Why go
- Walk beneath ancient limestone stepping stones under dramatic overhanging cliffs.
- Explore a deep, picturesque gorge carved by the River Wye with lush woodland.
- Pass through disused railway tunnels and see historic lime kilns on the Monsal Trail.
- Visit a protected nature reserve with abundant wild flowers-cowslips, orchids, and rare Jacob's Ladder.
- Fewer crowds than the famous Dovedale stepping stones, with magical scenery at every turn.
Full route
- Start at Millers Dale Car Park (SK17 8SN) near the old railway station building.
- Walk right along the Monsal Trail for 750m towards Wye Dale, passing the iconic lime kilns and an abseiling bridge.
- Just before the viaduct bridge, take the steep footpath on the right descending into Chee Dale.
- Reach the River Wye and cross the first set of stepping stones, passing under the overhanging limestone cliff.
- Continue along the muddy and rocky riverside path to the second set of stepping stones.
- Follow the path uphill, rejoining the Monsal Trail and passing through the Chee Tor Tunnels.
- Walk the flat Monsal Trail back eastward for about 2 km towards Millers Dale.
- Return to Millers Dale Car Park and the starting point.
Chee Dale Stepping Stones
Chee Dale Stepping Stones is a protected nature reserve featuring two sets of ancient stepping stones carved into limestone, crossing the River Wye beneath dramatic overhanging cliffs. The walk winds through a deep limestone gorge alongside the former Monsal Trail railway line, offering narrow rocky paths, woodland, and passing through disused railway tunnels. The terrain is uneven, muddy in places, and frequently submerged in high water, so plan for dry conditions and wear sturdy, grippy footwear. The best time to visit is spring or summer; avoid after heavy rain.
Reviews
What a lovely little river walk and hike. Well worth it. Can get busy at times , especially at the weekend. Better to come on a week day if you can.
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Trail details
Stepping stones often submerged in heavy rain or when water levels high; muddy after rainfall; best in dry conditions.
Getting there
Routes
- Start at Millers Dale Car Park (SK17 8SN) near the old railway station building.
- Walk right along the Monsal Trail for 750m towards Wye Dale, passing the iconic lime kilns and an abseiling bridge.
- Just before the viaduct bridge, take the steep footpath on the right descending into Chee Dale.
- Reach the River Wye and cross the first set of stepping stones, passing under the overhanging limestone cliff.
- Continue along the muddy and rocky riverside path to the second set of stepping stones.
- Follow the path uphill, rejoining the Monsal Trail and passing through the Chee Tor Tunnels.
- Walk the flat Monsal Trail back eastward for about 2 km towards Millers Dale.
- Return to Millers Dale Car Park and the starting point.
Facilities nearby
Business Info
- Chee Dale, off the Monsal Trail
Features
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Reviews 4.4 · 5 reviews
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Posted on Google
What a lovely little river walk and hike. Well worth it. Can get busy at times , especially at the weekend. Better to come on a week day if you can.
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Posted on Google
Lovely place with loads of walking footpaths. Good cycling paths as well. Nice walk around to see the stepping stones and come back to have a nice ice cream at the end. Parking might be a problem as it's small. I love this place!
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Posted on Google
Lovely walks around here, and plenty of parking. Needed wellies for the Stepping stones it was a bit risky in the winter as a lot of water and fast flowing in the river. It could do with sign posts to the Stepping stones.
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Posted on Google
Beautiful place. Read a review on the nearby parking lot that said "prepare for MUD!" And I am happy we did, because we came prepared so we had a great time, no wet feet. Probably due to the time of year (winter) but the rivers with the stepping stones were quite high so you did have to walk in the river or try jump, so bring wellies if your goal is to walk across. There is multiple routes from the carpark so the walk can be adapted to skill level and walking length. Some stuff got a bit rocky but nothing to scary. The views were absolutely stunning no much uphill. I will wrap up the review with: prepare for MUD! Happy walking! 💕
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Posted on Google
Wednesday, 8th October 2025 The Wye valley continues upstream towards Buxton as Wye Dale, while downstream are Miller's Dale village and valley. Chee Dale has a protected nature reserve (close to the village of Wormhill), which is overseen by the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. The reserve contains ash, yew and rock whitebeam woodland on the cliff sides and abundant wild flowers including cowslips, early purple orchids, rock rose and the rare Jacob's ladder. Dippers are often seen darting low above the river and bobbing on rocks in the river. Other birds nesting in the valley include blackcap, chiffchaff and willow warblers. Chee Dale is part of the Wye Valley Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), running for 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) east of Buxton. The Monsal Trail bridleway runs for 8.5 miles (13.7 km) from Topley Pike Junction (at the head of Chee Dale) to Rowsley near Bakewell, along the disused Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway line. It passes through Upper Chee Dale and then enters Chee Tor Tunnels 1 and 2 through to Miller's Dale. There is also a riverside footpath along the length of Chee Dale with several wooden footbridges over the river. Sets of stepping stones allow walkers to pass the foot of the cliffs. The crags of carboniferous limestone in Upper Chee Dale and of Chee Tor cliff in Lower Chee Dale have extensive rock climbing routes. These include the overhanging Cornice and Chee Tor. Chee Tor has the Chee Tor Girdle route, a 167-metre (548 ft) horizontal traverse 20 metres (66 ft) above the cliff base, first climbed in 1964 by Chris Jackson and J. Atkinson. At the head of Chee Dale, Great Rocks Dale enters from the north, at the former railway stations of Blackwell Mill and Chee Dale Halt. Great Rocks Dale is a dry valley and is the site of Tunstead Quarry, one of the largest limestone quarries in the UK. The Pennine Bridleway crosses the River Wye over a footbridge at Blackwell Mill. Access into the deep gorge is limited, though it can be reached from Miller's Dale car park. At the west end of Chee Dale is Topley Pike layby, with limited parking by the A6 road. There is also a short steep footpath from Wormhill. I parked in the lay-by on the A6 and followed the path down to the Monsal Trail. It is a pleasant walk to the stepping stones especially in nice weather ☀️. I can recommend a visit to this place😀.