First Child-Free Walking Group Walk – Rowsley & Calton Lees Circular (8.7 km)

After a bit of planning and delays, I’m finally ready to host the first walk for our Child-Free Walking Group!
Thanks for your patience – now let’s get this started.

First Walk – Child-Free Walking Group: Rowsley & Calton Lees Circular (8.7 km)

📅 Date: Sunday, 13th July 2025
🕑 Meeting time: 14:00 (departure at 14:15 sharp)
📍 Meeting point: Outside Rowsley Village Hall, School Lane, Rowsley, Matlock, DE4 2EE
🅿️ Parking GPS coordinates: 53.18729, -1.61727

Distance: 8.7 km
Duration: 2.5–3 hours
Elevation gain: 277 m
Route: Circular
Difficulty: Moderate

Let’s start the group with a scenic and relaxed walk through Rowsley and Calton Lees – farmland, woodland and great views along the way.

What to bring:

• Comfortable walking shoes (some sections may be muddy)
• Bottle of water
• Waterproof jacket (just in case)
• Something to sit on during the break (no benches – just a hilltop meadow)

We’ll stop mid-walk at a quiet viewpoint. There’s no seating, so something to sit on is worth having.

Optional: After the walk, anyone who feels like it can stop by the Grouse & Claret pub in Rowsley. No pressure – just an option.

A few things to know:

• We leave at 14:15 sharp. If you’re late, that’s life – we’ll already be walking.
• I have no idea how many people will come – it’s the first event. Could be 2 people, could be 10.
• As of my last visit, there was plenty of free parking along Peaktor Lane or near the Rowsley Village Hall.