The River Wye is the major river of the western part of the Peak, rising on Axe Edge above Buxton (as do the Rivers Dove and Manifold, all within the space of a few kilometres) and flowing eastwards through Buxton and Bakewell to join the Derwent at Rowsley. Between Buxton and Ashford the river has had to carve a long series of gorges which characterise this section and the river always lies in a deep-cut valley which is often lined with cliffs and is sometimes spectacularly narrow. The first part of the gorge is Ashwood Dale, a narrow tree-lined valley where the A6 main road travels alongside the river, and at the end of Ashwood Dale the road leaves the river because the Wye enters Cheedale, with steep cliffs on either side and sections where the lower valley is often difficult to even walk along. This image is one of a collection by the famous local antiquarian, Thomas Bateman, of Middleton by Youlgreave. (1821-1861). Bateman organized his collection by inserting them into a 4 volume copy of Lysons Magna Britannia, Derbyshire, creating a fascinating and unique illustrated record of the county. The purchase of the collection for Derbyshire Libraries was made possible by the generous bequest of Miss Frances Webb of Whaley Bridge, well known local historian, who died in December 2006.