The Derwent Valley Cycleway

A project to create an off road cycleway between Shardlow and Hathersage.

The Derwent Valley Cycleway is a project to create an off road cycleway between Shardlow and Hathersage passing through the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and linking a number of significant population centres including Derby, Duffield, Belper, Cromford, Matlock Bath and Matlock.

The cycleway will be designed to follow the course of the River Derwent as closely as possible which has the benefits of ensuring a relatively flat route and providing scenic views and access to the many riverside attractions within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.

The design is for the route to be traffic free and open to all kinds of users including walkers, runners and users of disability vehicles as well as cyclists. The provision of the route would reduce the motor traffic on the A6 as existing motorists consider using the scenic, safe and flat cycleway route for commuting. This would have knock on positive effects on the current air quality issues in Derby and elsewhere.

View the interactive map to explore each section of the route, and click on the points of interest to learn more.

The benefits of the cycleway include

  • Increased Tourism (e.g. cycle tourists) will lead to commercial opportunities to support the tourist demand (e.g. bed and breakfast, café, bike hire). In addition, existing tourist attractions will benefit from the increased number of visitors arriving using the Cycleway.
  • There are a large number of people who commute from Belper and Duffield into Derby and the cycleway will provide an attractive alternative to using the currently congested roads.
    There are many more who would commute if an attractive, safe, off road, alternative to the A6 trunk road was provided.
  • The beauty of the surroundings and the lack of significant gradients will encourage people to cycle for health and thereby reduce obesity and increase overall healthiness of the local population.
  • To improve air quality by making it safer to commute by bicycle.

See a more detailed report on the cost benefits of the Cycleway (Carried out by external consultants on the instructions of Derby City Council) here.

Or an examination of the various benefits of the cycleway here This was submitted to Derbyshire County Council to help them define their key cycle network

Cycleway FAQs

Ian Scott and Derek Latham spent time cycling down the dedicated cycle route alongside the River Danube and realised that there was no equivalent in Derbyshire despite the beauty of the Derwent Valley. Independently, a group of cyclists in Duffield had identified the benefits of the southern part of the route, particularly for commuters to Derby. The local MP, Pauline Latham, had spoken about the opportunity for a cycleway in Parliament and met with the various interested parties. This initiative led to a meeting and the working group being founded.

The Derwent Valley Cycleway is a project to create an off-road cycleway between Derby and Chatsworth (via Matlock) following the course of the River Derwent as closely as possible. A lot of the cycleway falls within the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and links a number of significant population centres including Derby, Duffield, Belper, Cromford, Matlock Bath, Matlock, Rowsley, and Chatsworth.

Many benefits are expected to arise from the creation of the cycleway including those in the areas of:

  • Tourism Increased tourism (eg, cycle tourists) will lead to commercial opportunities to support the tourist demand (eg, bed and breakfast, cafés, bike hire). In addition, existing tourist attractions will benefit from the increased number of visitors arriving using the Cycleway.
  • Commuting There are a large number of people who commute from Belper and Duffield into Derby and the cycleway will provide an attractive alternative to using the currently congested roads. There are many more who would commute by bicycle if an attractive, safe, off-road alternative to the busy A6 road (“the most dangerous road in Derbyshire” – Derbyshire Live) were available. Similarly, commuters north to Matlock will be encouraged to use the route.
  • Health The beauty of the surroundings and the lack of significant gradients will lead to increased cycling for fitness and thereby reduce obesity and improve the overall health of the local population.
  • Environmental By making it safer to travel by bicycle, vehicle-related carbon emissions will be reduced, in line with policies relating to climate change.

In 2016, Derby City Council funded a cost benefit study of the Cycleway which showed that the route would deliver £4.80 of benefits for each £1 spent on construction (a “very good” result). Funding is now required for a detailed feasibility study and planning permissions for the route. Preferred consultants have already been selected to deliver this study. It is likely that construction of the Cycleway will be phased so that some sections happen before others. So, in 2020, Derby City Council constructed a multi-user path along the west bank of the River Derwent through Darley Park and this will form part of the Cycleway. Also, Highways England have awarded significant funds to establishing another part of the route connecting Darley Abbey to Little Eaton (both north and south of Abbey Hill on the A38). We expect this stretch to be built in 2021. There is considerable benefit in having the full Cycleway in place as a tourist destination in its own right, and of course this is the ultimate objective.

There are still obstacles to be overcome

  • Funding Significant funds are needed to make the route a reality and the current pressure on public spending means obtaining the funding will be a challenge. However, possible sources have been identified and the organisations involved have been positive about the attractions of the project.
  • Commitment from landowners Considerable effort has gone into identifying the owners of land that the proposed route will cross. Where possible informal discussions have been held in order to understand, and, if possible, accommodate, any concerns that the landowners have. In general, most landowners are positive though there are still some conflicts that need to be resolved.
  • Route Various possible routes have been explored matching the design principles. In some parts of the route, the topography of the land offers few options.

The distance between Derby and Matlock is 19 miles (30 km), with another 8 miles (12.5 km) from Matlock to Chatsworth. North of Matlock is a section of the White Peak Loop (to Rowsley) which is already open to cyclists and walkers. The Cycleway will then continue on to Chatsworth.

As a result of pressure from commuters to make available the part of the Cycleway into Derby from Belper and Duffield, a section through Darley Park finishing in Darley Abbey is already in use, having been completed in 2020. As a function of the flyover being constructed on the A38 at Little Eaton, a section of the Cycleway to cut under Abbey Hill is projected to be completed in 2021. In Belper, work has already been started on Wyver Lane, though negotiations about the route north and south from here continue. The White Peak Loop can to a large extent be followed apart from the southernmost section to Cromford, and this gives an idea of the quality of the finished Cycleway.

The cost of any particular section depends on a number of variables, including the number of new bridges needed, the current state of the route (eg, existing track or greenfield), the surface to be used (eg, tarmac), the width of the cycleway, and the difficulties involved in meeting legal requirements. For budgetary purposes we have assumed that construction of a tarmac-surfaced track will, on average, cost £225,000 per mile. In addition, legal, drainage and other services is expected to add 30% to this basic cost. On average, bridges are likely to cost around £500,000. For the current draft route of 22 miles including the need for six new bridges, the total budget is thus estimated at £9.5 million.

The Group are investigating various sources for grants including the Local Enterprise Partnership, the local councils and a range of other organisations such as Sports England, Landfill Levy distributors, and Visit England may be possible, as well as Developers S106 stipulations. As the majority of the route is within Derbyshire, the support of Derbyshire County Council is key and it is likely that funds from various bodies (eg, the LEP) would be channelled through the Derbyshire County Council accounts. Highways England have committed £1 million+, as part of their fund to provide community facilities ‘near to’ their trunk roads, particularly relevant in the section from Darley Abbey to Little Eaton, mentioned above.

The route along either side of the Danube is comparable because, though the Danube is wider and is navigable, it is a dedicated route mainly across fields like our cycleway, and where it combines with a lightly trafficked road, the diversions are clearly marked and very safe. Along the route there are cafés and bars, artisan workshops in small museums, as well as baroque churches and Gothic castles, to visit. The similarities with the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site are striking.

The plan is to keep the cycleway on the valley floor, to avoid hills so that it is easy for people of all abilities to use. It will never be far away from the River Derwent, though wildlife and land access may demand alternative routes in some places. However, the design goal is to have the route follow the course of the river as closely as possible. This has scenic benefits as well as providing a flat route.

Estimating user numbers for a facility that currently does not exist is tricky. However, estimates have been made based on existing commuter traffic, expected increases arising from the provision of an attractive route, and comparisons with similar routes elsewhere in Derbyshire. These figures are incorporated into the cost benefit study. In addition, we have received support from many people saying that, although they currently do not cycle into Derby or up the valley, they would use this facility were it to exist; and that this route would give them the confidence to take their children out cycling, an activity which they do not currently regard as safe.

Wherever possible the cycleway is to be multi-user, allowing pedestrians and disabled people to use it. Generally, however, the surface which is most suitable for cycles is not suitable for horse riders, so the long-term intent would be to identify a Derwent Valley bridleway which would utilise the ability for horses to ride both up and down hills easily, giving views across the valley. The Derwent Valley Trust is in the early stages of identifying a possible route for horse riders to complement the existing walking and planned cycling routes. The Derwent Valley Heritage Way which has already been established by the Derwent Valley Trust is suitable for walkers and may at times coincide with the Cycleway but generally provides more interest for the slower movement of walkers by taking a less direct route.

The time it takes is of course dependent upon the fitness of the cyclists and the type of bike that they use. The fastest way would still be to cycle down the A6 which sporting cyclists would probably still choose to do within the hour! But we would anticipate that a family with children would take a whole day and probably use the train to return to where they started. Groups on holiday might take two or three days because they will be visiting the various attractions on the route including Darley Abbey, Milford, Belper, possibly even Crich Tramway Museum, Cromford Mills, Carsington Water, Matlock Bath, the Heights of Abraham, and Matlock.

The cycleway will mostly be a separate dedicated route either in tarmac or in water-bound gravel. For the very short sections (across bridges) where it follows a road it will be clearly marked if not protected by a barrier. It will be clearly signposted at every junction along the route and also include health and safety signs regarding good conduct in the presence of pedestrians and other users. It will form part of the Sustrans National Cycle Network, as can be seen in their development plan.

The Derwent Valley Trust has made contact with all the local government bodies responsible for the areas that the planned route will cross or run close to. These include the Derby City and Derbyshire County Councils, Borough Councils on the route and all the interested Parish Councils. All the the bodies contacted have already provided expressions of support. In addition, the Trust is working with Highways England to create a section of the Cycleway under the Abbey Hill section of the A38.

A Derwent Valley Cycleway Working Group has been set up by the Derwent Valley Trust (a charitable trust that established the Heritage Way walking route along the whole length of the Derwent Valley). The Group, amongst others, includes representatives of:

  • local councils
  • resident groups
  • Sustrans
  • Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site
  • local cycling enthusiasts and organisations
  • local businesses

In addition, a great effort has been made to gain the support of interested organisations for the project and keep them informed of progress.

Wherever possible the cycleway is to be multi-user, allowing pedestrians, and disabled people to use it. Accordingly, the infrastructure (eg, gateways) will be designed to be accessible to all types of users, including wheelchair and scooter users.

The route of the cycleway links with the branch line service from Nottingham and Derby to Matlock run by East Midlands Railways, the Ecclesbourne railway between Duffield and Wirksworth, and the Peak Rail service from Matlock to Rowsley. It is envisaged that there will be scope for the railway companies to offer combined cycle/train tickets (eg, cycle one way and return by train) and discussions with Ecclesbourne Valley Railway have been very positive. East Midlands Railways are working on a programme of cycle hire centres at their stations and the route will allow for easy travel between the stations along the valley. A further benefit of the Cycleway is that it will link to existing National Rail and private train networks and will allow for combined cycle/train journeys (eg, from Derby and Chesterfield) in preference to the use of cars. The Cycleway will provide much needed accessibility linking directly to HS2 through the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire region.

The Cycleway will provide for greatly increased commuting from Duffield and Belper into Derby and onwards to Rolls Royce and Infinity Park. Belper lies just over 10km from Derby which is an attractive distance for a regular commute. The Cycleway will provide an alternative route to the currently heavily used A6 which in many places is not suitable for cycling and is particularly unattractive for family and less confident cyclists. The design goal for the cycleway is for it to be suitable for use by an eight year old. Providing such a route will greatly increase cycle and walking traffic as well as taking existing traffic away from the busy roads and thus reducing injuries and fatalities.

The cycleway would allow cycling to be a popular alternative method of accessing the Peak District, thereby reducing motor traffic into the Peak District. In addition, the cycleway, and the links to other cycle routes, would provide for the growth of cycle tourism and associated commercial activity (accommodation, cycle hire, cafes). The route encompasses part of the White Peak Loop which links Buxton, Bakewell, Matlock and Cromford. Creation of the Derwent Valley Cycleway would allow for trips from Derby to Buxton and other points in the Peak District.

The Derbyshire Cycling Plan includes the ambition for Derbyshire to be the “most connected and integrated county for cycling in England, recognised as a world class cycling destination for all. More people of all ages and abilities will be cycling regularly for leisure, active travel, commuting and sport.” Four strategic aims are identified in the plan including “Infrastructure Connectivity: High quality connected routes, in all cycling environments, supporting all forms of cycling, creating and supporting economic growth.” The Derwent Valley Cycleway is crucial to successful delivery of the plan. In early 2018, Derbyshire County Council initiated a review of the Key Cycle Network for Derbyshire which considered possible routes and set priorities for implementation. A large amount of detail demonstrating the importance of the Derwent Valley Cycleway has been provided to this exercise. A summary report can be seen here.