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Ladybower Inn Circular via Alport Castles and Derwent Reservoirs walk

A grassy ridge to Britain’s longest inland landslip. Descend to skirt the famous Derwent Reservoirs. Hilly return options across moors or along edges.

Circular Long Peak District Tough

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
Sat, 23-Apr-22 Saturday Walk - Ladybower Inn Circular via Alport Castles and Derwent Reservoirs [Swimming Walk] [Sheffield/Hope Valley Trip] 20 fierce cold breeeze with low cloud cover then sunny
Mon, 12-Oct-20 Monday Walk - Ladybower Inn Circular via Alport Castles and Derwent Reservoirs or via Win Hill to Ladybower or Bamford [Ladybower Trip] [New Walk] 5 rain from lunch
Thomas G
Length: 26.9 km (16.7 mi) [shorter or longer walk possible, see below]
Ascent/Descent: 715 m
Net Walking Time: ca. 6 ½ hours
Toughness: 8 out of 10
Take bus line 257 (direction Bakewell) from Sheffield Interchange (Stand D3) at 08.55, arrives Ashopton, Ladybower Inn at 09.23.
The 257 from the other direction (Grindleford/Hathersage/Bradwell/Hope/Bamford Bus Turnaround 08.44) arrives 08.52.
From London, take the 06.30 Sheffield train from St. Pancras International, arriving Sheffield at 08.44. [Or take a later train and later bus (runs hourly) and play catch-up.]
Return buses to Sheffield: 16.52 or 18.17.
Return buses to Bamford/Hathersage/Grindleford: 16.58 or 17.58.
You cross Ladybower Reservoir and rise through pastures to Crook Hill to follow a grassy ridge with fine views to Win Hill and the Great Ridge, out towards the Kinder Scout and Bleaklow upland peat bog plateaus and across the Derwent Valley to Derwent Edge. At Alport Castles, the fascinating site of Britain’s longest inland landslip with its rocky pinnacles and debris, you turn down from the ridge along a good track through grouse moors into the wooded Derwent Valley and follow Howden Reservoir’s shore to cross Slippery Stones packhorse bridge into the open wild countryside of the Upper Derwent Valley.
From there, the return route follows the famous Derwent Reservoirs (Howden, Derwent and Ladybower) back towards the start with ever-changing views across the large bodies of water, partly in open country, at other times flanked by enchanting woods.
The Derwent River near Slippery Stones bridge, with its deep rockpools, is a famous Wild Swimming spot.
Three variations of the return route break the long, nearly flat reservoir-side walk by climbing up a hill or ridge with fantastic views and descending back to the reservoirs further along.

An Alternative Ending from Alport Castles descends through the tranquil Alport Dale and crosses the Woodlands Valley to ascend Win Hill’s ridge with a choice of finishes, back at the Ladybower Inn or at Bamford Station.

Lunch: Picnic.
Tea: The Ladybower Inn or The Yorkshire Bridge Inn (on the Win Hill ending).
For summary, walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.349
  • 14-Apr-22

    I am hoping to visit my Mum in Cheshire this weekend so may see you up there

    Best,

    Jane

  • 23-Apr-22

    2 departures yesterday and 5 arrivals (incl. 1 who came up on the morning train just for the day, that's the spirit!), meaning we were 20 on the walk. The weather was challenging at times: fierce cold breeeze with low cloud cover then sunny .

    5, based in Hathersage or at the Yorkshire Bridge Inn, got to the start as planned, the other 15 were at Sheffield Interchange on time for the 8.55 bus. But the bus disappeared off the panel at 8.55, which is not unusual up here when a bus is late, but when 15 mins later there was still no 257, we (and the few locals waiting as well) got worried. Lo and behold, the bus never came and we started the walk an hour behind schedule.

    The wind blew very hard on the approach to the ridge leading to Alport Castles, and more so on the ridge itself. Of the 5 on-time starters, 4 turned left to return via Win Hill, as later did 2 of the main group. The remaining 14 had lunch on the banks of the Westend River, after which the skies broke and it got more and more sunny.

    5 then walked Variation/Extension 1 (richly rewarding if very windy again), 1 of the others did Variation/Extension 2. Most got the 16.52 bus, the Extenders the 18.17.

    Flora/Fauna: I had heard but not seen a curlew yesterday, but the front 5 got luckier today: they saw one. The rear of the main group enjoyed the spectacle of shepherds and their dogs coralling a large sheep/lamb herd, just guiding the dogs by whistling. Else, plenty of ducks and geese around the reservoirs. And lots of lambs, did I mention them? Bluebells were somewhat clearly behind Sheffield in their development, never mind the Southeast.

  • 23-Apr-22

    Correction: the one walker did Variation 3, not 2 ("highly recommended", he says)

Thomas G
Length: 26.9 km (16.7 mi) [shorter and longer versions possible, see below]
Ascent/Descent: 660m; Net Walking Time: ca. 6 ½ hours
Toughness: 8 out of 10
The walk will start at 09.45, when the bus from Bamford arrives (groups are welcome to start earlier).
For walkers arriving from Sheffield by public transport:
Take the 09.10 bus line 275 from Sheffield Interchange to Bakewell, arrives Ashopton, Ladybower Inn 09.38. Return bus to Sheffield: 18.03.
Update: the bus options now are the 08.05 (line 275, arrives 08.35), with breakfast at The Ladybower Inn (please pre-book), or the 10.30 (line 275, arrives 11.00), or taking the 09.14 train to Bamford and risking a 3 minute connection (09.36/09.39) to the 275 bus from there to Ladybower (board front of train, go up steps, turn left along road for 50 metres).
The last bus out of the Ladybower area is now the 17.00 hours line 275 from Ladybower Inn (16.59 Strines Lane End) to Bamford Station or Hathersage (connecting buses to Sheffield). So, unless there are car drivers willing to drop people off at Bamford Station, any later finish will mean calling a taxi to get to Bamford or Sheffield.
Return bus to Sheffield: 18.45 (line 275).
Return trains from Bamford, with their connections to St. Pancras: 17.42 --> 18.29, 18.42 --> 19.29, 19.42 --> 20.49.
You cross Ladybower Reservoir and rise through pastures to Crook Hill to follow a grassy ridge with fine views to Win Hill and the Great Ridge, out towards the Kinder Scout and Bleaklow upland peat bog plateaus and across the Derwent Valley to Derwent Edge. At Alport Castles, the fascinating site of Britain’s longest inland landslip with its rocky pinnacles and debris, you turn down from the ridge along a good track through grouse moors into the wooded Derwent Valley and follow Howden Reservoir’s shore to cross Slippery Stones packhorse bridge into the open wild countryside of the Upper Derwent Valley.
From there, the return route follows the famous Derwent Reservoirs (Howden, Derwent and Ladybower) back towards the start with ever-changing views across the large bodies of water, partly in open country, at other times flanked by enchanting woods.
Three variations of the return route break the long, nearly flat reservoir-side walk by climbing up a hill or ridge with fantastic views and descending back to the reservoirs further along.
An Alternative Ending from Alport Castles descends through the tranquil Alport Dale and crosses the Woodlands Valley to ascend Win Hill’s ridge with a choice of finishes, back at the Ladybower Inn or the Yorkshire Bridge Inn or at Bamford Station.
Walk Options:
Plenty ways to vary the route, see the pdf or the webpage for details.

Lunch: picnic.
Tea: The Yorkshire Bridge Inn Ashopton Road (located 300m off route, 1.6 km from the end of the Win Hill Alternative, open all day).
The Ladybower Inn Ashopton, Hope Valley (open all day, food all day).
For walk directions, map, photos, height profile and gpx/kml files click here. T=swc.349
  • Anonymous
    08-Oct-20

    I am hoping to do this walk

    Thank you ,

    Jane

    I will stay at Ladybower Inn

  • 12-Oct-20

    6 of the weekend's count had either already departed or were into their own țhing, so with one new arrival, 5 walkers today. We started in overcast but dry weather which only from lunch onwards deteriorated to continuous rain.

    By then we had enjoyed fine, atmospheric views of Kinder Scout and the Great Ridge from the grassy ridge out to Alport Castles. Based on the main walk's route having some overlap with yesterday's walk, we all walked the Win Hill variation. Two explored the Alport Castles landslip in more detail en route down the stunning Alport Valley. Picnic was had on a slope right by the river, just as the rain started.

    We crossed the valley and the A57 Snake Road and started the long, steady ascent up Win Hill. Views there were few, and the descent steep and slippery. Back at the LB Inn at 5, which left time for dinner before the 18.45 bus to Sheffield.

    rain from lunch