In Derbyshire magic is around every corner if you know where to look. There are old tales written on the land and stories whispered in the wind. In this short guide are 10 simple signposts to possibly the most magical places in Derbyshire.
Bonsall
Bonsall is a charming and ancient village in the Derbyshire Dales. Home to fewer than 1000 people this is a small village of stone cottages and sweeping green landscapes. This tiny village has become famous throughout the world for UFO sightings.
Since the early 2000s, numerous UFO sightings have been reported in Bonsall. Unexplained sightings have included spinning silver shapes, green lights and flying objects with a pink glow. Bonsall’s most famous UFO sighting happened in 2001 when local Sharon Rowlands filmed a house sized disc with coloured lights around it in the sky. The footage was investigated by NASA, who have taken an interest in the village.
Look to the skies of this enchanting village for the greatest chance of seeing mysterious lights in the darkness. Today, Bonsall remains one of the most intriguing and magical places in Derbyshire for anyone fascinated by unexplained mysteries.
Mermaids Pool – Kinder Scout
In the stark dramatic moorland of Kinder Scout is the Mermaid’s Pool. A rare salty inland pool is home to Derbyshire’s only mermaid. The mermaid pool is a haunting and lifeless pool. No animal will drink from its salty water and no fish swims its water. The mermaid will only appear on the day before Easter at midnight.
Over the centuries the mermaid’s mood seems as changeable as the dramatic weather. She has been known to guide lost travellers to safety and has even granted immortality to people she liked. Other tales suggest she lured travellers into the water and dragged them beneath the surface if they refused her invitation.
Kinder Scout is a beautifully desolate place with rugged paths, steep climbs and a disorientating lack of landmarks. If you can find this hidden pool then you will be rewarded with the magical aura of its boggy depths.
Nine Ladies – Stanton Moor
The nine ladies is a 4,000 year old stone circle on Stanton Moor. These ancient stones weathered by time create a magical atmosphere. The clearing where nine ladies stand is embraced by Birch trees and a nearby wishing tree. The wishing tree is an old oak tree that is decorated with wishes and prayers in the form of ribbons and trinkets.
According to local legend, nine women danced on the moor beneath the moonlight on a holy day. As punishment for their disobedience, they were turned to stone where they stood. The fiddler who was playing the music was also turned to stone. The fiddler stone or king stone that is located next to the nine ladies was mentioned by Charles Dickens in his book The Pickwick Papers.
Crooker Ghost – Cromford
The Crooker haunts Lea road that runs between the village of Lea and Cromford. Lea road is a narrow lonely road that runs along the river Derwent.
In Winter when the river Derwent is high, the road feels dangerous and travellers would pray at the chapel at Cromford Bridge before making the journey. Travellers have disappeared when taking this route and ended up washed up on the banks of the river.
One night a traveller took this road at night in a winter storm to deliver a very important message to the workers at Cromford Mills. When he reached the village of Lea, the villagers begged him not to continue his journey for fear of the Crooker. As he continued his journey along Lea road he met 3 separate women who implored him to turn back for fear of the crooker. When he insisted on continuing his journey, they each gave him a posy of flowers. They advised him to give the flowers to the crooker if he met him.
As the storm raged around him, he heard a voice rising from the river, “Crooker, Crooker, I’m hungry, give him to me”. A huge figure loomed over the traveller and arms reached out to pull him into the wild, black water. He threw the flowers he had been given at the Crooker and managed to escape, running to Cromford Chapel and locking himself in. In the morning the villagers found the traveller very frightened but safe in the Chapel.
Stoney Middleton – Lovers Leap
Over 250 years ago, Hannah Baddeley climbed to the top of the rugged, sheer cliffs in Stoney Middleton. She proclaimed her love for William Barnsley and jumped. William lost interest in her and she was heartbroken without him.
Despite jumping from a tremendous height, her woollen petticoats caught on branches on the cliff wall which broke her fall and she managed to walk home with minor cuts and bruises. Unfortunately Hannah would die just 2 years later.
Despite her short life, Hannah’s amazing story of survival was immortalised by the Lovers Leap Inn that was built below where she jumped. It is now called Curry Cottage. Her remarkable survival ensured that her story would become one of Derbyshire’s most enduring local legends.
Bakewell Witches
A shadowy figure haunts the market square at night in the charming town of Bakewell. This restless soul is a local woman called Anne Green. Over 300 years ago, she was accused of witchcraft and casting spells and curses on her neighbours. She was blamed for illness and misfortune that happened in this little town. She died by hanging.
Some visitors claim to have seen a shadowy figure wandering through the market square after dark, while others report an uneasy feeling when passing through the area late at night.
Headless Horse – Bolsover Castle
Bolsover Castle is an ancient castle high upon a hill that is haunted by a headless horseman. Visitors have reported hearing the sound of horse hooves in the corridors in the middle of the night. Others have seen the shadowy figure of a headless horseman riding through the castle grounds before disappearing into the night.
Some people believe the headless horseman is Sir Charles, the man who built the castle who had been decapitated in a duel. Another story is that the shadowy figure is a soldier who was beheaded during a battle at the castle in the Civil war. Another theory is that the headless rider is a poor stable boy who had his head accidentally decapitated when he was trying to stop a horse from bolting.
The Longdendale lights
The Longdendale lights are mysterious orbs of light that have been seen in the Longdendale Valley. People have been experiencing these moving orbs of light for centuries in this remote moorland area. Our ancestors called them devil bonfires, and blamed witchcraft or restless spirits.
Clusters of these lights dance across the landscape and even enter people’s cars. At other times a large solitary bright light appears to light up the darkness. Explanations for these lights range from a naturally occurring phenomenon to the torchlight of the ghost of a marching Roman army.
These strange sightings have helped make Longdendale one of the most mysterious and magical places in Derbyshire.
Matlocks Wishing Stone – Lumsdale
Matlock is home to a huge stone boulder that is believed to grant wishes. The folklore of this magical stone tells of a nature spirit that lives inside.
To get a wish granted you must walk around it 3 times in a counter clockwise direction while whispering your wish. According to local folklore, any wish can be granted—provided it isn’t for money. If your wish is granted then it should come true within the next 3 months. The wishing stone once stood in open land but it is now surrounded by bushes and plants.
Ladybower Reservoir
There was once a Derbyshire village called Derwent Woodlands. This village was emptied and submerged in water to create the Ladybower Reservoir in the 1940s.
The village church now lies beneath the waters of the reservoir. According to local legend, a newly appointed vicar was shocked to learn of an ancient tradition known as the Sermon for the Dead. Each year, at midnight on the last Sunday of December, the souls of those destined to die in the coming year were said to gather in the church. He initially refused but felt compelled to go to his church on that night. He saw his own soul as well as the souls of others. He died within the year.
During periods of drought, the remains of the lost village occasionally reappear, adding to Ladybower’s reputation as one of the most hauntingly magical places in Derbyshire.
From haunted castles and mysterious lights to ancient stone circles and hidden mermaids, Derbyshire is full of folklore and wonder. Whether you’re fascinated by ghosts, legends, or unexplained mysteries, these magical places in Derbyshire offer a glimpse into a world where the boundary between history and myth feels wonderfully blurred.
