The Derbyshire Derwent

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Through The White Peak (With World Heritage Status) - Matlock Dale to Derby

OK the world heritage status doesn't start until a couple of miles south at Arkwright's Mill at Cromford. But the limestone starts here.

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SK2959

The river here takes a turn to the dramatic, forming Matlock Dale.

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SK2958

The most photographed square yet as the river cuts its steep gorge through the limestone.

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SK2957

It is here that the Derwent Valley Mills take on World Heritage status due to their contribution to the Industrial Revolution.. Link

Just in the south eastern corner of this square is the start of the Cromford Canal, which obtained some of its water from the Derwent and runs pretty much parallel to the river, though at a higher level, from here to Ambergate.

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SK3057

The river flows north east for a stretch in this square, before turning south again near Cromford Station.

Leaving behind the confines of Matlock Dale the Derwent valley again becomes broad and open.


Crossed by Cromford Bridge and the Matlock to Derby line.

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SK3056

Although Lea Road between Cromford and Lea Bridge runs close to the river in this square, the bank is heavily wooded and it is difficult to get a decent picture.

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SK3156

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SK3155

Here the Leawood Pumping Station abstracted water from the Derwent for the Cromford Canal.




Rebuilt in 1793 the Wigwell Aqueduct is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

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SK3255

This one is a great view of its course through this square as well as SK3155 and SK3355.




Here the Mere Brook joins from the south west.

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SK3355

The river turns south again.


The river is seen on the left in this photo.

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SK3354

Directly south through this square and under the bridge at Whatstandwell.

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SK3353

The Cromford Canal was above the level of the Derwent at its start, now it is quite a drop down to the river from it.

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SK3352

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SK3452

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SK3451

The Derwent is joined by another major tributary in this square. The River Amber confluences in Ambergate.

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SK3450

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SK3449

Here next to the river is a small lake which forms the Wyver Nature Reserve.

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SK3448

Another well-photographed square as we have reached the town of Belper, A good proportion of the contributions include the river as the weir built to supply power to the mills that built the town is very photogenic.




Strictly speaking this picture is not of the river but the mill race which now powers a hydro-electric generating station. I have included it as this plant abstracts more water from the Derwent than anything else (including the Upper Derwent reservoirs!). The nett abstraction is zero however, as all the water is returned to the river after passing through the plant.

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SK3447

The Derwent continues to the west of Belper.

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SK3446

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SK3445

Heading now toward Milford. Water is abstracted to feed the mill in the village, the head created by a horseshoe weir.

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SK3545

Milford Bridge and two interesting weirs feature in this square .

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SK3544

Just a tiny bit of the river in this square but what there is is quite interesting.

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SK3444

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SK3443

To the west is the town of Duffield.

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SK3543

The River Ecclesbourne joins from the west.

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SK3542

There are (at the time of writing) three photographs of this square and all of them feature the river. (But then two of them were taken by me for this article!).

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SK3541

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SK3540

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SK3539

The Derwent begins to show its age; the valley widens to become a large flood plain, the hills disappear and the river takes its first serious meander, doubling back on itself.

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SK3538

Another World Heritage Site Mill by the river.

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SK3537

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SK3536

Here the Derwent flows through the centre of Derby.

The last of the World Heritage status sites on the river is John Lombe's Silk Mill.

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As the river leaves Derby its predominant direction becomes eastward and it enters into its old age.

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