Best Kept Villages Walk

This walk takes you through some of the prettiest villages in the Mease Lowlands and links both Ancient Woodlands and new woodlands planted as part of the developing National Forest. Village greens, historic houses and distinctive church spires are all features on the route.

For a more detailed map you are recommended to refer to Ordnance Survey Explorer 245: The National Forest and Landranger number 128 (Derby and Burton upon Trent).

Of interest, Lullington has the distinction of being the most southerly village in Derbyshire. Sir Nigel Gresley, designer of The Mallard steam locomotive which held the world speed record of 126mph in 1938, is buried in the churchyard at Netherseal. Coton-in-the-Elms derives its name from “all the cottages in the elms”.  However, as a result of Dutch Elm Disease in the 1970s few of the elms which gave rise to this name remain. About one mile South East of the village, just East of Church Flatts Farm, is the furthest place from the sea in the British Isles.