340 July Walks from Hathersage

Our next walks will be from

Hathersage

Hathersage is an attractive village in the Hope Valley area of the Peak National Park - popular and well served with pubs. restaurants and shops (especially outdoor equipment!), the village is well worth a visit at any time of year. Surrounded by dramatic hills and gritstone edges, there is great walking and climbing everywhere.

Saturday 13th July 2013

0800hrs prompt from the short stay car park

Hathersage Church

Hathersage is one of the more interesting villages in the area, with historical associations to Robin Hood and the Eyre family. The village centres around a road junction above the River Derwent, where the road to Sheffield branches off the route which follows the Derwent downstream. The ancient centre of the village was just above the church, which itself stands above and to the north of the modern village centre. On a knoll next to it there is an earthwork called Camp Green, which is probably Danish in origin.

Hathersage is a popular centre for walkers and rock-climbers, for on its east side the village is overlooked by moorland and a line of gritstone edges of which Stanage Edge is the largest. There are also spectacular tors, such as Higgar Tor, and the enigmatic hillfort at Carl Wark, which has so far defied archaeologists' attempts to date it. Several of the edges were quarried and the area was a major source of millstones for grinding corn and metals.........Click for more

There will be three walks:

• A Walk led by: Jenny Mathias
• B Walk led by: Beverley Kelly
• C Walk led by:Marion Young

A Walk from Hathersage

Walk Leader: Jenny Mathias
Distance: 12 Miles
Total ascent/descent: 2370ft

We will leave Hathersage along Baulk Lane, which was surrounded by fields full of buttercups and gardens arrayed with flowers.  We pass by North Lees Hall, the former home of the Eyre Family. A steady climb takes us onto Stannage Edge via Jacob's Ladder.  World famous in the climbing world and no doubt we will see many practicing their skills.  We head NW and drop down onto the Sheffield Country Walk to the Crow's Chin before returning to the edge and retracing our steps passing High Neb completing the Edge and dropping to the road and crossing Upper Burbage Bridge where we will pick up the Duke of Rutland Drive under Burbage Edge, this is also part of the Sheffield Country Walk.

Stannage Edge

On leaving this path we aim for Carl Wark, is it a fort or an ancient settlement?  If there is time we can climb up to the top before we make our way to Higger Tor.  We have to clamber over rocks to get to the top where we should get great views. Descending to the road we follow a steep downward path into Dale Bottom which eventually leads us back to Hathersage.

Carl Wark Fort

Owler Tor Millstone

This is a good walk which can be exposed so if the weather is inclement there are several escape routes.

B Walk from Hathersage

Walk Leader: Beverley Kelly
Distance: 8 Miles
Total Ascent/descent: 1400ft app 

Route Card and Elevation Profile click to enlarge

We shall explore a bit of gruesome history and discover some more recent history as we find where they quarried the stone for the Derwent Dams. We shall see some amazing stone formations as we survey the fantastic panorama of the Derbyshire Dales, but first we have a gentle flat stroll along the Derwent valley to Padley. 

Padley Hall has a gruesome history from Tudor times which I will tell you about as we view the remains. Adjacent is the steep slope of the old railway used to remove the stone for the Derwent dams and as we climb it we will discover historic remnants.

As we come out of the trees above the quarry we have ‘Surprise View’. Mother Cap is an extraordinary square stone shape, while Carl Wark is thought to have been an ancient Fort and Higger Tor gives us an easy bit of a climb.

Our descent is interesting and varied with clear views of the high levels we have been on. We shall pass interesting buildings and through wooded areas before we reach Hathersage and it's Gala in full swing.

This is a good B walk well suited for mid summer, with a steady climb and descent except for the 200ft of Bole Hill. We have plenty of time, but do carry enough fluid as the temperature is forecast to be high..

Photo's from the reccie here

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C Walk from Hathersage

 Walk Leader: Marion Young
Distance: 6.5 miles
Total Ascent/Descent: 550ft

The Woods and Slopes of the Derwent Valley

This is a short 6 mile walk from Hathersage to Grindleford through a very attractive tree lined valley and back via a path at the side of the river Derwent.

There is one fairly short but steep climb, up to the Millstone country Inn, at the beginning of the walk gaining about 110 metres (350 ft) and from there the walk is predominately downhill or flat.

There will be plenty of time to stop and admire the lovely Derbyshire country side and still be back well in time for a drink of your favourite tipple.

 

Photographs from the Horton-in-Riblesdale Walk

B Party

B Party overlooking Ribblesdale

Mum and youngsters

crossing the limestone pavement