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Alport
Described as a “Hidden gem in the crown of a regal landscape" by James Croston this pretty hamlet is nestled at the eastern end of Bradford Dale and remains one of the most beautiful hidden delights of Derbyshire. Named after the portway road which ran through the settlement, the Saxon inhabitants of Alport, added the prefix`al` which itself means old. The stone houses with pretty gardens date back to the 17th and 18th centuries. There is very little in the way of village buildings in Alport, with simply several limestone-rubble cottages, many of which use to be local miners houses. Lead Mining was carried out in Alport from the seventeenth to the late nineteenth centuries and many inhabitants worked in the industry. Alport was in fact famous for its lead mining and was one of the most productive regions in Derbyshire. Some structures from Alport's past are still visible, including a magnificent 18th century corn mill and the relics of the lead-smelter. Many other ruins can be found throughout the overgrown shrubbery
 Primary access to Alport is via main road that runs between the A6 at Picory Corner near Haddon Hall and the A515 at Newhaven. The road offers tremendous views as you wind throughout the outstandingly scenic and sparsely populated landscape in the very heart of Derbyshire. The road it also bisects the village of Alport at the bottom of the hill that leads up to Youlgreave. Here in the valley bottom, the charmingly beautiful dales of Lathkill and Bradford meet with their rivers emptying into the Wye, which in turn joins the Derwent at nearby Rowsley. The rivers were essential to the growth of industry in Alport and there are reports of a corn mill being located just next to the river as early as 1159.
Just past the bridge at the bottom of the hill is a road that leads to the nearby village of Youlgreave, that offers a great rest-stop and more in the way of village amenities. Peak District Walking will frequently take you through Alport and the surrounding area. The spectacular views and wonderful river side walks attract many people throughout the year, but it is especially popular in summer when the pretty cottage gardens in the village are in full flower and give Alport a picturesque appearance. Artists are also frequently seen at their easels beside the gurgling waters of the Lathkill as it flows down a series of waterfalls to meet the Bradford in the valley bottom below.
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