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Whaley Bridge

Known locally as the ‘Gateway to the Goyt Valley’, this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a magnet for walkers, tourists and those seeking adventure. The village grew up around the coal-mining and textile industries. Both have now gone, but many feel the real glory of Whaley Bridge is the Peak Forest Canal, flowing through the town. Many visitors come by water, and there is a thriving barge-restaurant base at the canal head; boats can also be hired to those who want to explore the delights of the waterways in the area.

The Toddbrook Reservoir, often seen in summer with small yachts, is in an exceptionally beautiful setting. It was built in 1831 to be a feeder for the Peak Forest Canal, and is situated to the west of the town. The wharf here is dotted with picturesque narrowboats.

The whole area round the canal basin is very historic, with a large conservation area. Every year, usually in June, the basin provides the setting for one of the biggest local events, the Whaley Water Weekend. It is their starting point for the annual Rose Queen Carnival, which usually follows a week later.

To the east of the town lies a weird natural feature on the hillside. The curiously named Roosdyche is a strange flat-bottomed valley, 3/4 mile long, 40 yards wide and with sides sloping up to 30 feet high. Local legend decrees that The Roosdyche was a Roman racecourse as nobody could explain its creation, but it is now believed the great scoop taken out of the hillside was the result of glacier erosion dating from the last ice age.

A map detailing many of the walks in and around Whaley Bridge is available from many outlets in the town.