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Gyms in the Derbyshire Dales

Four public pools, a bouldering wall in Wirksworth and three traffic-free trails through the White Peak. Here's where to train in the Derbyshire Dales and who to train with.

Gyms and venues
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Towns and villages in the Derbyshire Dales

From Ashbourne at the foot of the Tissington Trail to Hathersage in the Hope Valley.

Training in the Derbyshire Dales

Four public pools, an outdoor pool and a lot of trail.

The Derbyshire Dales is home to 71,540 people (Census 2021), up 0.6% since 2011, and its median age has risen four years to 51, eleven above England's. In Sport England's Active Lives survey for Nov 2024–25, 72.9% of adults aged 16 and over here did at least 150 minutes of activity a week, against 64.5% for England. OHID's measure for adults aged 19 and over, from the same survey, puts the district at 78.5%.

Freedom Leisure runs the public centres on behalf of Derbyshire Dales District Council: Arc Leisure Matlock with an eight-lane 25 m pool and a teaching pool, Ashbourne Leisure Centre with a 25 m pool and an indoor cycling studio, Bakewell Swimming Pool & Gym with a 20 m pool, and Wirksworth Leisure Centre with a pool, sports hall and bouldering wall. Hathersage Swimming Pool is an outdoor pool with a winter timetable from November to March.

Much of the district lies in the Peak District National Park. The Monsal, Tissington and High Peak trails follow old railway lines, Carsington Water sits between Wirksworth and Kniveton, and Dovedale runs south from Milldale. Gymist helps you find people who train like you do.

Where to train in the Derbyshire Dales

Freedom Leisure's public centres first, then the outdoor pool, the gyms and the studios.

Public leisure centres (Freedom Leisure)

Outdoor swimming

Gyms and studios

Find a training buddy in the Derbyshire Dales

A lane partner at the Arc in Matlock, someone to boulder with in Wirksworth, a riding partner for the Tissington Trail: find people nearby who train when you do.

Find a buddy

Start a Derbyshire Dales training group

A Saturday ride along the Monsal Trail, a winter swim group at Hathersage, a run from Ashbourne up the Tissington Trail: set it up in minutes and we'll help people nearby find it.

Start a group

Train outdoors

Free places to train in the Derbyshire Dales.

  • The Monsal Trailabout 8.5 miles from Wye Dale, east of Buxton, to Coombs Viaduct near Bakewell, through six tunnels and over Headstone Viaduct at Monsal Head.
  • Tissington Trail13 miles on an old railway line from Ashbourne to Parsley Hay, part of the National Cycle Network.
  • High Peak Trailabout 17 miles from High Peak Junction at Cromford to Dowlow near Buxton, joining the Tissington Trail at Parsley Hay.
  • Carsington WaterEngland's ninth-largest reservoir, between Wirksworth and Kniveton, with an 8 km track round it and bike, kayak and canoe hire.
  • Dovedalejust over 3 miles of limestone dale from Milldale to the stepping stones under Thorpe Cloud, which rises to 287 m.

Getting around

Two railway lines and three traffic-free trails.

Rail

  • East Midlands Railway on the Derwent Valley line to Cromford, Matlock Bath and Matlock, about hourly from Derby
  • Grindleford and Hathersage on the Hope Valley line between Sheffield and Manchester

Cycle

  • the Monsal Trail is National Cycle Route 680
  • the Tissington and High Peak trails are part of the National Cycle Network

Walk

  • the Cromford Canal towpath runs south from Cromford Wharf past High Peak Junction

Who trains here

What the census and Sport England say about the people you'll meet in the pool and on the trails.

  • 51Median ageUp four years since 2011, and eleven years older than England.Census 2021
  • 17,863Aged 50 to 64The district's biggest age band, and a good age to find a regular swim, class or trail partner.Census 2021
  • 72.9%Active adultsAdults aged 16 and over doing at least 150 minutes a week in Nov 2024–25, against 64.5% for England; 16.8% did less than 30 minutes.Sport England Active Lives, Nov 2024–25

Derbyshire Dales gym questions

What people ask before they train here.

How many gyms are there in the Derbyshire Dales?

Gymist lists 82 gyms, leisure centres, pools, studios and sports venues across the Derbyshire Dales, from the Freedom Leisure centres in Matlock, Ashbourne, Bakewell and Wirksworth to Hathersage's outdoor pool, independent gyms, yoga and Pilates studios and golf clubs.

Which leisure centres are in the Derbyshire Dales, and who runs them?

Freedom Leisure manages the district's leisure centres on behalf of Derbyshire Dales District Council: Arc Leisure on Bakewell Road in Matlock, Ashbourne Leisure Centre on Clifton Road, Bakewell Swimming Pool & Gym on Granby Road, and Wirksworth Leisure Centre on Hannage Way.

Where can I swim in the Derbyshire Dales?

Arc Leisure Matlock has an eight-lane 25 m pool and a teaching pool. Ashbourne Leisure Centre has a 25 m pool, Bakewell has a 20 m pool and Wirksworth Leisure Centre has a pool too. Hathersage Swimming Pool is an outdoor pool with a winter timetable from November to March.

Where can I train outdoors for free in the Derbyshire Dales?

The Monsal Trail runs about 8.5 miles from Wye Dale, east of Buxton, to Coombs Viaduct near Bakewell, through six tunnels. The Tissington Trail runs 13 miles from Ashbourne to Parsley Hay, where it meets the 17-mile High Peak Trail down to Cromford. Dovedale runs just over 3 miles from Milldale to Thorpe Cloud.

How do I get to gyms in the Derbyshire Dales without a car?

East Midlands Railway runs about hourly on the Derwent Valley line from Derby to Cromford, Matlock Bath and Matlock. Grindleford and Hathersage are on the Hope Valley line between Sheffield and Manchester. For cycling, the Monsal Trail is National Cycle Route 680, and the Tissington and High Peak trails are part of the National Cycle Network.

How do I find a gym buddy in the Derbyshire Dales?

Join Gymist free, add your gym and when you train, and browse people training nearby. If there isn't a group for your kind of training yet, start one.

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