Derbyshire Town in the Hope Valley

Bamford village is perched high on a hillside with extensive Peak District views. To one side is the imposing Bamford Edge whilst on the opposite side of the valley lies Win Hill and the other hills surrounding the Hope and Edale valleys.

Bamford Mill and Station

Like a number of the Peak District villages, Bamford was a mill town. Its old cotton mill has seen several industries come and go and is now luxury flats. The Hope Valley railway line linked Bamford with the industrial and commercial centres of Sheffield and Manchester. The station is about half a mile from the centre.

Bamford - Gateway to the Reservoirs of the Upper Derwent Valley

Image: A spring day in Bamford.

Bamford is situated at the base of high moorland a short distance to the south of Derwent valley reservoirs. The village has a great community feel with a variety of active clubs, groups and associations. The Bamford Village institute is a two storey building with facilities and activities for all ages.

Most visitors to the Peak District will drive straight through in their eagerness to reach Ladybower, Derwent and Howden reservoirs and the associated moorlands.  It is worth exploring Bamford for a while, perhaps take lunch in one of the local pubs or spend time admiring the views or relaxing on the small village 'green' pictured above.

The Upper Derwent Dams were constructed in the first half of the 20th century. As a result, the neighbouring villages of Derwent and Ashopton were submerged under Ladybower reservoir. The official opening was carried out by King George VI in September 1945. The inhabitants were re-housed at Yorkshire Bridge whilst the dead were reburied at the Church in Bamford. The Church (of St. John the Baptist) is a William Butterfield design.

Accommodation in and near Bamford via Booking.com.

Outdoor Events

Spring Bank Holiday sees the Bamford Sheepdog trials. These are run by an association on a non-profit basis. The Association started out as a 'comfort fund' during the second world war. These days, the proceeds are divided between various local charities. As well as the trials, there are stalls and demonstrations. The trials also host a fell race where lots of fit people run up and down Win Hill in times that vary from about 30 mins to over an hour for the 4.5 mile course. In the past, there has been a mountain bike weekend at Bamford but I think that this is no longer in existence. The 2011 Polaris challenge was centred on Bamford.

Bamford is the location of Sicklehome Golf Club. It is apparently the only 18 hole course within the boundaries of the Peak District. It is over a century old and is therefore well established and a delightful place to play. Visitors are welcome but booking is essential as it is a popular golf course; please see their web site for details.



A Grim Tale ...

Close to Bamford and a little to the north, the A57 Snake Road passes over the worryingly named Cutthroat bridge. The story goes that in the 16th century, local found a man lying by the bridge with face and neck wounds. Being friendly souls in Bamford, the traveller was taken to Bamford Hall but unfortunately he died a few days later.

These days, the bridge is an often used start point for walks and off road mountain bike rides on the Derwent fells. Parking for a couple of vehicles is available at the bridge, but it is better to use the larger parking area a few hundred yards closer to Sheffield. The Bridleway from Cutthroat Bridge leads up to Whinstone Lee Tor and onto the Derwent moors. Another bridleway can be followed, parallel to the road back to Ladybower reservoir. This is a much safer route than the road which has no pavement.

General Information

The origin of the name of Bamford  is by no means clear, it is possible that it comes from 'Beam Ford'. Local historian Roy Christian is of the opinion that this refers to nearby Yorkshire Bridge. Yorkshire Bridge was the last crossing place over the Derwent before the Yorkshire border. The village was documented in 1599 as no more than a wooden foot-bridge rather than a settlement. It is thought that the name Yorkshire Bridge was probably coined by Jaggers (the blokes who led pack horse teams) when the smart new stone bridge was built to replace the wooden one at the end of the 17th century.

The buildings of Bamford are of no great age, generally speaking they are Victorian or later other than a Tudor Farmhouse.

It has a little industrial heritage, the original 17th century corn mill was converted into a cotton mill, finally closing in 1965. Since then it was used for a while by a scientific instrument manufacturer and has subsequently been converted to apartments. There is a great garden centre barely half a mile from Bamford, on the Castleton road.

Visiting the Peak District from Bamford

If you are staying in or near Bamford, it is fairly easy to visit the main stately homes of the Peak District. A short drive to the south lies Haddon Hall,, Chatsworth Park and Chatsworth House.  The town of Castleton lies up the Hope Valley, to the west of Bamford. Here, you can find tourist shops, cafes, pubs and of course blue john and the various show caves.

Accommodation in and near Bamford via Booking.com.

The picturesque A57 Snake Road and the famed Snake Pass (usually the first road in Derbyshire to be closed by snow each winter - take a look at the pictures in the Snake Inn) is easily reached to the north. For walkers, Kinder Scout can be accessed from both the north and south. The Derwent fells, reservoirs and Bleaklow also lie a short distance to the north. This all makes Bamford a great centre for sightseeing.



Bamford Edge

Bamford edge towers above the buildings of the village and is one of the lesser visited quality climbing venues of the Peak District. This is because it is privately owned and historically, permission needed to sought from the gamekeeper. Under the CRoW Act, it is open, however, I think the landowner has a dog ban in place.

Climbing is not allowed all year round and the crag is closed for 'land management' under the terms of the CRoW Act. Check out the BMC website to find out the up to date situation on access to Bamford Edge for climbing. The one access point is also very specific, please don't abuse the CRoW Act as it has improved greatly public access to estate lands in the Peak District.

The crag itself is a great place, it is more of a series of shorter crags at different heights on the moor side rather than one continuous one. Most of the routes are fairly short, although there are a couple of taller sections. the rock is sound (at least on the routes I have done) and the grades are not 'giveaways', for example, I warmed up on a severe and found just 2 reasonable gear placements in the 25 metres or so! Maybe I just had a bad day?