Bolsover District is awash with fantastic trails, from easy going low level walks to nature reserves and woodland that take in some breathtaking scenery and countryside – all on your doorstep.
The trails are suitable for all ages and abilities and allow you to explore the countryside by foot, bicycle or horse, with many of them following disused railway lines.
For a comprehensive trails listing in the area and throughout Derbyshire please visit the Peak District and Derbyshire website.
Clowne Greenway is a reclaimed railway travelling through cuttings (known locally as the canyons) which will excite geologists. The rock faces are home to many species of wild flowers, insects, mammals and birds. If you are an early bird you might catch a glimpse of roe deer grazing the trail edges. Much of the route is easy access, so if you're pushing a pram, using a wheelchair or a mobility scooter you can enjoy exploring. As multi-user routes, greenways are perfect for off-road horse riding too. Explore links to Creswell Crags and into Nottinghamshire along the Archaeological Way at the eastern end of the greenway. From the western end you'll find links to Poolsbrook Country Park, the Trans Pennine Trail and Chesterfield Canal towpath.
Five Pits Trail is part of the Phoenix Greenway Network and provides an off-road surfaced route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. It is a five and a half mile linear route linking Grassmoor Country Park to Tibshelf Ponds, passing mainly through agricultural and woodland landscapes. The trail can be extended to seven and a half miles by following the route through to Williamthorpe Ponds and Holmewood Woodlands. The Five Pits Trail was completed by Derbyshire County Council in 1989 and was based upon the former Great Central Railway route and the branch lines which served the five main collieries of Grassmoor, Williamthorpe, Holmewood, Pilsley and Tibshelf. The landscape is now undulating throughout with a number of long steep slopes. The trail is mostly accessible for disabled people but surface conditions and some steep slopes may limit access to some sections. At the southern end the Five Pits Trail joins the Silverhill Trail which leads back up to the Teversal Trail and Visitors Centre, and Pleasley Pit Country Park and Visitor Centre affording the opportunity for a longer walk or ride.
Blackwell Trail is a short one and a half mile multi-user trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. The Blackwell Trail is also part of the Phoenix Greenways, which are a network of trails that run through Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. This short trail has links to Brierley Forest Park at the eastern end and to nearby Blackwell Village and Westhouses at the western end.
Stockley Trail is a two-mile multi-user trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Running parallel to the River Doe Lea from Carr Vale, near Bolsover to Bramley Vale. At the northern end in Bolsover there is a car park situated off the A632 at the bottom of Bolsover Hill adjacent to the Peter Fidler Reserve which the trail runs through. At the southern end of the trail you will find the Glapwell Countryside Site. This country park was reclaimed in the 1980s and now boasts a range of facilities. These include access to the Doe Lea Local Nature Reserve and the Glapwell MTB Trail. Access to the southern end of the Stockley Trail is from Stockley Lane off the A617 next to the Plug and Feathers Public House. There is a car park along the lane and the trail is a few hundred metres further along. The MTB Trail is a 2km blue grade trail built and maintained by Bike Track. Ideal as a family loop or a training venue, the trail is mainly undulating with one short sharp climb and a good fast bermed descent.
Peter Fidler Reserve is situated alongside the Stockley Trail at Carr Vale, on the former Bolsover Colliery South Tip. The site contains a variety of wildlife habitats which can be visited and offers good views of the adjacent Derbyshire Wildlife Trust Carr Vale Nature Reserve. The site has been dedicated to the memory of Peter Fidler who was born in 1769 at Mill Farm, Bolsover which is adjacent to the site. Peter Fidler was a surveyor, map-maker, fur trader and explorer who had a long career in the employ of the Hudson Bay Company in Canada. A commemorative stone cairn on the reserve is similar to his memorial at Fort Dauphin in Manitoba, Canada.
Newton Link is located on the edge of the village of Newton and is an area of open grassland. There is a surfaced path from the road for part of the route, the remainder is a mown grass path. This is a popular local route that was part of the old Great Central Railway with connections to Tibshelf Ponds, the Five Pits Trail and the Silverhill Trail.
Pinxton Canal Path is a footpath along the in-filled Pinxton arm of the Cromford Canal from Codnor Park Reservoir at Ironville to Pye Bridge. A former iron works pond adjacent to the path near Pye Bridge has been restored and is a Local Wildlife Site for its aquatic interests. When the opencast coal site to the north of Pye Bridge is restored there will be paths linking through to the original terminus of the branch at Pinxton Wharf.
Teversal Trail and Pleasley Trail run through both Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and are relics of the area's industrial past, being remnants of railway lines that served the coal mining activities of the region. Now reclaimed by human activity and natural regeneration, the trails offer opportunities for walking, cycling and horse riding. The trails pass through Local Nature Reserve (LNR) habitats of great wildlife value, such as mature Oak and Ash woodlands, wildflower meadows, limestone grassland terraces and pools and wetlands.
Rowthorne Trail can be accessed via Rowthorne Lane at the northern end of the trail. The southern end links into the Pleasley/Teversal Trails network at Batley Lane. The trail is being upgraded in 2020 to a multi-user trail with improved access. The steep embankments of this disused railway provide excellent habitats for a wide range of limestone loving plants, whilst some areas are developing as oak woodland. Wetter areas at the foot of the embankment and a small streamside meadow provide valuable habitats for plants, grass snakes, butterflies and moths.
Clowne Branch Line Greenway is a newly developed six and a half mile multi-user trail from Creswell in the east to Poolsbrook Country Park via the old railway line. There are numerous access points and plenty of wildlife to see along this pleasant trail. At the Poolsbrook end is Poolsbrook Country Park where there is a café for a welcome stop before returning along the trail or heading on to the Trans Pennine Trail, Cuckoo Way or the Chesterfield Canal. Some parts of the trail at Poolsbrook can be muddy after wet weather and are not yet surfaced or signposted.
Tibshelf Ponds provide several opportunities for short walks around the ponds, through the extensive wildflower rich meadows and woodlands. A number of access routes have been created to allow you to explore the woods. The predominately Oak and Silver Birch woodlands throughout the site have matured well and now provide good habitat for a variety of birds including several members of the finch and tit families. These woodlands are undergoing woodland management which includes thinning and coppicing.
If you want to find out more about walking and cycling in Bolsover District please contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. on 01246 242358.
