FoxCarlWarkHathersageOffertonMoorAbneyBrettonEyamMoorHatherageBoothUpperPadleyFox 18th December 2008 |
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Parking: Park at the NT car park for Longshaw; 150m south east of Fox House Inn on the B6055. Free to NT members but £2 for none members Camera packed up towards the end (so no photos after Leadmill) after my beloved wife dropped it while taking photos at work; I'd taken over 9000 shots with it without a problem but…….. The Walk Go to the top left-hand corner of the car park – facing up hill and take a path that tracks below the road and outturns at the Fox House Inn. Walk down the road on the right hand side where there is a path to the second footpath ( both have finger posts). Here turn right on a good track that goes through a five bar gate; ahead is Carl Wark in its entire splendor. After 250m the track begins to bend to the right, here take a path that drops down to Burbage Brook which is crossed via a planked bridge and continue up the moor side heading for distinctive shape of the bottom right-hand corner of Carl Wark 0.5km away. It always reminds me of a fortified rampart and you expect to have things slung down from the ramparts as you approach. No fear of that today. To gain access to the flat top of Carl Wark you need to scramble over a few rocks. The view from the top is quite good. Walk anti clockwise round the edge until you see the path going off to Higger Tor from the top left hand corner of the Wark heading just west of north. Drop down off The Wark and at the bottom turn left – west – heading along a track that crosses Hathersage Moor to the top right hand corner of a large stone sheepfold 0.5km away. When you get to the top right corner of the sheep fold, there are a number of tracks and paths, don't take the obvious one that bears left but head for a tree to your right ( north east) and when you get there, 20m below you is a stile that gives access to a road. Cross the road and the wall on the opposite side (FP) and drop down on an obvious path to Mitchell Farm 0.4km away. Half way down you cross a wall via a stile. The notice by the road tells you that the farm is in a conservation area. You hit a track that runs along the top of Mitchell Farm, here turn left along the track (FP) and in 50m when you are past the line of the buildings, turn right off the track (FP) and walk through the end of wooded area to a wall which is crossed via a stile. Cut diagonally right across the bottom of a field to a wall and turn left and follow the line of the wall (on your right). Soon you leave the wall and continue across open bracken covered moor to the house and buildings at Scaperlow. Aim for the end of the building and you gain access to the graveled track leading to the house via a 5 bar gate. Turn left down the drive and leave the walled area of the house via a 5 bar gate. This is not the route described by the map which goes round the top of the house but it is well posted with way markers. After the gate the track follows the line of the wall but in 150m it turns left away from the wall. Here continue straight following the line of the wall (on your right) until you hit a wood. Cross a stile and follow the line of a wall (on your left) on a good path that eventually turns into a track and then joins s a lane that runs between houses. This drops down to the A625 above Hathersage. Cross the road and turn left and walk up the hill for 100m before turning right through a gate (FP) and taking a path that drops down following the line of a wall towards some houses. Just before you reach the back gardens of the houses turn right and walk along a path with the gardens on your left to a grassed entrance way between houses that gives access to a road. Turn left and drop down on the road to the B6001 Hathersage to Grindleford road. Cross the B6001 and proceed straight down a metalled lane under a railway bridge . In 150m as the lane bends to the right turn left (FP) down a track that runs down the left-hand side of a hedge. Don't go ahead as this take you to Nether Hall and it's a private drive way! It's a pity because this would save some considerable distance as we'll see. The track eventually turns to a track but follows the line of the hedge/fence for 0.5km or so until it hits the B6001 again just before Leadmill Bridge. Turn right and cross the river via the bridge and then immediately turn right (FP) and take a path that tracks along the left hand bank (southern) of the Derwent. It's a pleasant walk along the riverside. You pass Nether Hall on the left hand bank after 0.75km, but there's no use in moaning as the views are pleasant. Approx 1km after Nether Hall you come across Stepping Stones that allow you to cross the river (FP). You couldn't see them today as the water level was too high! We had a short water stop here. Would be nice on a warm spring /summer /autumn day but today it was cold and bleak. Turn left (FP Offerton) and climb up the side of the valley away from the river and towards Offerton. This is a small enclave half way up the valley side and marks the boundary between farmed grassland in the valley bottom and bracken then heather clad moor over the tops. Initially you cross a fence via a gate, then follow the line of a hedge until half way up towards Offerton you cross a wall via a 5 bar gate. A good track then leads to a second 5 bar gate just below Offerton and from the gate you follow a fenced track with Gloucester old spots on the right to a further gate at the bottom side of Offerton which gives access to a metalled road. Turn left and walk through and above Offerton. As the road swings hard left a track goes off right (FP), ignore this but take the path over a stile (FP) that climbs diagonally up the side of Offerton Moor. It's a nice climb through bracken with good views up the Derwent Valley to Ladybower Dam, which you can see in the distance. As you get to the top the bracken turns to heather. The path tracks across the Moor, crossing Siney Stich via a plank bridge before starting the descent towards Abney. As you come off the edge you cross the path that circumvents Abney Moor. Ahead you can see Abney in the distance. You then descend to and cross two walls via 5 bar gates. At the second gate you turn hard left and track down a wall (on your left) with an electric fence on your right. Some people don't make it easy. Shortly you descend to another 5 bar gate which gives access to the muddiest field it's been my pleasure to cross. At the far side is a 5 bar gate which you go through to the Abney/Hathersage road. At the road turn right and walk into Abney. It's a pretty village spoilt by not having a pub. We are aiming for the Barrel at Bretton. 200m from the centre of the village turn left over a stile (FP Bretton) and descend on a path to a stream (Abney Brook), which you cross via a footbridge before climbing up some steps to a gate. The path then follows the line of the stream before climbing up to a gate in a fence. The path then goes diagonally to the top left hand corner of a field. Cross a stile and turn right, immediately turn left (FP) (nb ahead of you is the buildings of Cocky Farm) and follow the line of a wall (on your left) to the road that leads to the Farm. Turn left and walk past the farm. As you leave the farm behind you take a path diagonally right off the road 100m from the farm. Aim for a kink in the wall ahead of you where there is a finger post. (nb the wall is around 200m away and the kink is 100m to the right of the track. After crossing the wall the path tracks the right hand side of a wall to a 5 bar gate. From here the path tracks diagonally right descending heading into the top of a Clough and some trees. As you hit the top of the clough you cross a wall and descend diagonally through bracken to a footbridge which crosses Bretton Brook. It's a nice Clough which can be ascended from its source at the Derwent river to Abney Grange. There is no path marked on the map in the upper reaches west of the path we are on but there is clearly a path; but that is for another day. Cross the bridge and shortly cross a fence and descend down to and cross a stream via a second footbridge. Continue ahead (FP Bretton) and now begins the climb out Bretton Clough to Nether Bretton. It's a steepish climb particularly after crossing the valley path. Here you climb up some steps before the gradient eases. Cross a wall then follow the line of a wall (on your right). Cross a further wall (FP) then head to the left of the buildings of Nether Bretton. A stile is crossed by the buildings and you walk between the house and an outbuilding to the house drive which gives access to a road. Turn right and walk along the road, passing the youth hostel until you hit the Great Hucklow/Grindleford road at Bretton. At the junction is The Barrel; and a welcome pint. The view from Bretton is well worth the climb. Unfortunately it's a popular tourist area; and The Barrel does good business on the back of this. At the road turn left (south of east) and walk along the edge for 1km until the road turns sharp right. Here go straight on a wide track (FP) known as Sir William Road, that climbs up to the trig point and Mast on Sir William Hill. From the top you have good views down into and across the Derwent Valley to the eastern edges. After 1.5km you hit the road again – from the right. Here you turn left (FP) and then head diagonally right (north east) through a 5 bar gate and heading round and down the eastern flank of Eyam Moor. The path is good if somewhat muddy and initially follows the line of a fence before the latter turns right and you are left to descend the moor, crossing the line of an old wall through a gate opening marked by 2 lonely old stone gate posts. Eventually you hit some trees before and a road at Leam. Turn left and descend along the road for just over 0.5km and as the road takes a sharp left cross the wall (FP)and go straight on a path that drops steeply down to the road (FP) and Hazelford Hall. Turn right and walk down the road past the Hall – which is very picturesque – with stables on the left. Shortly a path goes off right and tracks the road through the fields, but the fields were so covered in mud from farm animals we kept to the road which drops down to the B6001 Hathersage to Grindleford road just before Leadmill. Turn left towards Hathersage and cross Leadmill Bridge. Immediately turn right down a good track (FP) that follows the left-hand bank of the Derwent. After 0.4km the river bends right, here turn left (FP), and climb up to and cross the Sheffield/Manchester railway line. The path follows the line of a wall up to the bottom of the buildings of Hathersage Booth. Through a 5 bar gate turn left and ascend up an access road at the bottom of the buildings. The access road out-turns at the main Sheffield/Castleton Road – A625. Turn right and climb up and past the pub on your left. After the road has gone round a left hand band turn right down a track (FP) that leads to Greenwood Farm and onto Upper Padley which is 1.75km away. It's a pretty walk through wooded countryside and a good way to finish a day's walk. As we descended a kestrel followed our progress keeping ahead of us by flying down and waiting for us on the overhead cables. Eventually you hit the buildings of Nether Padley. Eventually you pass Padley Chapel (which is well worth a visit) from where catholic preachers were taken in the reformation and executed. Shortly afterwards, turn left up a track (FP Longshaw visitors Centre). But wait I hear what about the café at Grindleford Station. Well if you want the detour – and I recommend you do – carry on straight, past the mill, cross the railway line in front of Totley tunnel entrance and ahead of you is the café, a good cup of tea and excellent flapjack. From the café return to the track to Longshaw Visitors centre. Initially the track has houses on either side, but after a short distance and through a gate the track ascends for 1km above Burbage Brook which runs down through the wooded Padley Gorge. It's a good ascent and the fitting end to a grand walk. Eventually you walk out of the wood. Having crossed the Brook climb up to the stile (FP) that gives access to the B6001 Fox house to Calver Road. Cross the road and take the path ahead that is accessed via a stile (FP). The path climbs up the side of a wood to the man- made lake that served Longshaw Hall. Follow the lake round to the right to the southern end where you meet a path coming up from the right. Turn left through a gate and walk up a rhododendron lined path with a stone gully on the right. This takes you up to the southern end of the Hall complex and meets s track coming from the right and B6054 Fox House /Froggatt road. Turn left through a gate and walk in front of the house to the northern end where you join the main access road to the house in front of the national trust café – needless to say it was closed. Turn left along the access road and shortly turn right on a track (FP) signposted to the car park. In 30m turn left off the track and climb up a path to the car park.
Summary A nice walk with good views of the River Derwent and the surrounding fells from Bretton, Offerton and Eyam Moors. Bretton Clough is very pretty in any weather and season. Route finding is easy.
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