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.
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.
3 comments:
I am hoping to visit my Mum in Cheshire this weekend so may see you up there
Best,
Jane
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 n=20 on the walk. The weather was challenging at times: w=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.
Correction: the one walker did Variation 3, not 2 ("highly recommended", he says)
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