this delightful towpath, behind me the Wharf and the sound of enjoyment, but I was heading in the direction of High Peak Junction. A short distance down the canal towpath and I came across what is one of the most picturesque bridges, an old stone one that is still in use today; now hikers and sheep can cross the bridge, but back in yesteryear things would have been different - yet this glorious bridge and the calmness of the canal I just had to capture.

A Cromford crossing.

Now with a canal you would perhaps think that they are largely straight, but they are not - or at least this is the case with the Cromford Canal, for the landscape has affected the way it was constructed, and that makes it even more interesting, a little further along the canal things started to change, and a slight bend in the canal along with the lush green trees overhanging the canal eventually came into view, I had to pause for a moment and took the following photograph, here though is where things “really do begin to change” and the next section of canal feels like you have walked through a portal back in time.

A distant overhang.

Under the canopy.

“The Cromford Canal is like a time warp, you start walking from the present day into the past, for this is a true voyage of discovery and delights with interesting points from a time of industrial might that provide something else for you to see. This is unlike no other canal in the UK.”

And that is true, either way I continued on this voyage of discovery. And after the slight bend in the canal, came something truly delightful, to the right of me a steep bank and sitting at the top of the steep bank is the infamous A6, to the left of me is a slight drop and a railway line that to this day carries passengers between Matlock and Nottingham along with Derby; yet in the middle like a slice of mature cheese is the canal, here things coexist and whilst I am aware that it is the present day, my mind wanders back in time to when the railway would have carried both freight and passengers, now though the line is one that commuters use along with visitors to Derbyshire. Yesteryear though would have seen the railway continuing through Matlock and onto Bakewell and Buxton. Oh, how the times change.

But it is this stretch of the canal in which the landscape changes yet again, the steep banks that lead down from the A6 are one’s of surprises, here the trees cling to the edge on the other side of the canal in a mysterious way. Eerie in some ways but so calm in others.

Reflected shapes.

Art by the canal.

A little further on past the ravine/steep bank that drops, from the A6 towards the canal and I had arrived at High Peak Junction. Again this is a part of the canal that is steeped in history, ironically it sits at the bottom of a steep incline that one time would have looked very different, wagons and trains would have been travelling up and down this incline on the High Peak Railway; now though it is a popular tourist hotspot and marks the beginning of the High Peak Trail, a true cyclists haven.

A journey through time.

A coffee stop and some Millionaire’s shortbread along with some Rocky Road and I was in deep thought, enjoying the coffee as I pondered on just how beautiful this stretch of canal is. Yet despite industry existing here, the old industry has been replaced with more modern industry - and the canal along with the towpath, railway and the road are all used, yes time progresses but the canal still provides a playground or a calming and soothing way to escape from the pressures of modern life.

Still some more mystery was ahead of me now, and the stretch of the Cromford Canal that lay ahead of me is when I noticed something different unfolding. And immediately I felt as if I had been transported back in time. This stretch of canal had ruins of time gone by, and on the other side of the canal, a glimpse into the past, an old building, perhaps one used for storage or for the canal workers; either way it looked magical and I just had to capture it.

Interests of history.

What mystery does it hold? - (Black and White).

What mystery does it hold? - (Colour).

For now it is idyllic.

Then another surprise, to the left of the towpath, a ruined building, possibly an old house, for who lived here - one that despite it being a ruin more than likely had many stories to tell about what life was like on the canal. Now though it is a derelict relic and an old ghost, fenced off so people can not climb over.

Who lived here? - (Black and White).

Who lived here? - (Colour).

A little further downstream and on the other side of the canal, another mystery was ahead and this building was another wharf, at first glance though it looked like some kind of idyllic riverside accommodation. But later on I would learn what this building actually was. Continuing on my walk a majestic building crept up on me. And this is where The Cromford Canal - felt incredibly different.

“The Cromford Canal and the viaduct at the Leawood Pumphouse is a different world. Here, a landscape of rolling hills suddenly feels steeper and whilst I was in the shadows of old industrial relics I realized that this was Derbyshire’s slice of Little Switzerland.”

The majestic building I was next to at this point was the Leawood Pumphouse which was built in 1849 to pump water from the River Derwent into The Cromford Canal, and whilst it looked like an abandoned relic from times gone by; you can actually still visit it on selected days throughout the year. 

In the shadow of an old ghost.

Water rises.

A coexistence of water.

Dramatic to see at the side of a canal, a huge old pumping station, but now I had to continue over the viaduct, the River Derwent below and when I had crossed this glorious old Aqueduct, a building was in front of me; for this was the first time I had discovered a new location that I had never visited before, the building in front of me was “Aqueduct Cottage” and it was surrounded by scaffolding. The canal in front of me started to get slightly narrower, but I had to take a photo of this restoration project which was on pause.  Although it was a temporary pause Aqueduct Cottage is being restored so visitors can learn more about the past, and what life would have been like for those who lived and worked along this canal, now quiet from the industrial past, but a haven for walkers, wildlife seekers and those with a sense of adventure.

Restoration of history - (Black and White).

Restoration of history - (Colour).

Now though it was time to double back and I crossed a small bridge over the canal, I was now on the opposite side of the Cromford Canal and I started to walk back in the direction of High Peak Junction, however a pause on the Aqueduct and I was amazed at the scenery of the trees and this little slice of heaven that I had found, utopia like almost and it was if I was on another planet, but no here I am in Derbyshire yet I could be forgiven for thinking that I was in Switzerland, the trees were lush and green.

Little Switzerland within Derbyshire.

At the other side of the Aqueduct and on the opposite side of the towpath I had walked on, a view back down the canal came into view and I just had to sit down, take a minute and ponder upon this glorious new part of the canal that I had discovered.

A canal meanders along.

Then came another discovery, a sluice that was taking some overflow water from the canal, down to the River Derwent below.

sluice.

Amazed, I was at the sluice and somehow it seemed a little soothing, water somehow can be so magical in so many ways and delightful the water can be at calming and soothing the mind, it was a little oasis of calm, within an already calm environment.

Still it was onwards and upwards and from the other side of the canal towpath that I was on the Leawood Pumphouse came into view once again. Reflecting into the canal this stunning piece of architecture was so calm. Yet I was captivated by the presence of this silent building against the canal.

History framed.

Leawood reflections - (Black and White).

Leawood reflections - (Landscape).

Leawood reflections - (Portrait).

I walked on, along the opposite side of the canal, and the wharf that I had seen previously, that looked like an idyllic riverside property came back into view, for this old building was actually a wharf building used to transfer goods from the canal onto the railway and the overhanging wooden canopy of the building gave away that this was where wagons would have been located before they set off on their journey up the High Peak Railway, now though this building is empty but I could just imagine the building as it would have been as a hive of activity with canal and railway workers together in synchronicity. Now things here have changed.

Walking past this old part of history, the canal looked serene as it snaked its way towards High Peak Junction, once again.

An interesting curve.

Yet encroaching on the left hand side of me, was the old canal building that I had seen from the opposite side of the canal, what was the purpose of these buildings I thought? Abandoned they were but somehow they remain frozen in time. Now they coexist with modern life as we know it.

Canal side Curiosity - (Black and White).

Canal side Curiosity - (Colour).

A place to sit.

Then I had arrived back at High Peak Junction, I crossed the river and looked over at the Café, where I had stopped off for a coffee break, now though the café was closed, but a family along with a dog had stopped and they were more than likely in thought as well. Still I knew I had to continue my walk and by now the light had changed, the sun was beginning to gently set and as I walked down the canal towards Cromford Wharf, the canopy of the trees along with the light looked magical.

Sunlit passage.

I had walked along this stretch of canal on my way to High Peak Junction, but now the light looked magical. I eventually approached the end of the Canal, and just before reaching Cromford Wharf, I stopped and looked around at the vista of this glorious part of the Derwent valley. Magical it was.

A Cromford meadows vista.

But I had not stopped exploring this slice of Little Switzerland. Now though it was time to discover something different all together. A short distance away from Cromford, located between Wirksworth and Brassington is another continuation of Little Switzerland, and whilst the I had said goodbye to the Cromford Canal - next I would be saying hello to the delightful rocks of “Harborough Rocks'' a rock formation/outcrop that overlooks the majestic Carsington Water, with views as far as the eye can see. Yes from this secret high point you can see as far as the southern reaches of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, and to the West - coombes moorland just south of Buxton, along with that it is possible to see The Wrekin as well. For here you are high up; without realizing it.

Pillars of time - (Black and White).

Pillars of time - (Colour).

A stone city - (Black and White).

A stone city - (Colour).

Harborough Curiosity.

Usually rock formations are noticeable and Harborough Rocks on the other hand, well they are more “blink and miss them” although that being said they are curious looking to anyone who might be cycling past them on The High Peak Trail, mysterious is what they are. Still though I had to explore them, and to access Harborough Rocks, a small pathway leads up from the Wirksworth to Brassington Road, crosses over the High Peak Trail, and leads up to them. But here it is not all about rock formations though.

Alien like is another rather fitting word I would use to describe Harborough Rocks, and it felt like another planet, I had taken my photographs of the dramatic rock formations, and walked a little further, now I was heading downwards towards a building, a structure that looked as if it had been built for the Star Wars saga, sitting at the bottom of Harborough Rocks, the curious SciFi looking structure got closer and closer.

A hidden portal? - (Black and White).

A hidden portal? - (Colour).

The sun was slowly beginning to set, but the skies a glorious shade of blue and I just had to capture this curious structure, But what is the curious structure at Harborough Rocks? Well, it is actually the old Golconda lead mine, which ran from the site at Harborough Rocks, underneath the rocks towards Via Gellia - now though the Golconda lead mine provides an interesting subject to explore and photograph. Yet here things are not always as they seem, as a noise can be heard. Despite Harborough Rocks being located in the middle of nowhere, modern industry also exists, and a processing plant is situated right next to this stunning location of rocks and old industry. Here the old and the new compliment each other like a jam sandwich. Now though it was the time to depart, I walked back and this time found a gate, which I opened and walked onto the more level High Peak Trail. Interestingly enough this entrance to Harborough Rocks, provides a less challenging and more level access route to the rocks and the old lead mine.

Mysterious existence.

Walking back down the track, I stopped for a moment and a series of Wind Turbines standing tall made for the last photograph I was going to take.

Green meets green?

It really is quite amazing what can be found, discovered and explored and whilst The Peak District offers so much, this small part of Derbyshire (situated outside of the national park boundary) often ignored by tourists, also offers so much, scratch below the surface and you can find hidden treasures all over the place and that is exactly what I found in this part of Derbyshire, for this is Derbyshire’s slice of Little Switzerland - an area ignored by many that offers so much more. Secrets and stories intertwined with the scars of old industry, new industry and a glorious landscape that binds them together; thus offering the photographer a little something else. Break the mold and explore the new, here the stories of what this slice of Derbyshire has to offer, for you will not be disappointed.