Beeley and Hill Bank Plantation walk (2.7km)

This is a short 2.7km walk around the Beeley and Hill Bank Plantation, but allow for a good few hours as the kids will love paddling in the stream and playing in the woods. Wellies during the winter months are a good idea, rather than hiking boots, so they can paddle.

It is not a flat walk. The first half of the walk is downhill, and the second half is uphill. Be careful underfoot, especially in wet weather, as the footpath is slippery in places.

Beeley Woods walk map

On all Peak District family walks it’s a good idea to have an Ordnance Survey paper map with you, even if you have your phone on you. For this walk you need the OS Explorer Active Map OL 24 (White Peak). It’s also a good opportunity to show young kids the map features and get them started with map reading.

Preview	Product	Price
	The Peak District: White Peak Area Map | Weatherproof | Peak…	£14.07	Buy on Amazon

This Beeley walk follows the below OS map in a clockwise direction.

Get a printable download of this walk

Need to know

DISTANCE OF WALK: 2.7km / 1.7 miles

TYPE OF WALK: An short circular walk through woodland. Not flat. First half of the walk is downhill, and then the return is uphill.

PARKING: Free roadside parking on a sharp bend of Chesterfield Road. Click here for Google Map point on your phone. Post code is DE4 2NS.

WALK HIGHLIGHTS: Beautiful woodland, although as this is a plantation you may see some trees cut down. Kids will spend ages playing in the brook and little waterfalls.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE:  Without kids this would be a 1 hour walk, but allow a good few hours for playing in the woods.

ACCESSIBILITY: Not pram or wheelchair friendly. There is one wooden stile to cross, and a couple of stream crossings using rocks to reach the other side. In wet weather the footpath can get rather slippy. Also be wary of tree roots and branches across the footpaths.

TOTAL ASCENT: 139 metres

FACILITIES: There are no toilets or eateries on this walk. However, you may want to combine your walk with a meal at The Devonshire Arms in Beeley village afterwards.

The route

START: roadside parking on Chesterfield Road
Click here for Google Map point
Grid reference: SK 2867 6807
Post code: DE4 2NS
what3words: ///nails.sunflower.mystified

Route follows a clockwise direction.

1. Spot the stone stile on the left, just on the corner of the bend, leading off a gravel track. Climb over the stile and follow the footpath down into the woods. This initial footpath gets rather overgrown in the warmer months when you need to be careful with the nettles.

2. After 100 metres, take the path to the left. Follow this for 250 metres.

3. At the next footpath junction (it’s obvious, not the little turning just before on the right), take the path on the right. Follow this footpath downhill across a small, wooden footbridge, through the woodland. There are lots of places to stop and play along the stream and waterfalls.

4. You will reach a point where the footpath crosses the stream. There is no bridge, but there are a few rocks to aid you across. These can get submerged in heavy rain, but you should still be able to cross with wellies on.  

5. The woodland clears. Keep following this footpath to the wooden gate as shown in the photo below. If the gate is locked, there’s a steep stone stile to the left (quite a drop the other side). Then take the footpath on the immediate right, back up the hill again, keeping the stone wall on your right.

6. After 360 metres you will walk through a small wooden gate to the left of a metal gate (ignore the big wooden gate on the right).

7. Then a little further on (120 metres) you will reach this wooden stile. Climb over the wooden stile and continue straight ahead.

8. After a short while, a footpath will meet you on the right; ignore, and continue straight ahead, slightly uphill. You will then come to a yellow arrow pointing left up some steps.

9. Before you walk up the steps, you may want to detour to the right for a little play by the stream. Then head up the steps, continuing to climb slightly, with a drystone wall on your left. You will walk over a wooden plank, and there will be another yellow arrow to lead you into the deep dark wood. It gets rather steep through here.

10. The footpath will eventually lead you out to a wooden footbridge that crosses the stream. Once you’re across, take the footpath on the right, and continue uphill.

11. After 140 metres there is a footpath T-junction. Take the footpath on the left. Then 40 metres along, take the footpath on the right.

12.  Continue along this footpath, crossing over another stream (careful on those rocks!) After 40 metres, follow the footpath as it veers to the left (connecting with the footpath you first walked down at the start of this walk). Then follow the footpath back up to your car.