Monsal Head Walk With Kids

Our favourite Monsal Head walk with kids, with so much to keep them entertained.

We originally started out on a lovely day to do the lesser-known Chee Dale Stepping Stone walk with the children; however, after arriving at the Miller Dales car park, the best spot to park if you’re doing a shorter walk with the kids for Chee Dale Stepping Stones, we were to late and the 80 spaces had gone! So we decided to drive to a lesser know car park called White Lodge car park and set off from there on the public footpaths to walk up to Monsal Head Hotel for the views.

This is my favourite place Monsal Head walk with kids to park as the walk is much more varied and exciting for the kids than the more straight path through the Monsal Trail. This is our favourite Monsal Dale walk at the moment and one that’s been really popular when we have shared it with friends. No need for google maps even on your first time. There are well-worn path strikes before you meet the Monsal Trail, so easy and fun Monsal Head walk with kids.

We took the back carrier for Eliza as this walk isnt great for push chairs. If you stick with the Monsal trail itself however this is an easy walk with a pushchair. Looking for a smaller walks with a pushchair you can park at Hassop Cafe car park and head left on the trail into Bakewell and back in 3 hours including a look round Bakewell.

Start Point – White Lodge Car Park 

This is a pay-and-display car park and is smaller but also lesser known, so worth a try. We opted for 4 hours at £4, giving us enough time to stop and have a picnic. 

Note: This is a great fun walk, but during drier spells due to being so close to the River Wye, keep an eye on those water levels best when dry.

Note: To make you aware of this walk, you must cross over the A6 main road to start the walk. It’s only a very short distance from the car park to the start of the walk. The A6 isn’t a wide road or busy at all, but cars and bikes can come around very quickly, and it’s right on the bend, so make sure you have hold of the children’s hands.

After you cross this road and a short walk, you go straight over the stone wall and stone stile to start the walk (Please note if you have the kids in a child carrier on your back for the walk, this can take a little bit of manoeuvring as its relatively narrow with a few steep steps on the other side). 

The kids loved this bit as there were small stepping stones over a little brook. Then it opens up on a lovely walk with the river Wye running to your left, over babbling brooks opening out into wide field paths, and after about 15/20 minutes, you come up to a wider track that opens out to the most stunning thundering old Weir up ahead to the monsal head waterfall walk . As you keep walking and head around the corner, you come across the impressive headstone viaduct.

We went straight up just by the Monsal Dale viaduct, which is quite a steep path over slippery rocks, and you need to take a little care with little ones; there is an alternative route, more of a steady climb that we took on the way, down, or if you have bikes with you. When we reach the top, the fantastic views are worth the little climb, and as you cross the top of the viaduct, it’s quite a view from the path of the old railway.

There is a great little sign that tells you all about where you are standing and the history that the kids loved reading, and then a little further on, once you have crossed over the Monsal viaduct, there is a clear signed path to go on to Monsal head viewpoint (the best place for views) or to join part of the Monsal trail and go through the headstone tunnel. 

Note: There are public toilets up by Monsal Head car park and hotel, just in case you need them, or on-site at Thornbridge Gardens.

This time we decided to walk through the Cressbrook tunnel after we came down from Monsal head and join part of the Monsal trail towards Hassop. It was lots of fun for the kids going through the tunnel and a little apprehension at first but lots of laughs as we headed off.

You then come out under some big arches and walk the valley that opens out, and you go on the main path for the rest of the walking on the main Monsal Trail; as you would expect, it is flat and long, and we found the kids started to lose interest as we hadn’t brought bikes due to the first part of the walk. But a little walk down, you see a turn-off for Thornbridge Hall and Gardens. This is another reason it makes it a great Monsal Head walk with kids.

This is an excellent place for a pit stop, as you can go to the cafe area for free. We dipped in for a drink and ice creams, then headed back the way we came, so it wasn’t a circular walk, but we found it a wonderful walk for us and one that had the kids entertained.

Had we put more in the car parking meter, we would have spent a good few hours at Thornbridge Gardens, as it’s a hidden gem for little ones. Please read our review of our day out at Thornbridge Gardens here. We set back off the way we had come and back through the Monsal Weir. With the break and taking it easy, we were about 4 hours dead on, but you could happily spend the whole day with Thornbridge and a picnic by the Weir.

We hope you enjoy this Monsal Head walk with kids as much as we did we highly recommend it, even for non walkers.

Are there any other notable attractions or stops along the Monsal Trail? 

The Monsal Trail boasts many notable attractions and stops, including several historic tunnels and viaducts that will spark your curiosity.  Also Thornbridge Gardens and the Hassop Station Cafe. We tend to do the bakewell to monsal head circular walk when we are looking for an afternoon out.

Are there any coffee stops on the Monsal Trail?

Yes, you can grab a cup of coffee in several places along the Monsal Trail. One popular spot is the Hassop Station Cafe, which is located near the trailhead and offers a variety of hot and cold drinks, as well as light meals and snacks. Another option is the Monsal Head Hotel, which has a lovely outdoor terrace overlooking the valley and serves coffee, tea, and other beverages. 

How long is the Monsal Trail in total?

The former Midland Railway line for around 8.5 miles between Blackwell Mill, in Chee Dale and Coombs Road in Bakewell.

Can you hire bikes along the Monsal Trail?

Yes, bike hire is available at the Hassop Station Cafe, conveniently located near the Monsal Trailhead. They have a variety of bikes available for rent, including electric bikes, and offer hourly, half-day, and full-day rental options. It’s a great way to explore the trail and enjoy the beautiful scenery and a different way to see Monsal Head walk with kids.

Looking for more to do around Derbyshire with Kids then checkout our Top 8 Soft Plays In Chesterfield.

# Monsal Head Walk With Kids