In the millennium year the Torrs Gorge was made passable for walkers by the construction of the spectacular Torrs Millennium Walkway.
It has been described as ’a steel spiders web’ as it stands on stilts above the River Goyt and is partly cantilevered from the sheer stone railway embankment, reputed to be the ‘finest retaining wall in the country’s rail network’.
Completed in 1999, the walkway provides a link in Europe’s premier walking route, E2 which passes through New Mills on its way from Stranraer in Scotland, via Dover, to Nice in France.
The walkway provides a route through the previously impassable gritstone gorge at Torrs, New Mills which is an area of exceptional natural beauty and unique industrial archaeological heritage.
An elevated 160m long cantilevered walkway provides the important ‘missing link’ for the Mid Shires Way, allowing people to walk the whole scenic, 275 mile trail.
///chuck.bricks.used
No access for the less mobile
This review is intended to warn anyone who has limited mobility about an appalling failure of wayfinding and access provision for the millennium walkway at New Mills. Our family party of three includes a wheelchair user. We had travelled specially to the town and were looking to park our car as close as possible to the decked section of the walkway which runs above the river. Signage directs traffic to turn off the A6 then towards the town centre on Union Rd. Thereafter we couldn’t see any signage to indicate vehicular or pedestrian access. After driving round town for some time we asked passers by and were told there was some parking down past the Central Station. This access is obscure with an awkward junction onto the main road. It is also steep and narrow (single track). Beyond the station it is practically unsurfaced, leading down to a Pay & Display carpark which has no signage relating to the millennium walkway. The carpark is so severely rutted that we caught the underside of our wheelchair adapted vehicle and could not find a level area to lower the ramp. Another passer by told us the walkway could be accessed via an unmade path through the wood on a steeply sloping hillside. This was not fit for a wheelchair to use so we had to abandon our visit without seeing the walkway.
The millennium walkway at New Mills was much vaunted and received national coverage at the time. A large sum of public money must have been invested and those who initiated the project were happy to take plaudits BUT it was never properly completed and/or since maintained to provide safe and secure access for all. If there ever was public signage it has disappeared and not been replaced. Carpark and paths have been allowed to deteriorate to a point beyond which they can be used safely by those with mobility issues. This is a disgrace and reflects badly on the project sponsors, which presumably include the Derbyshire County, High Peak District and New Mills Town Councils.
Hi Martin – thanks for your thorough feedback – signage and road signage is the responsibility of Derbyshire County Council, we will raise this again with them but the main challenges is that the road beyond New Mills Central station is unadopted.
Paths and signage within the Torrs Riverside Park (not the walkway itself which is DCC) are the responsibility of New Mills Town Council and we will pass your feedback on to Lesley the Town Clerk.
Good luck to anyone trying to find this hidden attraction (apologies for the contradiction). We followed the brown signs off A6 and then the left up Union Rd, then took a chance of left at the island and managed to find another brown sign taking us left off the main road…. then that’s it – you’re on your own. We navigated hills on single width roads, only to end up back on the A6. A second pass landed us at a child’s playground (which we passed on attempt 1), then an attempt with sat nav landed us at a dead end in a block of garages behind some little cottages. I suspect like many other people, we gave up and went to spend our money in Buxton instead. @VNM stop keep blaming local authorities for lack of signage. This should have been addressed before opening, and as a priority since feedback. If my business was losing money like this – I’d be getting something sorted
The Walkway has been open for over twenty years and visited by thousands each year – we are sorry you didn’t find it and hope you had a nice day in Buxton – as a suggestion don’t rely on sat nav, just park up in the centre of town and ask anyone.
Input carpark into Google maps and it will show you aTor car park, which is free for 1hour and 90p for two hours etc, it is a lovely walk.
Whenever we visit we use Os maps to locate where we are walking. This time I am using a wheelchair due to a knee injury. We did a circular walk in an all terrain wheelchair that my husband pushed and managed just about with some effort. We parked in the central railway car park which is steep and the road has many pot holes but with care it’s ok.
The path leads along the river which is a little steep at first but ok, then crosses the millenium walkway which is amazing.
If people google locations beforehand this is easy to find from the car park, do not take the road at the back of the car park ( we returned this way) but head towards the road you come in on and to the right is the path towards the walkway, hydro, weir, gorge.
We continued from New Mills and Torrs Millenium walkway, Torrs riverside park and along the Peak forest canal before returning via Mousley bottom nature reserve, and yes it was difficult in a wheelchair and I did have to hop through a gate as it’s too narrow for the wheelchair but it’s a beautiful area and with a little support from the council to sort the paths for those in a wheelchair it would be great. Also toilets at the central car park would be good too.
Thanks for for your feedback, thats a great loop you did – hope you get a swift recovery with your knee injury
Just double checking – are dogs allowed?
Yes, they are allowed in the Torrs riverside park and on the Bridge
We’ve just been to visit and loved the walk. It’s so pretty and we loved seeing the hydro pump plus the waterfalls along the route. The kids and dog loved it.
In response to the other comments – we didn’t have a problem parking or finding it. We parked at the Torr Top Street Car Park (under home—>getting here) and then took the little lane next to the car park on the right down the hill and then turned right and you’re immediately on the walk.
The initial lane on the right is too steep for wheelchairs and probably a bit too much for a pushchair or those wobbly on their feet, but if you’re able to get down the initial hill it’s a lovely walk of around 45 minutes to an hour in total.
Hi Lucy – many thanks for your feedback and really pleased you had a lovely day – you should plan to visit on Carnival Day (June 10) the children will love it
Hoping to visit in July. Given previous comments about signage and satnav does anyone know the “What Three Words” code for the location?
///chuck.bricks.used should take you to the centre of the bridge, via walking.
Been once and loved it, have seen it many times since and we are going back , can’t wait