River Derwent, Derbyshire : Attraction of Derby

The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 80 km (50 miles) long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby City.

It rises in the Peak District at Bleaklow east of Glossop and flows through the Upper Derwent Valley with its three reservoirs, the Howden Reservoir, Derwent Reservoir and Ladybower Reservoir. It then passes through Bamford, Hathersage, Grindleford and Baslow, and through the Chatsworth Park estate, and it is joined by the River Wye. After passing through Darley Dale, the Derwent reaches Matlock. It flows past Cromford and through the Crich Chase Nature Reserve.

The river was used to power many cotton mills in the Derwent Valley Mills area.

It also provides the name for the oldest field hockey club in Derbyshire. Derwent Hockey Club, established in 1897, played its matches on the banks of the Derwent in Darley Dale, before locating to Wirksworth.

The name “Derwent” is Celtic and means “a valley thick with oaks”.