Millennium Walkway and Torrs Riverside Park

Take the train from Manchester Piccadilly to New Mills Central then follow the footpath leading off Station Road. You’ll soon find yourself on an aerial walkway suspended halfway up a sheer cliff face, with the churning waters of the River Goyt far below. This is the Millennium Walkway; a 160m footpath that clings to the side of a previously inaccessible natural gorge.

From this curving steel structure you get a fantastic view of one of the mills that gave the town above its name (though it’s a long time since anyone would describe it as new). Torr Vale Mill, the imposing Grade II Listed cotton mill that looms over the river, is now home to a cheese shop, a taproom, and boutique holiday accommodation.

Follow the walkway into The Torrs Riverside Park to see some industrial architecture that hasn’t fared so well in the 21st century. The foundations of the long-abandoned Torr Mill and Rock Mill lie along the riverbank beneath towering bridges and viaducts.

This may be as far as you want to go – in which case, head up into the town and visit the Rock Mill Centre, a community centre and cafe with visitor information and regular exhibitions.

If you’re up for a longer walk, stay in the park and follow it along to the Sett Valley Trail, a flat, tree-lined route along the old railway line to Hayfield. It takes about ninety minutes each way. I usually get coffee at Emma’s Sett Valley Cafe halfway.

From Hayfield, there are numerous walking routes to explore, taking in Kinder Scout, Lantern Pike and Edale Cross.