Upper Derwent Valley walk out to Ladybower: griststone edges, moors with pre-historic features, overlooked by Stanage Edge, valleys and pastures with views
Length |
25.0 km (15.5 mi) Cumulative ascent/descent: 861/868m. For a shorter walk, see below Walk Options. |
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Toughness |
9 out of 10. Time: 6 hours 30 minutes walking time. For the whole outing, including trains, sights and meals, allow at least 13 hours. |
Transport |
Hathersage station, map reference SK 232 810, is 14 km south west of Sheffield, 227 km north west of Charing Cross and 157m above sea level. Bamford station, map reference SK 207 825, is 3 km north west of Hathersage and 150m above sea level. Both are in Derbyshire.
Saturday Walkersâ Club: Take a train no later than 9.00 hours. |
Maps |
OS Landranger Map: 110 (Sheffield & Huddersfield)
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Walk Notes |
Starting in Hathersage, an attractive village in the Hope Valley, this route leads up a quiet green valley towards the cliffs of the Stanage Edge, only to fork off along the Hood Brook through attractive woods (bluebells in season) and to rise further in a westerly direction through pastures-with-views and along the flanks of Bole Hill up to Bamford Moor and along its gritstone edge. Panoramic views of Mam Tor, Win Hill and Ladybower Reservoir keep the interest before a steep descent through an ancient oak wood and a newer plantation wood to the reservoir shore and the Ladybower Inn for lunch.
A post-lunch shortcut is described as well as an alternative afternoon route across Moscar and Bamford Moors past an array of pre-historic features (but do not walk this in Ground Nesting Season, from 1 March to 31 July). Note: For the protection of moorland birds, dogs are not permitted on Moscar and Bamford Moors at any time. In all other Access Land they have to be kept on short leads in Ground Nesting Season (01 March to 31 July). |
Walk Options |
Shortcut after lunch: from the Ladybower Inn avoid the ascent up Lead Hill and on to Derwent Edge. Cut 4.9 km/3.0 mi and some ascent, rated 8/10. Bus stops on the A57, either by the Ladybower Inn or further along the route at Strines Lane End, allow a finish by bus to either Sheffield or Bamford. Alternative Afternoon Route across Moscar and Bamford Moors: from Hordron Edge follow a meandering route across the moors past one of the Peak Districtâs finest selection of pre-historic cairns, stone circles and solitary standing stones (in parts pathless or without good paths). Do not walk this in Ground Nesting Season, from 1 March to 31 July. Alternative Descent Route into Bamford: a much more direct descent from Bole Hill into Bamford follows Leeside Road down the Bamford Clough for 600m. This is an ancient packhorse route and was the steepest âroadâ in Derbyshire until it was closed for traffic. The average gradient is 22% and it is not recommended to take this route other than in perfectly dry conditions, with good profile soles and preferably also with walking poles, as a fall onto â and subsequent slide down â the mainly cobble or concrete âroadâ otherwise is all but guaranteed. |
Lunch |
The Ladybower Inn Bamford, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S33 0AX (01433 651 241). The Ladybower Inn is located 10.2 km/6.3 mi into the walk and a quaint stone pub with rooms (some offering views of the picturesque Ladybower Reservoir). Open 08.00-23.00 daily. Food served 08.00-21.00 daily. Owned by the Batemans Brewery from Lincolnshire. |
Tea |
The Anglers Rest Main Road, Bamford, Derbyshire, S33 0DY (01433 659 317). The Anglers Rest is located 1.6 km from the end of the walk. In 2013 it became the first community pub in Derbyshire when it was purchased collectively by over 300 people. As a LocAle pub, they mainly source beers from the local area and have been awarded the Sheffield and District CAMRA pub of the month award for their selection of quality ales. Open 11.00-late Mon-Sat and 12.00-late Sun. Light Bites served 12.00-15.00 every day. Full Menu served 12.00-15.00 and 18.00-21.00 Wed-Thu, 12.00-15.00 and 17.30-21.00 Fri (Fish & Chips Night), 12.00-21.00 Sat and 12.00-18.00 Sun. The next-door café is open 08.00-17.00 Mon-Sat and 09.00-16.00 Sun. |
Notes |
Hathersage
The Peak District (National Park)
The northern Dark Peak (whose geology is gritstone) is one of the most famous landmarks in the Peak District National Park, known for its exposed and isolated tracts of moorland, as well as its expansive rolling plateau which is covered by cotton grass bogs and heather moorlands. The soil of the area is composed of moorland peat which provides the perfect environment for the plant life in the area. The areas to the flanks of the high moorland host numerous copses which are composed of Oak and Birch.
White to Dark
Brookfield Manor
The Hope Valley
Ladybower Reservoir
Drinking water must be pumped to treatment works rather than using gravity flow as in the other two reservoirs, increasing costs. It is treated at Bamford water treatment works and then flows south down the 45 km long Derwent Valley Aqueduct to supply clean water to the cities of Nottingham, Derby and Leicester. The aqueduct passes through the park of Chatsworth House. A tunnel carries some of the water from the Derwent Valley eastwards through the hill and into the lower of the two Rivelin Dams to supply Sheffield.
Ashopton
Hordron Edge Stone Circle
Bamford Mill
Derwent River
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Profile | |
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Help Us! |
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By Train |
Out (not a train station) Back (not a train station) |
By Car |
Start S32 1DR Map Directions Return to the start: Finish S33 0AH Map Directions Travel to the start: |
Amazon | |
Help |
National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Travelline (bus times): 0871 200 22 33 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234 |
Version |
Aug-20 Thomas G |
Copyright | © Saturday Walkers Club. All Rights Reserved. No commercial use. No copying. No derivatives. Free with attribution for one time non-commercial use only. www.walkingclub.org.uk/site/license.shtml |
Walk Directions
Full directions for this walk are in a PDF file (link above) which you can print, or download on to a Kindle, tablet, or smartphone.
This is just the introduction. This walk's detailed directions are in a PDF available from wwww.walkingclub.org.uk