Hathersage to Bamford (via Bamford and Hordron Edges) walk

Upper Derwent Valley walk out to Ladybower: griststone edges, moors with pre-historic features, overlooked by Stanage Edge, valleys and pastures with views

History

This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.

Date Option Post # Weather
Fri, 14-Aug-20 Friday Walk - Hathersage to Bamford via Bamford and Hordron Edges [New Walk] [Hope Valley Trip] 22 mostly sunny
Length: 25.0 km (15.5 mi) [shorter versions possible, see below]
Ascent/Descent: 861/868 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 6 ½ hours
Toughness: 9 out of 10
From London, take the 09.02 Sheffield train from St. Pancras, arrives Sheffield 11.01 and change onto the 11.14 Manchester Piccadilly stopping service via the Hope Valley (Dore & Totley 11.21, Grindleford 11.29), arriving Hathersage at 11.32.
Sheffield Advance tickets are currently showing for a price of £31.00 (w/o Railcards). Buy this and then a Sheffield – Hathersage Open Return onboard the second train to get the best overall price for this trip. Low-Priced Off-Peak Returns (£83.50 w/o RC) are not valid on the 09.02!.
If already in the area and arriving from the West, take the 10.49 Sheffield train from Manchester Piccadilly (New Mills Central 11.16, Chinley 11.23, Edale 11.32, Hope 11.38, Bamford 11.42), arriving Hathersage at 11.45.
Return trains to London: xx.46 until 19.46 (change at Sheffield, just under 3 hours total journey time).
Return trains to Grindleford and Sheffield: xx.46 until 19.46, then 21.47 and 23.15.
Return trains westbound: xx.31 until 21.31, then 23.06.
“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.
After lunch, a gradual ascent through woods leads up to Lead Hill and then the Derwent Edge, revealing stunning views of the Upper Derwent Valley and the Kinder Scout and Bleaklow plateaus. Turn right away from the edge down through Derwent Moor and gently up through Moscar Moor (on good paths) to Hordron Edge with its Bronze Age Stone Circle and across Jarvis Clough back to Bamford Edge for more views up the Hope Valley before the gradual descent to Bamford and the station beyond.
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.
Note: For the protection of moorland birds, dogs are not permitted on Moscar and Bamford Moors at any time.”
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 District’s finest selection of pre-historic cairns, stone circles and solitary standing stones (in parts without good paths).
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 ‘road’ 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 – and subsequent slide down – the mainly cobble or concrete ‘road’ otherwise is all but guaranteed. Absolutely and entirely at your own risk!
Lunch: The Ladybower Inn (10.2 km/6.3 mi, food all day).
Tea: The Anglers Rest (1.6 km from the end of the walk).
For walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.360
  • 15-Jul-20

    from the station, the route goes straight through the centre of Hathersage, so anyone staying there can easily drop luggage off en route...

  • 13-Aug-20

    For anyone not familiar with the change of trains in Sheffield: the Hope Valley Line service usually departs from Platform 2c, which is at the London end of Platform 5 (don't ask). The train from London often comes in on that Platform 5, so - with luck - you just have to walk back along the platform and at the far end will be the choo choo train to Hathersage.

  • 13-Aug-20

    I'm in Little John. Anyone eating or drinking tonight. Don't might where, plough or Scotsman or

    Gavin

  • 15-Aug-20

    8 Wednesday and Thursday arrivals assembled at the station, with 2 having already left. Later we hauled in 1 other who had started much earlier. Another 11 alighted from the Sheffield train, so 22 in total. After sorting out the luggage issues and a short Covid briefing, we got going at 11.45, arriving at The Ladybower after 2. Finding tables for the lunchers was no problem at that time, and most of the pickniers popped in for a drink as well.

    After a long lunch, onto the Derwent Edge and down through the moor across to Moscar. About a handful I think had taken the shortcut from Ladybower, and two subgroups took the Across The Moors route. Most but not all prehistoric sites were quickly found. After the descent to the road, the majority went off route and turned left to Hathersage knowing that there would be a longish wait for the train at Bamford. 4 had dinner at The Anglers Rest though (CAMRA pub 2020 Sheffield and District) and took the 21.42 train. A very fine day, initially under some cloud cover, but mostly sunny .