DEEP DALE > MAGPIE MINE CIRCULAR WALK
Explore the rich history of Sheldon in this enchanting Peak District walk
Start: White Lodge Pay and Display Car Park, DE45 1NL
Distance: 5 miles
Duration: 2 hours
Elevation: 625 feet
Navigation: download the GPX file here
This short walk to Magpie Mine from Ashford-in-the-Water is a great little route that encompasses rivers, woods and fields all in one walk — oh, and a little uphill walking!
Magpie Mine is a disused lead mine, and covers a large area with many buildings still in tact. It makes a great places for both adults and children to explore. And for photograph lovers, the dark skies make for some impressive starry night photos of Magpie Mine.
From the car park, you cross the River Wye and walk alongside it before meandering through Deep Dale. You’ll soon reach farm Magpie Mine at the highest point on the walk, before a stroll into the village of Sheldon, where you’ll find a cosy, traditional pub that’s been converted from an old barn.
Once you’ve explored the old mine, it’s back to Sheldon and a gradual descent via Great Shacklow Woods to the River Wye, where you follow it back to the car park.
Here you will find details on how to get to the start of the walk, parking, route information, map, GPX file, plus useful good-to-knows along the way.
Magpie Lead Mine – Its History
The atmospheric remains of Magpie Mine are one of the best places to visit in the Peak District and one of the top industrial heritage sites in Derbyshire. It was the last working lead mine in the Derbyshire orefield and is one of the best surviving examples in the UK of a 19th century lead mine. The mine has a fascinating history spanning more than 200 years of bonanzas and failures, of bitter disputes and fights resulting in the murder of three miners, and a Widows’ Curse that is said to remain to this day.
Deep Dale
At the start of the walk, you’ll pass through Deep Dale — one of those special places where, if you visit the right part at the right time of year, you will see swathes of colour spreading over the hillsides.
Sitting within the Peak District National Park, this grassland reserve has a rich cultural history including lead mining and the remains of a Romano-British settlement on a steep-sided hill called Fin Cop. This nature reserve is a characterful gem, packed with lush greenery, meandering streams, and captivating wildlife. You'll feel like you've stepped into a fairy tale, and the well-maintained trails make it easy for hikers of all levels to navigate.
Sheldon Village
The small village of Sheldon in the Derbyshire Peak District, perched high above the River Wye, is a real hidden gem. Surrounded by stunning White Peak limestone countryside, the village is a cluster of picturesque stone cottages on a hill, mostly built along one single lane. The village bears the weight of history, its origins traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086. It rose to prominence in the 18th and 19th centuries, emerging as a vital hub for lead mining, a boom that swelled its population. Just beyond the village limits lies Magpie Mine, a remarkable testament to 18th-century lead mining and arguably one of the most complete sites of its kind in the entire Peak District, and perhaps even the UK. Its origins date back to the 1730s, and today, it stands preserved as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The remnants of the old winding house and chimney continue to stand as enduring witnesses to bygone industry.
Good-to-knows
Drive time from Manchester to the starting point:
1 hour 10 mins
Public transport
Catch the train to Buxton then take the TransPeak bus that goes between Buxton and Bakewell and stops in Ashford-in-the-Water near to the start of your walk.
Food and drink
You’ll pass a wonderful country pub, The Cock and Pullet, which serves good food and has a wonderfully cosy atmosphere.
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