Shining Cliff Wood Walks & Route Maps

This short walk offers a gentle introduction to the historic woodland of Shining Cliff, a large area of ancient woodland near the River Derwent.

The woods form part of a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest, valued for their long-established habitats and rich variety of plant and animal life.

The route also visits a pretty pond adding a bit of variety to your woodland walk.

This much longer walk explores more of the hilly woodland landscape around Shining Cliff, with winding paths through one of the Derwent Valley’s most historic wooded areas.

Peat Pits Wood reveals traces of earlier industry, where peat was once cut for fuel, before the route opens into the wider ancient woodland of Shining Cliff itself.

The route also brushes the edge of the old Alderwasley Park estate and passes through quieter pockets such as Kennel Wood.

Along the way it links with the Midshires Way, a long-distance trail running across the heart of England, adding a sense of wider connection to this peaceful woodland hike.