Walks for Women: New Mills & Mellor Cross

Welcome to Freshwalks. This Walks for Women+ event is part of our own vibrant business community programme and women in business are welcome to join us for some invigorating networking in the great outdoors. This monthly series offers a perfect entry level option and is ideal for those with busy diaries. Feel free to come alone - most Freshwalkers do - and you'll be warmly welcomed or invite a colleague or client along for company.

Route description

New Mills is a semi-rural town in Derbyshire which sits at the confluence of the rivers Goyt and Sett. This walk starts at The Pack Horse Inn just outside the historic and neighbouring hamlet of Whitle.

The highlight and highest point of the route is Mellor Cross which sits prominently at the top of the hillside offering tremendous views of Manchester city centre and the Peak District. Most of the walking is through relatively low-level countryside with gentle gradients, good quality paths and quiet country lanes. We'll return to the Pack Horse Inn and hope you can join other walkers for some optional lunch.

Route: Whitle - Mellor Cross - Primrose Lane - Broadhurst Edge - Whitle

Distance: 6.4km

Grade: Easy (more info on grading here)

Max elevation: 327m / Total ascent: 166m

Proposed schedule:

10:30 - Meeting, Pack Horse Inn, New Mills

10:45 - Walk starts

12:45 - Walk finishes, Pack Horse Inn, New Mills

13:00 - Optional lunch

Walk leader: Katya Willems

Meeting location: Pack Horse Inn, Mellor Road, New Mills, High Peak SK22 4QQ

Please gather in the upper car park https://w3w.co/windmill.unravel.penny

Parking: Please park in the upper car park of the Pack Horse Inn. Ideally as close together as possible. Parking is free for pub customers.

Public transport: Challenging but possible. The nearest train station to the start of the walk is New Mills Central which is 2km away. The walk involves quite a bit of uphill and will likely take 30-35 minutes. Please take the 09:19 train from Manchester Piccadilly to arrive at New Mills Central 09:51.

Toilets: High Lea Park public toilets open from 8am. (40 St Mary's Rd, New Mills, High Peak SK22 3BW) - 4 minutes drive away.

Post-walk: Pack Horse Inn, New Mills