Discover Alton on foot and through its history

Get to know Alton along a named walking route and through traces of its architectural and industrial history. “Walks from Alton - One” starts at The Triangle. Along the route are Lygon House, a converted former farm, and the roof structures of a former Royal Observer Corps bunker. The walk also provides access to The Fabrick, an area open to the public, and leads to Ashover Rock. The walking route thus brings together open countryside and various reminders of the area’s history.

Walks from Alton

The Triangle is the specific starting point: this is where the “Walks from Alton - One” walk begins. Before setting out, check locally whether this is still the starting point. The Fabrick provides another landmark along the route; the area is open to the public. Lygon House adds a building with an agricultural past to the experience of the landscape: the former farm has been converted and lies along the walking route. The route therefore offers a range of impressions: an area open to the public and a historic building. Those who want to notice not only the landscape but also architectural traces while walking will find two distinct points of interest here.

Ashover Rock and the landscape

The route also leads to Ashover Rock, which offers views across Ashover. Ashover Rock is an area of heathland at 299 metres above sea level. Its formal designation as open access land includes a right of access. Ashover Rock is therefore defined both by its landscape and by its designated status. These details serve different purposes for orientation: the elevation describes its location, the designation describes access, and the view across Ashover describes what you can see from the destination. This section of the walk thus combines heathland with a named viewpoint.

Historical traces

The walking route passes the roof structures of a former Royal Observer Corps bunker. The bunker is a reminder of the Cold War and provides a different historical perspective from Lygon House and its agricultural past. The two places can be viewed from different angles: Lygon House as a converted former farm, and the bunker through its roof structures and its association with the Royal Observer Corps. Along the route, you will encounter buildings from different historical contexts.

The quarries also link Alton to architectural and economic history. A quarry in Alton is said to have supplied the stone used to build Wingerworth Hall, which was constructed from 1726 to 1729. In addition, the Alton Quarries may have been used to produce grindstones for the steel trade in Sheffield. These accounts highlight different uses of stone: building material for a specific building and the possible production of grindstones for trade.

Jim’s Field in Alton is the focus of a charitable aim: to preserve, protect and improve the physical and natural environment. This means that, alongside its walking route and heritage, Alton also has a local connection to environmental care.

Discover more destinations: Ashover, Furness Vale, Shottle, Alfreton, Hope Valley, Unstone, Swadlincote, Breadsall

For the wider travel overview: Derbyshire.