Saturday Walk - The grandest of grand walks: Bamford to Edale via Win Hill and Great Ridge [Hope Valley Trip]

Length: 20.3 km (12.6 mi) [shorter and longer walks possible, see below]

 Ascent/Descent: 846/753m 

Net Walking Time: ca. 6 ½ hours 

Toughness: 7 out of 10

 

From the east (Sheffield): take the 09.14 Manchester Piccadilly stopping service via the Hope Valley (Dore & Totley 09.21, Grindleford 09.29, Hathersage 09.32), arriving Bamford at 09.35. 

From the west (Manchester Piccadilly): take the 08.48 Sheffield stopping service via the Hope Valley (…, Edale 09.32, Hope 09.38), arriving Bamford at 09.41.

Return trains: xx.47 to Manchester; xx.32/33 to Sheffield (or 16.47 and 17.47, changing at Chinley).

“This walk cuts through the boundary land between the Dark and White Peak areas of the Peak District National Park. A steep ascent up to Win Hill opens tremendous views to the surrounding Upper Derwent Valley reservoirs, the Vales of Edale and Hope and the exposed and isolated tracts of rugged moorlands, covered by cotton grass bogs and heather, and dramatically sculpted gritstone escarpments (or ‘edges’) of the Peak District’s iconic Dark Peak area.
From there you follow a heathery ridge running northwest to steeply descend and re-ascend to Lose Hill, the easterly end of The Great Ridge, which separates the vales of Edale and Hope. It extends for approximately 3 kilometres to Mam Tor at the western end and is very popular (in benign conditions). Mam Tor, once the home of Iron Age people, is on the southern edge of the Dark Peak (sandstones) and overlooks the White Peak (limestones), including the notable deep cut dry gorge of Winnats Pass.

Despite a lunch pub just off route, this walk lends itself to a picnic lunch on one of the tops or on the ridge. Diversions to lunch or a finish in Hope and Castleton are described, as are an alternative start from Hope Station and shortcuts from the Great Ridge to Edale, as well as an extension across Brown Knoll’s upland peat bog and down from the head of the Vale of Edale via Jacob’s Ladder (path).”

 

Walk Options:  

An Alternative Start from Hope Station cuts 4.9 km/3.0 mi and 263m ascent and is rated 5/10. 

Diversions down from the Great Ridge to Hope and Castleton villages for lunch or an early finish:

 -  To Hope as an out-and-back (adds 3.0 km/1.8 mi and 40m ascent); 

 -  To Castleton from Back Tor and back up to Hollins Cross (cuts the least interesting stretch of the Great Ridge, buts adds 4.4 km/2.7 mi and 205m ascent); 

 -  To Castleton from Back Tor and through the dramatic Winnats Pass to the end of the Great Ridge at Mam Nick, the pass between Mam Tor and Rushup Edge (adds 3.0 km/1.8 mi and 100m ascent). 

A couple of Shortcuts lead down from the Great Ridge to Edale:

 -  From Hollins Cross, the lowest point on the Great Ridge just before the ascent to Mam Tor (cuts 6.7 km/4.1 mi and 350m ascent, rated 5/10);

 -  From the end of the Great Ridge at Mam Nick, the pass between Mam Tor and Rushup Edge (cuts 4.5 km/2.8 mi and 200m ascent, rated 6/10). 

An Extension across Brown Knoll’s upland peat bog and down from the head of the Vale of Edale via Jacob’s Ladder adds 5.4 km/3.4 mi and 172m ascent, and is rated 9/10.

 

Lunch: The Cheshire Cheese Inn (500m off route, after 8.4 km/5.2 mi of walking, so only for late starters; food all day). 

Tea: The Penny Pot Café (open to 17.00), The Rambler Inn, The Old Nag's Head, The Fold Café at Newfold Farm (open to 16.00).

 

For walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml files click here. t=swc.302