'A pretty spot where a tiny concrete watersplash crosses Back Lane. Simple plank footbridge, Ford signs at each end of the lane.'

'The ford is now a culvert, and is next to HoleHouse farm. There is a Ford sign at the end of the road. I spoke to a local, he said that only in exceptional circumstances does it become a 'ford' in the usual sense.'

'The ford is quite a small one but I've seen it a couple of inches deep and quite a waterfall on the downstream side in the winter. It is located on the "Snake Pass (A57)" road between Glossop and Sheffield at Upper Ashop and there is limited parking off the main road just before a wooden gate. When I visited on Sunday a couple of picnicers had opened the gate to park their cars alongside the ford which probably means it would be accessible, definately on a bike. The ford looks passible in any car but the south side does get a bit stony.'

'It appears that the ford can no longer be accessed. Tried to go there today and was greeted by a padlocked gate and a sign saying motor vehicles are not allowed there.' John Garbett

'Quite a unique ford which goes down into a gully with cobbled bottom. It has large stone flags as it's base and follows the stream with a raised stone walk way to the side.'

'On the northwest edge of Bakewell (turn off the A6 by the speed camera), the ancient Holme crossing of the River Wye consists of a fine five-arch packhorse bridge and a gravel-bottomed cart ford, about 20 yards across and a foot deep in summer, still passable by vehicles.' Mouseover sent in by Brian McIvor.

Info from Mark Hannon:
'Just a quick note to advise that the ford at Bakewell has a deep rut about 15 feet away from the bridge, I can personally testify to this as my Shogun Pinin only just made it across today. I would advise anyone using this ford to stay as close to the bridge as possible to avoid "the deep bit".'

Image 2 sent in by Steve Gascoigne (06/11/2003) showing just how deep the ford can get!

Official correspondance sent in by The Graham Trolls
IMPORTANT! Thank you for your correspondence regarding 4x4's using Sheepwash / Packhorse river crossing in Bakewell. I am the local community beat officer for this area and earlier this year the Derbyshire County Council, Bakewell Town Council and Bakewell Police received a complaint from local residents of 4x4's travelling through the river crossing known as Sheepwash Bridge Ford. This matter was looked into and it can be confirmed by Derbyshire County Council Highways that this is in fact Public Bridleway number 21 which runs from "Bridle Road from the parish boundary north east of Worm Wood(213694) in a southerly direction thence south eastwards via Holme Hall to west end of Holme Lane and continuing over River Wye by ford and footbridge to the Buxton - Bakewell Road(215689)" It would therefore constitute a criminal offence to drive a vehicle along this bridleway. There are no outstanding claims for byways open to all traffic or any vehicular rights. The possibility of installing barriers was being looked at to stop the misuse. A mains gas and water pipe are believed to run adjacent to the ford on the river bed and there is concern that these may become damaged.

Biggin Mill (x2!)

'The first ford here is a simple, shady Irish bridge, with a footbridge between the trees to the west; Ford signs at the lane ends. The second is on the adjacent byway.'

A couple of official notices on a gate give good news for fordies; they tell us that Derbyshire County Council is restoring the ford by Biggin Mill, about 150 metres away, as part of a scheme to upgrade a footpath to a bridleway on the Definitive Map. As I was blocking the lane with my rig of car plus Trojan-carrying trailer and there was nowhere in the next mile to pull off (and an impatient 4x4 was behind me), I could not investigate further, or get pix.'

'Easy, concrete-bottomed ford, suitable for all but on a bridleway. If you turn into it off the main road it would be dangerous to reverse out onto the main road. If you drive through the ford there’s a farm gate after 20 yards and just enough room to do a five point turn in a car.'

'I was informed from a relative that it regularly used to flood, but i dont know if it does any more. The raised footbridge would imply that it does.'

http://www.geograph.org.uk

Clifton is a relatively deep ford just south of Ashbourne. There is a sign saying that this one is unsuitable for motorists and in fairness, it does look like a bit of a rough ride!

Image 2 sent in by Marc Asquith (26/01/2014)

'In dry weather the water in the ford across Moor Lane dwindles to nothing but the raised path shows the depth to which the water of the Sow Brook can rise.'

A part-time ford residing just off the busy A50. Although the ford was empty on this visit, the design of the ford gives the impression that this ford 'takes no prisoners' when in full glory!

'It is just off a single track gated road which seems to go through a farm yard and appears to be on private land. It has a natural bottom and I would have thought should only be attempted with a 4x4.'

'On the RUPP between Hassop and the A619 (Bakewell to Baslow road known as "thirteen bends" "It averages about 6-8" deep but I have seen it upto about 12" deep in the past. Nice entry and exit - slopes into and out of the stream bed. Nothing too difficult at all, butt he track towards Hassop from this point gets quite knarly for about 100 yards and is suitable for offroaders only.'

'It does appear to be slightly restricted access for motors (as it's on a bridleway in the middle of the dales), but by the look of it, it is used for agricultural access to the fields (mainly housing sheep)... The ford is quite well maintained, in beautiful surroundings, and has a nice little stone footbridge next to it, when these days a non-descript flat metal or wood thing would have been put there instead....'

'Narrow stone-flagged ford on an ORPA, suitable for trailbikes only'

Malcoff (x2!)

'These 2 mini fords are on a green lane above Chapel en le Frith in the High Peak. I took the picture with my camera phone so the quality isnt brilliant! The fords are on 2 mountain streams so I would imagine with lots of rain they would get a bit wider and faster flowing. On the day I was there neither was more than 2 inches deep. Although the actual fords would be suitable for all, due to them being in the the middle of a green lane they will be for offroaders only.'

'It is just off the Main road (B6051) down Mill Lane and has a concrete base, couple of inches deep, but more so in winter(~6"). The road through the ford goes to 2 large houses-any vehicle could negotiate it. The road then continues on beyond the houses as a R.U.P.P. This has vehicular rights-but only a very narrow 4x4 could maybe get down it (I use a Trail Bike).'

'I am not sure that there is any vehicular right of way on there at all. Nor ever has been. It doesn't actually go anywhere either. It's not much of a ford really but I wouldn't want people to get in bother if they all trooped down there one Sunday.' Chris Jerman

'Irish Bridge. Has a waterway underneath but would flow over road in heavy wet weather. Stone foot bridge to the side of it.'

'Lathkilldale is one of the most beautiful little dales of the Peak Park; the River Lathkill, in this porous limestone country, regularly dries out, leaving just the stony bed of this very attractive ford. It is reached by descending the hairpinned asphalt lane of Dale Road from Over Haddon village. A small clapper bridge forms a footbridge; the track beyond is an ORPA to Conksbury.'

'A stone flagged ford on Sloade lane, south of Ridgeway; the lane becomes private beyond the ford'

'This is a nice little ford in the tiny village of Rowarth near New Mills. The ford is on a small road designated as a "private drive, public footpath" but I'm sure they wouldn't mind a quick drive down to have a look. There is just enough room to turn around after the ford but only just! Concrete slab bottom, no sign or foot bridge.'

'An Irish bridge next to Sapperton Manor, with footbridge and depth gauge; no Ford signs, but the ford is mentioned on the signposts to Sapperton from east and west.'

This setted bottom watersplash is set just off the High Peak tourist trail in probably the quietest village in the area. The ford is nothing special, but is a well-maintained village landmark.

'The road is access to the quite well renown Scooby Clinic and is signpost as such along the way. When the water rises, many vehicles are actually standed on the opposite side. The ford itself is part paved / cobbled with a kerb edging at one side and a small footbridge at the other. There is quite a lip on both entry and exit meaning that low slung vehicles have to approach with care.'

'I am happy to say the ford has been renovated you still need to watch out as occasional large stones wash down into the roadway but it is now in much better condition. Image mouseover sent in by Tony Saunders (26/05/2003)'

Account from Dave Parker:
'Taxal ford has a step between the road and the river bed at the western entry that is big enough to catch the tow hitch on my Defender 110, even with a 2" suspension lift. Not such a problem with a 90 or a bike. The eastern end of the track exits into a layby on the A5004 and people have been known to park across it.'

'Just to let you know the layby is now blocked by several tonnes of crushed stone - looks as though there's some resurfacing going on nearby. Therefore the Eastern end of the track leading to the ford is effectively blocked!' John Buckle

Tissington is a ford of sheer quality. On this visit, the depth gauge read half a foot. I watched as the National Park Ranger flew through creating a splash higher than his Defender and decided that I might give this one a miss for now. The splashdown lasts for around 7 car lengths, but a slightly rocky and uneven bottom means a nervous crossing for light vehicles at all but low flows. Well worth a visit! Trojan Mouseover sent in by John Brown, 'cow splash' by Peter Greenway, Image 3 from James Collins

'Tissington has recently be resurfaced but still spectacular but much smoother.'Chris Jerman

Youlgreave (x2!)

'A narrow asphalt lane from the centre of Youlgreave village dips steeply down to the first crossing of the River Bradford, where a small clapper bridge lies alongside a shallow, stony ford that heads obliquely for a gate on to the riverside gravel roadway towards Middleton. There's a very attractive tea shop just above. Ignore the sign that says No Turning Place - it's OK to drive down, except perhaps on a busy summer Sunday. (Image 1)

Towards the village of Bradford, an old roadway leads down to another crossing of the River Bradford over a single-arch stone packhorse bridge with a cart ford alongside (the ford after which the village was named?), linking to the gravel-surfaced undercliff riverside roadway to Alport. The right of way is now only a footpath, and the ford is effectively blocked to smaller-wheeled vehicles by a stone step on the southern shore. (Image 2)'