River Hipper

The River Hipper rises in the high moors between Chatsworth and Chesterfield, where the wetland known as the Hipper Sick feeds its first small stream. It flows eastwards through open moorland and woodland, crossing country lanes and joining other drains before reaching the village of Holymoorside. From there it winds through farmland and suburbs, passing under roads and buildings, until it reaches the River Rother in Chesterfield. The river has shaped the landscape and powered industry for centuries. Floods in 2007 and 2023 showed its power when it burst its banks after heavy rain. Along its course stand the remains of old mills, including Cathole Mill with its smelting past and later corn milling, and the early fireproof buildings at Walton Works. Queens Park, designed by William Barron and Son, opened in 1887 and was restored in 2005 with help from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Visitors follow the Hipper Valley Trail through Somersall Park, where Walton Dam holds water for wildlife and leisure. Mandarin ducks winter on the lake, and the trail passes mill sites and weirs. Queens Park offers Victorian planting and open spaces, while the river’s final stretch is crossed by major roads and the railway before it joins the Rother. The route shows how water shaped industry and leisure in the East Midlands.