Places to See and Visit When first prepared in 1995 I had prepared these notes for our cottages one mile down the road near Biggin Dale with the intention of providing information regarding local walks and cycle rides but has now expanded into advising as to my personal view of places to observe or visit, most of the places mentioned being within a 25 minutes drive. Just up the road is Heathcote Mere, at which it is well worth stopping briefly as you drive past. Turn right as you come out of the cottage, right up the steep hill, go past the Youth Hostel and it is at the cross-road. In summer people often stop to have picnics here and it is quite colourful in the months of June and July This Mere has existed since at least 1462. For many of the years since 1995, there have been pairs of coots living in the mere's vicinity.

If you turn right at the cross roads and Mere, you are heading to Biggin, but after only a few hundred yards where the roads is at its lowest point you pass the entrance gate to the NT nature reserve known as Biggin Dale. On the picture of this dale you will see Cotterill Farm where we lived for 22 years until 2016. The walk through this dale, which is a nature reserve, heads after a 25/30 minute walk to the River Dove (There is also a right turn after 10 minutes to proceed along a bridleway initially – past a wonderful hipped roofed barn, i.e with a roof vaguely pyramid shaped - and then the quietest possible county lane back to Hartington). In the second half of May and early June you get the early purple orchids and other wild flowers in Biggin Dale making an appearance, and it really is a wonderful sight, even people like me who prefer hills and views to wild flowers can fully appreciate them. Biggin Dale meets the River Dove at a stretch known as Wolfscote Dale, if you turn

right here, you end up walking up the river going after Wolfscote Dale through Beresford Dale, and coming out back in Hartington. (It’s about an hours walk from

Biggin Dale’s meeting point Above Biggin Dale towards Wolfscote Dale with the River Dove to Hartington.

Just a few yards before you get to Biggin Dale, on the left of the road, there is what appears to be a grassed track but is in fact what is known as a 'strip field' and dates back to the time of the enclosures some 300 years ago when fields were formed in long and thin shapes by way of dry stone walls – killing two birds with one stone as the stone would be picked from the fields. In the years since then most of the fields have of course now been significantly enlarged by the removal of these walls, a process that has continued year on year right up to the present day although rules introduced in 2006 now means that a dry stone wall can not now be removed without permission.. This strip field can best be seen from the bridleway that takes you from the Hartington Youth Hostel to Biggin Dale, just as you are dropping down to the road, off which the stip field is situated. On the subject of bridleways, there are quite a few between Hartington, Biggin and the River Dove, making up a nice network of easy walking. One has in 2006 been up- graded to a 'Leisure Lane' having been surfaced like a cycle track and is a relatively good walking surface for the less agile. This one is off to the right about 80 yards after the Youth Hostel and is the one heading to the top end of Biggin Dale. The bridleway opposite the Youth Hostel itself, turns right after only a couple of hundred yards and joins with a tarmacced road - that is the quietest possible lane, (and eventually it reaches a cross-roads of further bridleways, one turning for which takes you along the cul-de-sac to Whim Farm above Wolfscote Dale, where Hartington Beer is brewed. Turning our attention now to the other side of Hartington, about 2 miles north at the settlement of Pilsbury in a valley of the River Dove is an iron-age settlement, on which later a mottee-and-bailey was built. However there are no ruins as such, just the shape of the land to give you clues. This can be reached by walking or driving northwards along the gated road from Hartington (leaving the cheese shop and geese pond on your left) and just as this roads turns back 150 degrees and up a hill, it is a 3 minute walk along a footpath in the same direction as the river. (Perhaps a more interesting approach is to drop down a track from the nearby village of Sheen, on the other side of the river, dropping into the valley, crossing the river by a bridge and then along this footpath to your left). Monyash is another popular village just a few miles away from Hartington (this too has a pond) and benefits from a pleasant village green, which adjoins a café and pub. Just a mile on from Monyash is the start of Lathkill Dale, for walkers only - probably the second most visited dale after . To reach Monyash you can either go up to the main road(A515) turn left and follow the sign post off to your right after just under 2 miles. However a more attractive route is along the minor road called Long Dale. Go half way up to the A515 and turn left, then this quiet county lane carries on for a number of miles. Any one of the three turnings off to the right will take you to the A515, which should be crossed over, following the signs again to Monyash. Incidentally, nearly all the minor roads around here are extremely attractive and should ideally be used in preference to the A and B classification roads. In the opposite direction, so heading south to Ashbourne, is Tissington, (an estate village which is definitely worth a visit). It has everything to attract visitors, a Norman church, ducks on the village mere, a Jacobean house and interesting fields around the village. (Also has an excellent and attractive tea-room next to the Hall)

The old Jacobean Hall in the estate village of Tissington The village is excellent for both strolling around the village and as the start for various good walks. As you go through the main gates there are some fine medieval ridge and furrow fields To get there, head for Ashbourne onto the A515 and after about 7 miles of driving turn left (sign- posted) through the village gates

The snow is resting in the trough of the ridge and furrow field

If you were to turn right at the Tissington crossroads, rather than left, you would come after a couple of miles to DOVEDALE. Firstly YOU arrive at Thorpe and at the junction turn right and immediately left to Ilam. After half a mile or so there is a small carpark on the right (with toilets) but waiting is limited to 20 minutes, nothing like enough to explore the area. However if one or more of your party is more energetic than others, we suggest that those persons be dropped off here and they can climb the prominent and interestingly shaped hill of before dropping down to join the rest of the party at The Stepping Stones. The party remaining in the car should carry on another half mile turning right up a lane to a fee paying car-park. Just a few hundred yards walk from the car park along a lane adjacent to the River Dove you come to the Stepping Stones where the footpath along the Dale starts properly. This Dale is particularly good walk for children as there are caves etc along the side to explore. Dovedale is of course the most popular dale in the and therefore we strongly recommend you avoid visiting during the day at weekends. If Patrick & our two girls in 1995 crossing the visiting during the school stepping stone when River Dove in full spate holidays, we suggest you go either first thing in the morning or in the evening. Much better than driving to Dovedale is to catch our local bus which stops in the centre of Hartington's market place - this travels about 8 times a day in the direction of Ashbourne, alight at Tissington, take a footpath over to the River Dove (at the Stepping Stones) then to walk back about 7 miles alongside the river to Hartington Dovedale is a 3 mile or so long stretch of the River Dove and at the Hartington end of this stretch, you will come to a hamlet called Milldale (teas sold here from an outside kiosk), but you can carry walking along the Dove, through Wolfscote Dale, Beresford Dale and then across some meadows back to the village. About an 8 mile walk from Tissington. (Alternatively you could get the bus that operates like a taxi, through Moorlands Connect or connect (more in another document) for the price of a bus fare and this can drop you at the bottom end of Dovedale itself. This is an absolutely brilliant and almost unbelievable service.

To someone like me who likes exploring footpaths and bridleways, I was intrigued to discover leading from the other side of the village of Thorpe (just before you reach Dovedale) an abandoned old turnpike road. Initially this went over the River Dove on a wooden bridge in the direction of the Potteries; in 1726 the stone bridge (Coldwall Bridge) was built and this was then doubled in width, indicating substantial traffic. Now after the bridge, what has been just a track peters out altogether, with scarcely any sign of any road track or otherwise, although it is still a right of way. It is only a minute away from the village, so some of our guests might be equally interested.

Somewhat under one mile along the road from where you turn off to the Dovedale car park, you come to Ilam, which in addition to pond, and ice-cream vans, has a small country park, (Ilam Hall) benefiting from a car park and National Trust shop and cafe The Church in the grounds of Ilam Hall and Country Park The car park is a good starting point for the climb up Bunster Hill which overlooks Dovedale (and a walk we would recommend) Ilam Hall has within its grounds a bridge over the River Manifold. - Incidentally just a few hundred yards downstream the River Manifold meets the River Dove, worth exploring. Also within the grounds, a Pickering Tor on Dovedale bit of searching by some iron railing will reveal where the waters from the River Manifold re-appears after travelling in summer months between half a mile and 4 miles (and up to 22 hours)underground, leaving the bed of the river bone dry. The water bubbles up to the surface just about under a footpath. If you step out into the river on some stepping stones, you can see the waters coming out, well The dry bed of the River Manifold - the river is not dry - worth looking for. the water runs underneath through limestone channels and re-appears down-stream in the grounds of Ilam Hall

The River Manifold runs most of its life parallel to the River Dove and their sources are very close to each other, near Flash (Britain's highest village which boasts Englands highest post office and until it closed five years back second highest pub); if you leave Hartington passing the Devonshire on your left and the Charles Cotton on your right, you pass over the River Dove a few hundred yards later and about half a mile after that you come to a bridge over the River Manifold. Just after that is the end of the Manifold valley trail on what was the Manifold Light Valley Railway line, a line built in the late Victorian era specifically for tourists. The old station there is well preserved and inside and outside are information posters, giving masses of information on the railway, on local mining and other matters of interest from the point of view of industrial archaeology. Well worth studying so long as you do not have a young one or two with you tugging at you

From above the Manifold Valley (not far from Ecton Hill) A bit further down the river is a really good cave for amateurs to explore - St Bertrams Cave underneath Bertram Tor - it is hard to find but once found you can crawl along about 700 feet of caves and tunnels, partly on stomachs. I'll describe the location if you are interested, but do take 2 torches and markers. Half way along the Manifold Valley is Thors Cave, which is incidentally also a relic of a former underground Thors Cave from the Manifold Valley river system, now left high and dry some 250 feet above the river. Almost without exception I find the villages around here interesting. Perhaps they don't have the immediately beauty of those in, for example, the Cotswolds and therefore a quick drive through might mean a visitor might miss out on their attractions, but they are worth getting out of the car for and strolling around. The obvious ones are Youlgreave, (where along with other Peak villages stocks are still situated) Brassington, our favourite Winster (where the old market hall dating from the 15th or 16th century was the first property acquired by the National Trust in Derbyshire) and Elton all about 5 miles roughly to the east of here, all with interesting tracks and alleyways leading off the main street, churches which are apparently worth a visit, pubs and a couple with cafes. Just past these villages is the small town of Wirksworth (which has enormous history and some wealth on account of it having been the centre of lead-mining) and which has an excellent conservation area. The dry stone walls, for which the Peak is so famous are of course everywhere but heading along the A515 in the direction of on the right hand side you have excellent distant views of the walls forming partially curved field boundaries - these stand out brilliantly in a low sun or when snow lies on the ground. Just past there is the small village of Chelmorton, and a lane above it gives excellent views of its arable strips which have been enclosed by agreement from medieval times

Dry stone wall with superb squeeze stile on the A515 just above Biggin (looking towards the Tissington Trail) Pinfolds abounds in the area. These are small walled enclosures where stray cattle would be collected and only released on payment of a fine. There is one in Monyash and another in Biggin, next to the village hall (take the turning off at the church and situated 100 yards along on your left.

Carsington Water, a reservoir completed by a water authority in the early to mid 1990s is about 9 miles to the south east of Hartington and 30 minutes away. Good for bird watching and plenty of opportunity for beginners of water sports. The visitor centre is extremely popular. There is a fairly strenuous cycle route around its perimeter. (Mountain bike tyres or similar strongly recommended – you can hire bikes here) and also a (partially separated) walking route. The most scenic way to get there is cross-country but if you do not have map reading skills you could head for Ashbourne and just before the steep drop down into the town, turn left in the direction of Wirksworth and you pass it after about 5 miles

We are sure many of our guests will wish to visit and Chatsworth, both easily found and about 9 and 11 miles away respectively. Both have chapels apparently well worth visiting. Haddon Hall is probably the more picturesque of the two, but Chatsworth will most visitors busy for far longer, being on a much larger scale. Haddon Hall Chatsworth's surrounding grounds along both banks of the River Derwent, (with open access from the road), outside the formal gardens, is what appeals to me particularly, but the house, the formal gardens, lake with imposing fountain and the grounds (and maze and cascade and much much more) have an enormous amount to offer. In any event do visit the estate village of Edensor, just on the other side of the road - this village was moved so the then Duke did not have to see the buildings from his own property - and although

Chatsworth as though you did not know it was re-built at the same time, any number of different styles were used. (Chatsworth has a very highly regarded farm shop just round the corner too).

The area of Cromford has much to appeal to all tastes. There's scrambling at Black Rockers, the Cromford Canal, Arkwright's famous mills and a particularly interesting a well-preserved terrace of cottages for the mill workers (on North Street). Along the Cromford Canal is Leawood Pump House where a beam engine is on steam, usually on the first Sunday of each month and on bank-holiday Mondays. When on steam its strongly recommended for a visit. The water is pumped up from the river to the Canal by this steam engine The track from here goes up the Middleton Incline at the top of which is another Engine House where is where the starts and ends. Just off the Incline is the National Stone Museum - despite its rather boring sounding name, it has surprisingly much to offer - including gold panning for kids. Matlock Baths (a mile south of Matlock, which has nothing to offer the tourist) is much frequented, not least by bikers and there is an element of 'Blackpool in the Peak'. Nevertheless worth seeing is the Peak District Mining Museum (informative but good again for kids as has a makeshift tunnel or two to crawl through) and certainly also the Spring Spa Baths. The latter surprised us; it appears very unprepossessing, the entrance is through an amusement arcade and is called the Matlock Acquarium! It is cheap as well. There are serious cable cars taking you up to the , where there is a theme park particularly suitable for younger children. From the late summer until the end of October there are illuminations, and on Saturday and Sunday nights during this period there are illuminated floats that paddle along the River Wye at dusk - an excellent sight. Associated with the Peak District Mining Museum is the at Sheldon (an old lead mine, which goes well over 1000 feet under ground and has a'sough' six hundred feet below taking the troublesome flood water away in a mini-irrigation system several miles to the River Wye. It is just the other side of Monyash in the general direction of Ashford in the Water, and is easily spotted on the horizon. It is free entrance and

Magpie Mine at Sheldon you are free to wander around above ground. We found it interesting

There are extensive burial mounds, tumuli and stone circles in the area. I believe that one of the most significant of the stone circles is at , just four miles away, one mile on this side of Monyash. We have a book on this site in the ‘sky Sports room’. A lso a couple of hundred yards away from Arbor Low is one of the biggest tumuli of the Peak District, Gib Hill. Both these are from the Neolithic period (3,500 to 2000 B.C.). Perhaps for the uninitiated of more interest is the at about 6 miles east of here. Stanton Moor is a good area for a family stroll with rocks to clamber over and good views.

A visit to the at is strongly recommended - at Crich just past Cromford and Matlock. On any day of the year there are at least 3 operating, with what seems like hundreds more to view, and on some days up to 10 can be operating. This will definitely appeal to adults and kids. If going there, also visit the Memorial Tower just a few hundred yards away This provide excellent views over the Midlands (but not so much over the Peak District)

Buxton, 11 miles and 20 minutes drive away has a lot to offer, being a traditional Victoria spa town, and I will send an attachment describing the town. is also a popular town, being well situated on an attractive part of the River Wye, and can be particularly busy on Mondays, when its famous market take places.

Just to the left (north) side of Bakewell is one of the most attractive villages in the Peak District, Ashford-in-the-Water. There is a really lovely bridge over the River

The famous and much photographed 'sheepwash' bridge at Ashford in the Water Wye under which sheep washing used to take place (and a board recording some details about this is displayed there). Just into the hills up beyond Ashford is Monsall head, with a hotel and other outlets were good beer and teas are sold. The Head itself looks down onto a splendid panoramic view over and is probably, with the stepping stones at Dovedale, the most photographed viewing point in the Peak. Immediately underneath is an impressive viaduct supporting a disused railway line, now a trail, which runs for six miles through Half of the paroramic view from Monsall Head Monsal Dale, Millers Dale and Cheese Dale. Following a programme on railways walks a decade ago by Julia Bradbury the blocked tunnels were opened up and it is now incredibly popular with walkers and cyclists, particularly the latter. If you are walking I would suggest you take the river side path underneath the railway line – well you go on the trail but when you come to the tunnels you drop down to the path. There’s one part where you walk in the river for 30 yards on stepping Stones with rushing water passing you by and bound in on one side by thick walls, particularly exciting after rain. By the nature of things, it’s something that is particularly good to do with kids. Quite apart from the trail itself, there are some excellent walks around this area. Incidentally when the railway line was first proposed , many of the then well to do objected to the proposed eyesore as it would bring the 'hoards' from Manchester into the area on daytrips! They thought the railway line would also

disfigure the countryside Millers Dale whereas now the viaduct, no longer with its rails but whose surface is suitably prepared for walkers and cyclists is one of the major attractions in the Peak District

The Goyt Valley is well worth a visit. 25 minutes away, just 5 minutes on the other side of Buxton, past the premises of the University of , up Long Hill, and at the top drop down a minor road to your left into this valley where there are 3 large reservoirs (with sailing on the largest), the ruins of Errwood Hall and walks in the overgrown gardens behind and in the hills further back (Pym's chair etc - an excellent The ruins of Errwood Hall in the Goyt Valley ridge walk) The gardens are particularly attractive in June when the rhodendendrums are out but the ruins are interesting to explore at any time (free entrance)

Now in a westerly direction from Hartington are more rocky outcrops that are frequently visited, namely and Hen Cloud. 20 minutes drive away. Offers some good scrambling for the amateur. Also in the area is Luds Church, a cleft between 20 feet walls of stone, a secret place of worship in the 14th century. If visiting the Roaches, you could also travel a tiny bit further to the two reservoirs, Tittesworth and Rudyard Lake. Rudyard Kipling was named in fact after the latter, Just a small part of the Roaches adjacent to which runs the

90 mile Way. Here there is a miniature railway, boating opportunities, a circular walk of about 6 miles and facilities. Castleton is one of the most popular areas of the Peak, (about 30 minutes to the North East of here). There are four caves open to visitors, the only area where Blue John stone,a semi-previous stone is mined. Each of the caves have different attractions - e.g. the trip through is in a boat (although this is not my favourite cavern). It is also next to the Shivering Mountain - - the road up which was closed about 25 years ago due to constant slippage. Very interesting to walk up or down to see the crevices between the tarmac! The alternative road up and down is Winnatts pass - and I personally absolutely love it - particularly by bike as you will see it is a very challenging hill-climb. Castleton village itself is much frequented by trippers - including Frances - looking at the Blue John on sale in the shops and visiting the

various cafes. It also has the one in four steep hill at Winnat Pass the interesting , now in ruins dating from the 12th century. Worth visiting if you are members and therefore entitled to free access. It is a steep climb being perched on top of a hill.

Just past Castleton, in the next valley (on the other side of Mam Tor) is - it's a good and quiet valley (apart from on day-tripper days); this is famous for being the start of the 250 mile . It immediately climbs from the low lying village to Kinder - Derbyshire's highest area at 2,000 feet. This is a peat bog plateau, but there is firm walking around the edges and is a new experience for the uninitiated of peat bogs. I think children would be fascinated and make the The plateau in the centre and on the right is of Kinder steep climb worthwhile. (If going, have a word with me as to which is the best route up as there is one boring and one more interesting route, inexplicably the more boring one is the most used one) Kinder is also famous for being the place where a National Trespass took place in the 1930s leaving immediately to arrests and jail terms, but in the longer run to the granting of the hitherto forbidden right to walk over these and other hills (and some argue to the national Parks themselves) is a waterfall on one of the edges, which freeze in winter. Rock climbers will travel hundreds of miles to climb up the frozen water. About 30 minutes from here is the infamous plague village of Eyam, where 259 people died in 1666, after a self-imposed quarantine was imposed so that the infection would not travel further. Many of the houses where the victims lived still survive – it might lose its interest now to

tourists in view of the Plaque commerates where some of the victims died coronavirus

If visiting here, go on just a bit further afterwards to Little Hucklow where gliding takes place. Just under 30 minutes away is Alton Towers. I say no more about this kids' (and for some, adults') utopia, save for the fact that particularly after exams but still during English school time the queueing can be horrendous. Either way, get there not later than 10.00a.m. and probably quite a bit earlier as it takes quite a long time to get from the car park to the start of the rides. Be prepared for a shattering experience in every sense. For those willing to travel further away, we strongly recommend the National Museum of Brewing at Burton. The first part of the tour concentrates mainly on the manufacture of beer over the centuries, but after that it becomes really interesting for all the family with Shire Horses, trams and other means of transport displayed and much more. We felt we could have spent all day there. Cheshire Macclesfield, the nearest town in Cheshire, is just 40 minutes away up the famous Cat and Fiddle road out of Buxton. (You can shorten the route by turning left shortly before your enter Buxton). Up until the mid- 80s ago this road always used to get mentioned on the radio, often well before Christmas, for being blocked up with snow and in some years it cold be blocked for a couple of months. (Indeed often you would hear that Buxton was blocked off on all its major arteries as all the roads into Buxton - apart from 'our' road the A515 - drop down to Buxton from about 1,500 feet) This does not happen nowadays with our mild winters. The road nowadays is more famous for it having a high death rate - due to its popularity acquired 20 years ago with motor-cyclists. Macclesfields's history is that of a silk town and the properties reflect that as does The Museum. Perhaps more famous though, certainly for our older guests who remember the time of the first satellite communications, is Jodrell Bank just on the other side of Macclesfield and certainly worth a visit. There are of course quite a number of stately homes such as Gawsworth Hall in the area as well as the far larger and infamous Styal Mill where conditions for apprentices quickly gained notoriety. Further away near Northwich is the amazing Anderton Boat lift – where boats are lifted up from one canal to another.

Manchester Like Buxton, Manchester has undergone considerable improvement. It also received a tremendous boost with the very successful Commonwealth Games being held there in 2002

The science museum in a district of Manchester known as Castlefield, which has seen the tourist area, with Roman artefacts etc discovered about 30 years ago, highly rated. Salford which has been a very deprived area has also undergone a certain amount of regeneration similar to Docklands in London. On the border of Manchester and Salford, the Lowry centre has recently been built. The building is extremely impressive although there are few of the traditional Lowry pictures inside. The canals going through Manchester are certainly definitely interesting. The best way to get into Manchester is on the regular commuter train service from Buxton, the first part of the journey being extremely scenic indeed.

However from our point of view the best thing about this area is the unlimited hiking, walking and cycling possibilities. The more experienced rambler and cyclist will of course need no guidance although one recommendation we make to the rambler is to

purchaser the good value One type of stile double side 1:25,000 Another type of stile

White Peak map. This map shows field boundaries etc and is therefore particularly useful for less popular walks where stiles signs or footprints fail to reveal the route. The comments I make in the following pages are for the less confident

Cycling There are 3 trails nearby. They are all former railway lines. Both the Tissington Trail and the High Peak trail can be accessed at Parsley Hay where bicycles can by hired. (Up to the A515, turn left for a little under 2 miles, turn left in the dip at the sign-post and car-park is immediately on your right) The High Peak trail veers off in a south- westerly direction to Cromford (having started a bit further north of Parsley Hay, this trail is 17 miles in length) At Cromford there is a canal basin. Just about one mile after the start you pass over what was at the time the tightest curve on the whole national railway system and less than one mile later just after the Mininglow car park, which is an alternative place to access the trail, the trail passes over two huge embankments, also on tightly angled curves. Further on you pass the National Stone Museum, a couple of limekilns and other reminders of our industrial past. Just after this are a couple of steep inclines with a section for any run-away trains - a wagon still rests there from just such an occurrence in 1956. The Tissington Trail branches off the High Peak Trail just a couple of hundred after south of Parsley Hay, passing over the road between the A515 and Hartington, a few miles later into Tissington in the eventual direction of Ashbourne. If you are not hiring bikes, you simply get onto the trail at Hartington Station - up to the A515, and immediately after passing under the railway bridge turn right into a large parking area.

The 2 sides of the signal box at what was Hartington Station on the trail The third trail is the Manifold Valley trail. This is in a valley and less exposed on windy days. It starts at Hulme End, 2 miles away - there is a car park. Pass the Devonshire on your left and the Charles Cotton on your right, follow the road round into Hulme End, past the pub, over the bridge, past a small shop and the car park is on your left. After 11 miles on the trail you reach Waterhouses on the Ashbourne/Leek road. At this end as well as car parking, there is also a cycle hire base. There is a nice cottage selling teas etc 1 mile from the Waterhouses end of the trail and a busier place at Wetton Mill in the middle of the trail for ice creams, teas etc. There are other cycle trails slightly further afield. If you are here for more than a couple of days, we would suggest that you avoid the three trails at weekends when they can become very busy - and many of the inexperienced cyclists on the trails can be quite dangerous - I would far prefer to cycle on the A6 as I have done thousands of times with quarry lorries surrounding me and all the cut and thrust of commuter traffic than the trails at weekend. There are numerous places to hire bikes on the trails, but the obvious one is at Parsley Hey. The Tissington trail in the direction of Ashbourne is downhill ALL the way and therefore could catch out a tired cyclist on the way back. It could be an idea to start at Ashbourne (where there is a hire place) so that the easy bit is done at the end of the ride. Don't just confine your cycling to the trails. The minor roads are extremely attractive, usually have better views and a lot quieter than the trails! Obviously some can get hilly. However a short flattish route combining road and trail of some 5 or 6 miles is to go up to the A515 (only steep bit) to get on to the trail, turn left down the trail to Parsley Hay. Come off the trail and freewheel down the minor road to the junction with Long Dale referred to above. Turn left and after nearly 2 miles of slightly downhill cycling, you come to a cross roads where you turn right back into Hartington. WALKING Possibilities are unlimited using an ordnance suvey map. A good idea is to take the really scenic bus route, that runs 8 times a day and then walk back. Now don't get snooty about this, the bus service is really excellent, always on time, extremely scenic (described in one national newspaper as the most scenic route in ) and drivers are usually friendly and talkative. The bus stop is in the middle of the square. It works out really well getting a bus and walking back to the cottage. There is a bus timetable at the bus stop in the market square. If travelling in the direction of Dovedale and Ashbourne, the bus goes through Biggin village and then towards Tissington. Perhaps the most popular walk is in effect our Walk C, that also appears in other publications: along the leisure lane, to Biggin Dale, down this dale to the River Dove, then Wolfscote dale and Beresford Dale back to the village. Biggin Dale drops down gently for about 1.75 miles to the River Dove. The latter half of the Dale is somewhat stony underfoot and therefore stout shoes are preferable to trainers. (In fact in dry weather this is really the only part of our suggested walks where trainers will be somewhat uncomfortable underfoot). The Dale meets the River Dove at a section called Wolfscote Dale. We think that this area is just as attractive as Dovedale save that it misses out on all the caves for children to explore. However by way of compensation, three quarters of the way down Biggin Dale, there is a wooden stile off to your left into a field with a disused lead mine. It proceeds in the near dark in a straight line for about 60 feet. Good fun if you have kids with you. Take a torch and Wellingtons.

the meeting point between Biggin Dale and Wolfscote Dale

However rather than just following a route recommended in one of the guides in the cottages, how about planning your own routes from an Ordnance Survey Map. Around here you really cant go wrong. Although many footpaths do not have signs throughout, it is the stiles that are usually the give-way as to the direction to take. I personally prefer exploring paths in those areas that are little frequented. Also unlike most visitors to the area, I try to keep to the tops rather than in the dales. In particular there is one brilliant walk in my selection of walks using the newly opened up 'Open Access land' above Wolfscote Dale and Biggin Dale, but this is only suitable for agile and fit guests. Views are obviously better and the dales viewed from the tops above can look more interesting. Also I find from April through to September that the most attractive views can be had from early evening walks, when there might be less haze and there is more softness about the light. Also a dull day often turns into a lovely evening. If you do not fancy doing proper circular walks, but just fancy a climb up a hill, I strongly recommend Wolfscote Hill, a little over a mile away. It gives brilliant 360 degree views. To get there, drive or walk around to your right at the newsagents, almost immediately the road turns left as it gets steeper, and almost immediately again there is a road off to your road, signposted Whim Farm. Follow this road throughout its length - at a crossroads of tracks and road, follow the tarmac road round to the right, go past Wolfscote Grange farm and park on your left. Walk along the track which by now has become unsurfaced and just before Whim Farm take a track through a gate leading into a field on your left. Then climb the hill. It’s a 5/10

View from Wolfscote Hill not dissimilar but better than this minutes walk.

Another hill where not much walking is required from the road but where 360 degree views are to be found are at Wetton Hill (close obviously to Wetton which is 10 minutes drive to the south west of Hartington). Also as mentioned before Thorpe Cloude above Dovedale To the north west of here and about 15 minutes or so away are some fascinating hills of a completely different shape from the usual form in this district, and this is just on the other side of Longnor. There are , Parkhouse and Hollins Hill. In our family we call these the dinosaur hills as from some angles (sideways) they take on the shapes - in particular that of the back of a Stegosaurus. There are plenty of walks and tracks to use in the immediate vicinity of these hills or you can see these hills from the road running out of in the direction of Buxton.(and one of my suggested walks is around these hills (only takes something a little over one hour) Another interestingly shaped hill that again gives excellent 360 degree views is High

Two views of one of the 'dinasaur hills'

Wheeldon, not far from the 'dinosaur' hills, just before you reach Earl Sterndale. It is a steep walk up, but only for 3/4 minutes from the road. On a separate point there are a few nice fords around, where the roads crosses a river or stream without use of a bridge. The nearest is just past Tissington. Go through the village, leave the car park behind and you find yourself on an unfenced road. After a. little over a mile, it drops down to the river. Even in August after 3 months of no rain there is usually quite a bit of water.A different type of ford is at Butterton (through Hulme End and then Warslow). There the river actually runs along the length of the road rather than across it. However this one is better

after a fair amount of rain Patrick cycling through the ford just past Tissington .