2026 and all that ….
Countryside & Rights of Way Act (CROW, 2000)
On 1 January 2026 the legal map of rights of way (the ‘definitive’ map) held by the county council will be closed to claims for paths that existed before 1949. Such paths will be legally closed (‘extinguished’).
Well-used, unrecorded footpaths which are not designated rights of way may be lost.
Although this seems some way off, the process of recording footpaths as rights of way is both bureaucratic and protracted.
The County Council are legally committed to processing claims for rights of way, but (especially in view of severe budget reductions) are unlikely to instigate them.
How to claim an unrecorded right of way
The link to the maps below show current rights of way (in bold colours) for all 42 ‘parish’ categories defined by the County Council in the north-east of the county (Bolsover, Chesterfield, & NE Derbyshire).
Area* | Ordnance Survey |
Bing Aerial |
Area* | Ordnance Survey |
Bing Aerial |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashover | NED | ![]() |
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Holymoorside & Walton | NED | ![]() |
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Ault Hucknall | B | ![]() |
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Killamarsh | NED | ![]() |
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Barlborough | B | ![]() |
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Morton | NED | ![]() |
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Barlow | NED | ![]() |
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North Wingfield | NED | ![]() |
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Blackwell | B | ![]() |
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Pilsley | NED | ![]() |
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Bolsover | B | ![]() |
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Pinxton | B | ![]() |
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Brackenfield | NED | ![]() |
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Pleasley | B | ![]() |
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Brampton | NED | ![]() |
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Scarcliffe | B | ![]() |
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Brimington | C | ![]() |
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Shirebrook | B | ![]() |
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Calow | NED | ![]() |
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Shirland & Higham | NED | ![]() |
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Chesterfield | C | ![]() |
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South Normanton | B | ![]() |
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Clay Cross | NED | ![]() |
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Staveley | C | ![]() |
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Clowne | B | ![]() |
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Stretton | NED | ![]() |
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Dronfield | NED | ![]() |
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Sutton cum Duckmanton | NED | ![]() |
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Eckington | NED | ![]() |
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Temple Normanton | NED | ![]() |
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Elmton | B | ![]() |
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Tibshelf | B | ![]() |
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Glapwell | B | ![]() |
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Tupton | NED | ![]() |
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Grassmoor | NED | ![]() |
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Unstone | NED | ![]() |
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Heath & Holmewood | NED | ![]() |
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Wessington | NED | ![]() |
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Hodthorpe & Belph | B | ![]() |
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Whitwell | B | ![]() |
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Holmesfield | NED | ![]() |
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Wingerworth | NED | ![]() |
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* B Bolsover C Chesterfield NED North-East Derbyshire

Bolsover


Chesterfield

NE Derbyshire

Any lost ways here ?
1898 map
(National Library of Scotland)
Open Street Map displays both recorded and unrecorded paths. Derbyshire County Council recorded rights of way are overlaid here
Google Street View, whilst generally not displaying footpaths, often shows them where they meet roads