This comprehensive guide is for the Chee Dale Stepping Stones walk. This popular destination is famous for its stepping stones that create a pathway along the river Wye, offering visitors an enchanting and unique experience. This guide offers in-depth details on both short and long routes, with options suitable for hikers of all experience levels and ages.
Whether you prefer the more direct, faster trail that is approximately 1.97 miles long or the circular route spanning roughly 3.19 miles, this guide ensures you are well-equipped for the journey.
You’ll learn about essential amenities, parking information, route maps, and more to ensure you’re fully prepared for your adventure.
So lace up your hiking boots, and let’s start exploring the Chee Dale stepping stones!
Getting to Chee Dale Stepping Stones
Chee Dale and the stepping stone are best accessed by car, followed by a short hike. However, if you need public transport, there are buses every few hours.
Chee Dale Stepping Stones – By Car & Parking
By car, you have two main paid Car Parks and free laybys where cars also park:
1. Millers Dale Car Park – Peak District NP (///serves.vibrate.ribcage)
Miller Dale is the most popular car park where most people access the Mosal trail and head to Cheedale, stepping stones from where this article will start.
| Parking Tariffs | Charge (£) |
| Up to 1 hr | 1.50 |
| Up to 2 hr | 2.50 |
| Up to 4 hr | 4.00 |
| All day 4.75 | 4.75 |
The car park sits on the site of an old railway station, but be warned there are limited parking spaces here.
2. Wyedale Car Park – Peak District NP (///emblem.calibrate.meanest)
Wyedale Car Park has fewer amenities at the other end of the Mosal trail. However, this may be a good option if Millers Dale’s car park is full. The cost of this car park is the same though.
3. Layby or on the Road Side
As I said, car parks can get busy and packed at times of the year, especially when the weather is nice, so you may have to park along the road to access the route.
A couple of options I saw included:
These look okay, and I saw many cars parked here, but do so at your own discretion. There will be a little walk from here to the starting point.
Public transport to Chee Dale Stepping Stones
If you need to use public transport to Chee Dale, there are limited options, but a bus service does run through Buxton, so this could be an option. I saw the following:
- Bus number 65, which is operated by StageCoach Yorkshire, departs from Buxton every 2 hours, and the journey to the stop near Millers Dale Car Park takes approximately 20 minutes. After getting off the bus, you will need to walk for around 5 minutes to reach Millers Dale Car Park. This is where the route mentioned in the article begins.
Chee Dale Stepping Stones Maps & Routes
You have two main options for reaching the stepping stones, one more direct and another which follows the river creating a curricular walk.
NOTE: Be advised the stepping stones and the path to reach it follows a significant river as well as small and tight tracks, which can be effect by heavy rains, mud, and overgrown vegetation, so bring appropriate footwear and plan around the weather.
You can see both OS Maps Below:
Chee Dale Stepping Stones (Circular) – 3.19MI / 5KM
The circular route is approximately 3.19 miles/5 kilometres. It initially follows the Mosel trail before veering off to track the river, crossing two sets of stepping stones. The path then rejoins the Mosel trail for the return journey to the car park.
Download file for GPS- Start from Millers Dale Car Park and follow the trail path.
- You’ll pass an old building used as a lime kiln, en route to a bridge that’s popular for abseiling.
- Upon reaching the bridge, take the path on the right, which descends to the river level. Be cautious, as the terrain can be muddy and slippery.
- Continue along the river, ignoring the first bridge crossing. Continue until you find a smaller bridge crossing on your left.
- Cross the small bridge, followed by a minor scramble down a section of rocks.
- Keep following the path, which is a popular spot for climbing on a clear day. Be aware of climbers and their equipment.
- A short distance ahead, you’ll encounter the first set of Chee Dale stepping stones! This section may be a good stop to stop for lunch.
- Continue along the path until you come to a junction with a bridge and a path leading uphill, which rejoins the Mosel trail. You can either return here or continue to the second stepping stones to rejoin the trail later.
- If you choose the latter, later along the path, look for a staircase next to the bridge, which leads back to the flat Mosel trail. It got quite overgrown along this section for us!
- Rejoin the trail and follow it back to Millers Dale Car Park. The route passes through several old railway tunnels and retraces a small section of your previous path from the bridge.
Chee Dale Stepping Stones (Direct) – 1.97 MI / 3.17 KM
Download file for GPSThis is a more direct and level route, mainly following the Mosal trail until the detour down to the stepping stones. It’s a quicker alternative to the circular route, but a little less adventurous.
- Begin at Millers Dale Car Park and proceed along the path, passing by an old lime kiln.
- As you continue, you’ll traverse a bridge and tunnel.
- Upon reaching the end of the long tunnel, spot a path on your left that descends towards the river.
- When you arrive at the river level, do not cross the bridge. Instead, follow the path in the opposite direction until you reach the stepping stones.
- Once you’ve enjoyed the stepping stones, retrace your steps back to Millers Dale Car Park to complete the route.
Best Time to Visit Chee Dale Stepping Stones & Additional Tips
The best time to visit Chee Dale Stepping Stones is during the summer. This is due to the path near the stepping stones often being muddy and the river levels potentially high. It’s advisable to plan ahead to avoid periods of bad weather.
However, one thing to keep in mind is that on pleasant summer days, both the trail and the car park can be quite crowded, and may even be full.
Chee Dale Stepping Stones Amenities & Facilities
At Millers Dale Car Park, you’ll find a café named “The Refreshment Room,” as well as public toilets, which are free to use.
If you’re looking for a more substantial meal post-hike, there’s a pub named “The Anglers Rest” just down the road from Millers Dale Car Park. It offers food and drinks. While I didn’t personally visit, it has received many five-star reviews from satisfied customers.
Chee Dale Stepping Stones – FAQs
How long is the Chee Dale Stepping Stones walk?
There are two main options when it comes to walking to the Chee Dale Stepping Stones. The first option is a more direct route that measures approximately 1.97 miles (or 3.17 kilometres). This route is faster and follows the Mosal trail until the turn-off point to the stepping stones.
The second option is a circular route that is roughly 3.19 miles (or 5 kilometers) long. This trail goes along the Mosal trail before diverting to follow the river, where you’ll encounter the stepping stones. The trail then re-joins the Mosal trail back to the starting point.
Where do you park for the Cheedale Stepping Stones?
There are two main paid car parks that are suitable for parking when visiting the Chee Dale Stepping Stones – Millers Dale Car Park and Wyedale Car Park, both located near the Mosal trail.
Millers Dale is the primary car park most people use to access the Mosal trail and head to Chee Dale. If this car park is full, Wyedale Car Park, situated at the other end of the Mosal trail, is a good alternative.
Additionally, there are free laybys and grassy areas where cars are often parked, such as ///prune.dilute.spectacle and ///marzipan.snitch.helper.
Are the Chee Dale stepping stones dog friendly?
Chee Dale stepping stones are good for Dogs as long as they are kept on a lead. They’ll probably enjoy the river with lots of spots to cool off in.
If you’re looking to stay over, view our article on the best dog friendly hotels in the Peak District.
What is the postcode for Cheedale Stepping Stones?
There’s no exact postcode for Chee Dale stepping stones as it’s located off the Beaton path. However, there are does provide what3words location codes for the nearby car parks, which are ///serves.vibrate.ribcage for Millers Dale Car Park and ///emblem.calibrate.meanest for Wyedale Car Park. To find the nearest postcode, it would be best to look up these locations on a map or navigation tool.