Brook Park to Hathersage

1 Walk summary

Length: 12 km, 7.5 miles Maps: OS Explorer OL1 The - Area, OS Landranger 110 and Huddersfield

Approximate timing: 3hrs 15 mins Ascent: 420 metres Descent: 470 metres

Maximum altitude: 430 metres

2 Sketch map of walk

3 Description

1. The walk starts at (A) the entrance to Whirlow Brook Park (on bus routes 65, 81, 272) GR – SK310827. Enter the park and walk towards Whirlow Brook Hall.

1 2. Follow the path, leaving the building on your left and enter the woods. You may see a waymarker (2) on your left. The woods rise steeply to your right and the path follows the stream.

Emerge from the woods and view the track (which you do not take) to your right.

3. At the sign post (B) GR – SK300835 go straight ahead on the path shown in the photo below.

The path crosses a field to meet Sheephill Road into Ringinglow.

Turn left on to the road and after a short distance bear right onto Houndkirk Road (C) GR – SK290835

2 4. Walk along Houndkirk Road. Enjoy the view back across Sheffield. You pass the endof Lady Cannings Plantation and an ancient milestone.

The track crosses over a bridge and the Ox Stones can be seen back across Houndkirk Moor.The track continues and you can see a brow of a hill ahead.

5. You reach a gate and footpath sign on your right before the brow. (D) GR – SK277817

Turn right through the gate and follow the track across Houndkirk Moor.

The left hand path leads to the Fox House should you need to abort here. There is shortly another waymarked junction with the path along the top of . GR – SK271815. Cross this path and continue down hill to the main track under the edge below. (E) GR – SK267815.

3 6. Turn left onto this path. Almost immediately there is a waymark for a path down the hill on your right. GR – SK267814

7. Turn right on to this path and follow it down the hill. This is usually very boggy and the path is braided here. You are aiming for a bridge in the valley below just to the left of the woodland.

Carl Wark and are on the other side of the valley. You may pass a waymark before you reach the bridge. The bridge is an ancient packhorse bridge – take care if there is ice about.

8. Bear left after the bridge to take the path up – there is a bit of a scramble to get to the top. Bear right when you reach the top. There are interesting shaped rocks up here.

4 Carl Wark is an ancient hill fort and on the far side of the remaining wall across the top is a plaque with some information.

Turn back from the plaque and find the main path (F) GR – SK 258815 down andacross to Higger Tor.

9. Follow the path to the top of Higger Tor.

You can avoid a scramble by following a track that bears left part way across the gap between Carl Wark and Higger Tor. If you do this, when you get to the top, bear right to regain the main path. GR – SK257820 10. Down to your left you can see a road with a footpath sign. Aim for this sign (G) GR – SK256823

5 11. Cross the road take the path almost opposite. Follow the path down to meet a substantial (and usually wet) track. Follow this track down the valley to the junction at (H) GR – SK249819.

12. Turn left along the drive into Mitchell Field Farm. The path is to the left of the farm house. Enjoy the view behind you.

At the sign post (GR – SK248817) turn right into the copse.Follow the muddy path to emerge from the copse and follow the sign that points across the corner of next field. Admire the view to your left.

13. You will come to a large house at GR – SK243813. The foot path goes through the gate ahead and then down the drive to the automatic gate. Pass through the gate and follow the footpath along the wall to the right.

6 14. At (I) GR – SK241812 do not go through the large gate but carefully descend to the smaller gate and follow the footpath by the wall.

You will pass a small quarry in the woods.

Follow the path which shortly becomes a track past some houses to meet the road into Hathersage at (J) GR – SK234813. 15. There is a bus stop to your left or you can follow the road a short distance into the village to the main bus stop with a shelter. The bus back to Sheffield is the 272 and the current service is approximately hourly. There are caf´esand pubs in the village.

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