The Walks
Atop Kinder Scout
Chatsworth House
Bridge Over The River Dove
Lathkill Dale
An Edale Resident
The Cat & Fiddle
The River Dove
Curbar Edge
Mam Tor Trig Point
Golden Clogh
Above Edale
Throwley Hall
Near Wetton
On Kinder Edge
Chatsworth Estate
An Eyam Memorial
Nora Batty's Steps
Holmfirth
Monsal Head Viaduct
Speedwell Cavern
Tissington Hall
Castleton Youth Hostel
Hayfield Camp Site
The George Hotel
Hathersage
Best Western
The Castle Inn
Bakewell
Old English Inns
The
Peak District
comprises
some of England's most popular walking country. Traditionally the
recreational territory of people from the huge conurbations of Sheffield
to the east and Manchester in the west, the area is now within a couple of
hours drive for much of the country's population.
Indeed, the Peak District can claim to
be the birthplace of high level walking for everyone. It was here that the
Mass Trespass of 1932 opened up the Kinder Scout plateau for walkers.
Previously the moorland had been jealously guarded as grouse moors by the
land-owning aristocracy. You can recreate the route of the Mass Trespass
on our Hayfield
walk, which takes the steep path up to Kinder Scout.
You can also see at close quarters the
home of one of the area's biggest land-owning families, the Devonshires,
on our Chatsworth walk. Visit the estate village of Edensor, and for a fee
go inside the stately home itself. Prime Minister Harold MacMillan, who
married into the Devonshire family, loved to escape the turmoil of 10
Downing Street with leisurely week-ends at Chatsworth.
Moving south you soon come to the
White Peak, as the lower portion of the Peak District National Park is
known. Here the rugged beauty of the hills and dales contrast with the the
high moorland of the Dark Peak in the north. Dovedale epitomises the charm
of the White Peak. Dove Dale has been fashioned over the millenia, as the
fast-flowing waters of the River Dove scoured a deep and spectacular gorge
in the limestone. It is thought Dovedale was inhabited from the very
earliest times by 'cave men'. Certainly Bronze-Age dwellers smelted metals
in limestone kilns here. Explore the habitat of our oldest ancestors on
the Six Dales walk.
Not far away, at Cromford on the River
Derwent, a much later Industrial Revolution took its first steps. Here, in
1771, one Richard Arkwright founded his first cotton mill, utilising the
power of the river to turn machinery which changed forever the nature of
production and employment. Arkwright went on to build bigger and more
productive mills and thousands, and later millions, of workers began
leaving the grinding poverty of the land for the relative prosperity of
mill towns. See the spectacular scenery, and visit the Cromford Mill
industrial museum, on our Cromford walk.
Close by, but a million miles from the
'dark satanic mills', you can enjoy the sublime scenery of the White Peak
on our Lathkill Dale walk. Lathkill is one of five dales which comprise
the Derbyshire Dales Nature Reserve. The River Lathkill is also famous as
trout fishing territory. Its valley is now often dry in summer months,
mainly due to water lost to old mine workings. Rucklow Quarry, on the
north side of the dale, has long since been abandoned as a source of
Derbyshire marble, but has recently been colonised by Jacob's Ladder; a
rare plant which flowers in June and July.
Well dressing is a tradition in this
area going back many centuries. A viable well was always a prerequisite to
a prosperous and healthy community. Individual villages, therefore paid
homage to their wells by 'dressing' them with floral decorations. This
practice is still continued in many places. Tideswell is particularly
famous for its well dressing. You can visit the village on our River Wye
walk.
Tissington
is said to be the first village to dress its well each year - on Ascension
Day. It is also one of the prettiest villages in the White Peak. Join the
Tissington Trail, which starts in the village, on our Tissington &
Dovedale walk.
There
are many species of wildlife to be found in the Peak District.
In the western White Peak, the intriguingly named Hen Cloud is famous for
its …….. wallabies. Apparently released from a private zoo during
World War II, the cute antipodeans were able to breed and survive English
winters. They were frequently sighted until the late 1990s, now hardly
ever, if at all. See if you can spot one on the Roaches & Hen Cloud
walk.
A short hop northward brings you to Buxton, famous since Roman
times for its invigorating spa waters and baths. Subsequently developed as
a resort in the eighteenth century, the baths have recently been
renovated. Why not take a refreshing dip after our strenuous walk to the
Goyt Valley, which starts from Buxton Country Park.
Many country pubs in this area are very hospitable to walkers -
muddy boots and all. Visit a particularly welcoming pub at The Cat &
Fiddle. Our Axe Edge Moor and Shining Tor route will lead you to this
iconic walkers’ pub. This walk also starts from the outskirts of Buxton.
Not everywhere is as famed for health as Buxton. Eyam has a
distinctly unhealthy, but rightly proud, heritage as 'The Plague Village'.
In September 1665 Bubonic Plague reached Eyam, probably in a bolt of cloth
despatched from London.
The terrible infection wreaked its deadly havoc on the population.
But the villagers selflessly imposed their own quarantine, to
protect the citizens of surrounding communities.
In just over a year more than 260 Eyam inhabitants were dead;
sometimes whole families became extinct.
See the many information boards, and a fascinating museum, on our
Eyam walk.
A few miles north of Eyam you reach
the heart of the Peak District. Castleton is the real honeypot of the
area, attracting many thousands of visitors every year. Busy as it often
is, the village is still attractive, with fascinating places to visit.
The numerous caves are especially famous. The vast Peak Cavern,
just a short walk from the village centre, is the only entirely natural
cave currently open to the public. So huge is its first section that it
was once home and workplace to a community of rope-makers. The entrance
also has the dubious local title of ‘The Devil’s Arse’.
Several other caves around Castleton
are the remnants of old lead and tin mines. Some go deep into the
mountainside, meeting up with enormous natural underground chambers. You
can see masses of stalagtites and stalagmites (the ones which hang down
and stand up, respectively) and underground rivers from the exhausted mine
workings. In all cases, tour guides are provided and fees are charged.
High above Peak Cavern, on the hillside above Castleton, stands
the Norman Peveril Castle.
In days gone by this fortification was the centre of power for the
whole area.
Take our Castleton
Ridge walk to see and explore these features.
Over the next ridge, two of our tougher walks set out from the
village of Edale.
Nestling in the valley of the same name, Edale epitomises the Peak
District for serious walkers.
For here you find the southern end of the Pennine Way, and the most
popular routes of ascent to the high moorland of Kinder Scout.
Our
Pennine Way and Kinder Scout route takes you from Edale village
up the steep and rocky Golden Clough, a lesser walked ascent to the Kinder
plateau.
Now you contour westward, with the bleak moor on your right and
(weather permitting) stupendous views to your left.
After a while you’ll meet the main Pennine Way route, which has
ascended via
Jacob’s
Ladder, down which you return to Edale. There is an optional
extension which affords a serious yomp over Kinder.
We also start from Edale on our walk which first crosses the
valley and then takes the ancient pack-horse track up to the Mam Tor
Ridge, before dropping down to Castleton in the next valley. Often leading
trains of twenty or more horses over these steep and precipitous paths the
drivers, or 'jaggers' as they were termed, couldn't get much satisfaction
from life. For in the days long before mettled roads their work was
continuous toil, sweltering summer and bone-chilling winter alike. They
carried every-day commodities in and out of these remote communities. It's
hard to imagine the pathways we use for recreation were once the highways
of trade.
The modern Pennine Way is in many parts derived from the
ancient jaggers routes, and is now a National Trail of some 268 miles. It
runs south to north up the rugged backbone of England. Officially it
starts at the Nags Head pub in Edale and finishes up at another pub –
the Border Inn at Kirk Yetholm in the Cheviots of Northumbria.
The Pennine Way passes through three National Parks; The Peak
District, The Yorkshire Dales and the Northumberland National Park.
The highest peak on the Pennine Way is Cross Fell at 893 metres -
2902 feet !
Alfred Wainwright promised a pint for everyone who completed
the Pennine Way.
Fortunately for his bank balance Wainwright has long ceased to be
able to honour his pledge.
So many walkers now use the route every summer that the old boy
would be virtually penniless.
In fact erosion has become such a problem on the most popular
parts of the Pennine Way that some sections have been paved with
flagstones.
Maybe we have to accept this development for the greater good?
The most northerly walk in this
collection takes in the charming Holmfirth Valley – in the footsteps of
Her with the wrinkled stockings; Nora Batty.
The setting for the B.B.C.’s longest running sit-com, 'Last of
the Summer Wine', is more than worthy of a visit in its own right.
But after your exertion on this moderately strenuous walk why not
take refreshment at the Wrinkled Stocking Tea Room or Sid’s Cafe?
Finally, a little south-west of Holmfirth,
our Saddleworth Figure of Eight route provides three options: An easier
first loop taking you by the Dovestone Reservoir and up to the higher Chew
Reservoir. The second leg is much more strenuous, ascending Shaw Rocks and
the edge of sombre Saddleworth Moor. Of course, you could also undertake
both loops as one continuous walk.
Whichever of our Peak District walks
you take, we are certain the rugged beauty of the area will both satisfy
and please you.
CONTRIBUTORS
Peak District walks, pictures and
background info have been compiled by:
Lesley Gould, Roger Barrand, Jean Bond, Dave Callaway, Eric Joyce &
Gerry Bindless
THE PEAK DISTRCT
- THE WALKS
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your walk report by clicking on its icon 
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THE HEIGHTS OF ABRAHAM FROM
BONSALL
A short walk over Masson Hill to the Heights of Abraham
4.4
miles (7.0 km)
Toughness
Rating : 1
AXE EDGE MOOR, SHINING TOR
AND THE CAT & FIDDLE
A
moderately strenuous walk over moorland & wilderness to an iconic
walkers pub
12.5
miles (20.0 km)
Toughness
Rating : 4
BRADFIELD & AGDON
RESERVOIR
A moderate walk taking in stunning
scenery around Bradfield
5.5
miles (9.0 km)
Toughness
Rating : 2
BUXTON
AND THE GOYT VALLEY
Walk from Buxton Country Park on this sometimes demanding route
Toughness Rating : 3
THE
CHATSWORTH ESTATE & BEE
Easy underfoot but a couple of steep sections on this moderate walk
Toughness Rating : 2
CROMFORD HERITAGE
WALK
An easier walk from the birth-place of Britain's Industrial Revolution
Toughness Rating : 1
CURBAR, BASLOW & FROGGATT
EDGES
A high level walk with fabulous views, but not too strenuous
8.2
miles (13.0 km)
Toughness Rating : 2
SIX DALES WALK - INCLUDING
DOVEDALE
A fairly demanding walk through six of Derbyshire's most glorious dales
13.0
miles or 10.5 miles (21.0 km or 17.0 km)
Toughness
Rating : 4
THE LADYBOWER AND DERWENT RESERVOIRS
An occasionally strenuous route above the shores of two man-made lakes
Toughness
Rating : 4
EDALE TO CASTLETON, VIA RIDGES & DALES
A
strenuous walk with some steep ascents rewarded by fabulous views
9.7
miles (15.5 km)
Toughness Rating : 4
EYAM, COOMBE DALE & THE RIVER DERWENT
A
moderate walk visiting some local plague siyes
8.2
miles (13.0 km)
Toughness Rating : 2
GRANDSTAND
VIEWS FROM CRICH
Moderate
walking, but with some sustained ascents
9.0
miles (14.4 km)
Toughness Rating : 3
HAYFIELD TO KINDER SCOUT CLASSIC ROUTE
Recreate
the 'Kinder Trespass' on this tough ascent to the Kinder plateau, followed
by a steep and rocky return on little used paths
7.6
miles ( 12.3 km)
Toughness Rating : 4
HOLMFIRTH & NORA BATTY'S HAUNTS
Walk
in the very footsteps of her with the wrinkled stocking
9.2
miles or 6.6 miles (14.7 km or 10.5 km)
LANGSETT & CUT GATE END
A
tougher walk up to high moorland, but with a moderate option
Toughness Rating : 3
LATHKILL
& BRADFORD DALES
A
delightful walk through part of the Derbyshire Dales Nature Reserve
Toughness Rating : 2
LOSE HILL & KINDER'S SOUTHERN EDGE
A
challenging walk to Kinder Scout and the Edale Valley
12.5
miles or 11.1 miles (20.0 km or 17.8 km)
Toughness Rating : 4
MAM TOR RIDGE WALK FROM CASTLETON
A delightful and strenuous walk along the finest ridge in the area
8.0
miles (13.0 km)
Toughness Rating : 3
MILLER DALE & MONSAL DALE
A
pleasant stroll along the River Wye and a bit of ascent
7.5
miles (12.0 km)
Toughness
Rating : 2
THE PENNINE WAY & KINDER SCOUT
A
strenuous walk from Edale to the Pennine Way - with an optional 'yomp'
10.2
miles or 12.8 miles (16.3 km or 20.5 km)
Toughness Rating : 4
ROBIN
HOOD'S STRIDE & STANTON MOOR
Walk
part of the Limestone Way and old Peaks villages
7.5 miles (12.0 km)
Toughness Rating : 2
THE ROACHES & HEN CLOUD
A
moderate walk in the very south-west of the Peak District
6.6
miles (10.5 km)
Toughness Rating : 2
SADDLEWORTH FIGURE OF EIGHT
A
walk of two halves – easier and tougher, on the edge of Saddleworth Moor
9.8
miles or 7.1 miles (15.6 km or 11.3 km)
Toughness
Rating: 4
SNAKE PATH ASCENT TO NORTHERN KINDER
A
demanding moorland walk on Kinder’s northern edge
9.4
miles (15.1 km)
Toughness Rating : 4
STANAGE EDGE & HIGGER TOR
Walk
up to the Carl Wark Hill Fort, with exhilerating views
10.1
miles or 11.9 miles (16.2 km or 19.0 km)
Toughness Rating : 3
SUGWORTH & LOST LAD
A
demanding walk across Derwent Edge and over moorland to Lost Lad
12.3
miles (19.6 km)
Toughness Rating : 4
TISSINGTON & DOVEDALE
A
moderate walk around the rolling hills of Dovedale, with an ascent to
Thorpe Cloud
8.8
miles (14.0 km)
Toughness Rating : 2
THOR'S
CAVE & THE MANIFOLD
VALLEY
An
easier walk through the valley and up to Thor's Cave
9.4
miles (15.0 km)
Toughness Rating : 1
WINSTER, CLOUGH WOOD & WENSLEYDALE
An
easy walk from Winster to Wensley, and back via the Limestone Way
6.3
miles (10.0 km)
Toughness
Rating : 1
Walking
around Monsal Dale and Tideswell, requiring modest exertion
Toughness Rating : 1
|
Most
of our Peak District routes can be undertaken by reasonably
fit walkers able to utilise the map segments and our recommended
Ordnance Survey maps, together with the route guidance notes.
|
Directory
of Local Information Sources
WHAT
TO SEE
or visit on or near the walks
Blue John Cavern
Cave system
Near Castleton
01433 520638
Guided tours at regular intervals
Chatsworth House
Stately Home & Park
Near Baslow
01246 582204
The ancestral home of the Dukes of Devonshire.
Guided tours, café and gift shop available
www,chatsworth.org
Museum of Childhood
National Trust Museum
Sudbury, Near Ashbourne
01283 585305
Share childhood memories with your family
Crich Tramway Village
Transport Museum
Crich, Near Matlock
01773 854321
See a wide range of transport from olden days
Cromford Mill
Industrial Museum
Mill Lane, Cromford
01629 823256
Exhibition devoted to this birth-place of the
Industrial Revolution
Historic House & Garden
Church Street, Eyam
01433 631976
17th Century manor house with guided
tours
www.eyamhall.co.uk
Eyam Museum
Plague Museum
Hawkhill Road, Eyam
01433 631371
Detailed
exhibition of the plague story
Haddon Hall
Mediaeval Stately Home
Near Bakewell
01629 812855
Fine
mediaeval manor house and grounds
Heights of Abraham
Cable Car To The Viewpoint
Matlock Bath
01629 582365
The easy way to ascend this spur high above the
River Derwent
Ilam Park
National Trust Property
Ilam, Near Ashbourne
01335 350503
A magnificent park set beside the River Manifold
and close to Dovedale
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Kedleston
Hall
National
Trust Property
Near Derby
01332 842191
Neo-classical mansion set in parkland. Tea shop & restaurant
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Last
Of The Summer Wine Exhibition
Exhibition
based on the B.B.C. comedy series
30 Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth
01484 681408
See the full story, behind the Wrinkled Stocking Tea Room
Monsal
Head Viaduct
Maintained
by the National Park Authority
Near Monsal Head
01629 816200
Open access to the public
Old
House Museum
Museum
and hands-on exhibition for children
Cunningham Place, Bakewell
01629 813642
Guided visits, quiz sheets and gifts
www.oldhousemuseum.org.uk
Peak
Cavern - The Devil's Arse
Cave
System
Castleton
01433 620285
Vast natural cave system with guided tours available
www.devilsarse.com
Peveril
Castle
Norman
Castle Ruins
Off Market Place, Castleton
01433 620613
Castle visitor centre and guided tours optional
Pooles
Cavern
Cave
System
Buxton Country Park
01298 26978
Natural sculptures, stalagmites & stalagtites abound in this
spectacular cavern
www.poolescavern.co.uk
Speedwell
Cavern
Old
Lead Mine and Cave System
Near Castleton
01433 620512
Take a guided boat tour around this old mine system leading to a vast
natural cavern
www.speedwellcavern.co.uk
Tissington
Hall
Jacobean
Manor House
Ntissington, Near Ashbourne
01335 352200
Manor house and gardens occupied by the Fitzherbert family for over 500
years. Open to the public on specific dates
Treak
Cliff Cavern
Cave
System
Near Castleton
01433 620571
Fascinating
natural chambers with numerous stalactites and stalagmites
www.bluejohnstone.com
GETTING HELP
Free
local guide brochures available by post.
Information
and an accommodation booking service
is
available at the centres listed below, or online at:
Tourist
Information Centres
Free
local guide brochures available by post and on the web
Peak
District Tourism
Tel:
0844 888 5112
www.VisitPeakDistrict.com
Tel: 01433 620679
Well appointed information centre, exhibition and toilets
Edale
National Park Information Centre
Fieldhead,
Edale
Tel:
01433 670207
Bakewell
National Park Visitor Centre
Old
Market Hall, Bridge Street, Bakewell
Tel: 01629 816558
Matlock
Tourist Information Centre
Crown Square, Matlock
Tel: 01629 583388
Market Place, Ashbourne
Tel: 01335 343666
National
Organisations
Representing walkers throughout Britain
Tel: 020 7339 8500
www.Ramblers.org.uk
English Heritage
Preserving
and maintaining our heritage in England
www.English-Heritage.org.uk
Properties described on
their web
site
Tel: 0870 458 4000
www.NationalTrust.org.uk
WHERE TO STAY
Peak District Tourism
Tel: 0870 241 3513
www.VisitPeakDistrict.com
Other Organisations
Youth Hostels Association
the U.K. are described on their web site.
Directory available free to members
Tel: 0870 770 8868
www.yha.org.uk
Camping & Caravanning Club
Details of 1400 camp sites on the web site
Tel: 0845 130 7632
Town
& Country Hotels
FREE directories and web sites for regional and national hotel groups or franchises:
Best Western Hotels
Tel: 0845 33 00 415
www.BestWestern.co.uk
Corus Hotels
Country & town centre hotels throughout Britain
Tel: 0845 300 2000
The Independents
Consortium of 2 & 3 star hotels throughout Britain
Tel: 0800 88 55 44
www.TheIndependents.co.uk
Marston Hotels
Independent four star hotels throughout England
Tel: 0845 1300 700
Old English Inns
Classic Inns across England
Tel: 0800 917 3085
Premier Travel Inn
470 budget hotels across the U.K.
Tel: 0870 242 8000
Travelodge
Budget accommodation across the U.K.
Tel: 08700 850 950
Welcome Break
Budget accommodation at motorway services
Essential
Contributors
Safe & Courteous
Walking Our Routes
Toughness
Ratings
Local Info
Getting
Help
What To See
Where To Stay
Best Links
Weather
To Walk
Ramblers Association
English Heritage
The National Trust
Camping
and
Caravanning Club
Youth
Hostels
Great Walks text and pictures are the copyright of Synchra Communication Ltd 2009
Mapping is the copyright of
Synchra Communication Ltd 2009
Developed under License from The Ordnance Survey