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Start: Ripley Market Place

Ripley is an old market town with a strong industrial past. The Butterley Company, once based here, built the famous St Pancras station roof in London and later the Falkirk Wheel, the world’s first rotating boat lift.

1. Leave the Market Place down Shirley Road, continuing onto School Lane. Follow the path beside Crossley Park to the junction, then follow Derwent Road. Turn left, then left again onto Kenilworth Road. Cross over and continue to the Co-Op and new housing development. Take the track down the right side of the new housing development and through the gate. Just past Sandham Farm, turn left through the kissing gate. Follow the uneven path with the stream on your left. Cross the stile by the large Field Maple and continue across two more fields to Street Lane. Cross carefully and take the track to Morley Park Farm.
2. After passing under the bridge, turn right through the gate. Keep the hedge on your right and cross the footbridge. Continue to a squeeze stile. Street Lane forms part of Ryknild Street, a Roman road linking Derby to Sheffield. Looking back, you can see remains of the 18th century iron foundries beside the A38.
   Street Lane forms part of Ryknild Street; a Roman Road that linked Derventio (now part of Derby) to Templeborough (Sheffield). Look behind you to see the remains of the 18th century iron foundries adjacent to the A38.
3. Go through the squeeze stile and head uphill along the right-hand edge of the field. Continue through the stile at the top and then on to the next stile in the hedge. Cross straight over to the next field and on to the stile at Street Lane. Cross with care and turn left, then take the footpath beside Yew Tree Cottage Farm. Follow the track to Field Farm and take the stile on the right. Continue downhill across three fields.
   This footpath follows the former route of Ryknild Street.
4. At the farm track turn right, then left downhill. Keep the hedge on your right for a short distance and cross the hidden stile. Bear left and follow the field boundary downhill to another stile. Cross the next field straight ahead, then follow the hedge on your left.
5. Turn left through a wicket gate toward the buildings. Keep left of the house and pass through the small copse. Take the stile on the right into the lawned garden and follow the driveway to the road near the former Gate Inn. The Cromford Canal runs just beyond it. Turn left along the road for about 200 yards, then cross and take the footpath along the tarmac path through the centre of the field, still following the line of Ryknild Street.
6. Cross the main road carefully. Beware of very fast traffic. Turn right, then left before the bus stop to follow the footpath between two hedges. Continue through the gate and along the track to Fields Farm. After the farm, go over the stile and take the path on the right.
   Continuing straight ahead would lead into Pentrich, a delightful village well worth a visit. Historically it is important as the scene of the Pentrich Revolution in 1817. The uprising was led by Jeremiah Brandreth and was part of a much wider unrest. The rebels were caught and 3 men were sentenced to death for high treason. Many others were transported.
7. Continue downhill with the hedge on your right. Go over the stile in the hedge and follow the path as it leads you back across the fields toward Ripley. • Turn left and follow the surfaced track until you reach a stone gatepost in the middle of it. Take the left fork along the edge of the fenced quarry. After crossing the stream, turn left and take the higher of the two paths. Cromford Canal is down on your right.
   Cromford Canal was built by William Jessop and Benjamin Outram and opened in 1794. It carried limestone, coal and cotton between Cromford and Langley Mill.
8. Follow the path to the road and turn right, passing under the bridge into Hammersmith. After the next bridge, turn right onto the tarmac path, which leads you under the old railway bridge. When the tarmac bends right, keep straight ahead instead. This brings you to the Sir Barnes Wallis Recreation Area.
   Sir Barnes Wallis was born in Butterley. He invented the bouncing bomb used in the 1943 Dambusters raid. From here, you can enjoy wide views across the valley. On clear days Crich Stand is visible, a monument to the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters who fell in both World Wars.
9. Continue up the field, keeping to the left of the hedge to reach the children’s play area. Climb the hill past the seating area. At Moseley Street turn right and follow the road uphill back to Ripley Market Place and the Town Hall.

Disclaimer

Please note that the council update these leaflets on a periodic rolling basis and that some landmark information may have changed. The footpaths should remain in place and be signposted and be clearly marked on the Ordnance Survey maps. Please report problems you may find so that these can be investigated to tourism@ambervalley.gov.uk.