Tideswell to Castleton 1 Walk summary Length: 14 km, 8.5 miles Maps: OS Explorer OL1 The Peak District - Dark Peak Area, OS Explorer OL24 The Peak District - White Peak Area, OS Landranger 110 Sheffield and Huddersfield, OS Landranger 119 Buxton and Matlock Approximate timing: 4 hrs 15 mins Ascent: 360 metres Descent: 460 metres Maximum altitude: 437 metres 2 Sketch map of walk 3 Description 1. The walk starts at (A) the bus stop in the centre of Tideswell, (on bus route 65) GR { SK151756. 1 2. Take the jennel (alleyway) almost opposite the bus stop and to the left of the Fountain Square Church. At the top of the jennel turn left and look for a public footpath to the right. Follow the path up the grassy hill to reach a stile, with public footpath sign pointing back the way you have come, onto a track. Turn left along the track. 3. Look for a public footpath sign on the right by a gate. (GR { SK147754). This footpath crosses several fields with gaps in the walls. When you cannot see the next gap ahead bear left and head for the sign at a track which you cross over. 4. Continue on the footpath across the fields, crossing a stile at a corner, to reach a track with a footpath sign pointing the way you have come at (B) GR { SK138750. Turn right along this track which soon reaches a road. Turn left onto the road. The road goes fairly steeply down hill. 2 5. At the bottom of the hill (C) look for the footpath into Monk's Dale GR{SK131754. We did the walk in February 2014 and the beginning of the footpath was flooded. It was possible to go through a gate to the right and follow the dale, keeping to the right of the flood. Take the footpath. 6. The walk now proceeds through Peter Dale. At (D), GR { SK123765, the path crosses a road and you enter Hay Dale. This, as are several other dales in the area, is a nature conservation area managed by Natural England. If you are there in the spring you should see, early purple orchids, cowslips and other wild flowers. 7. At the end of Hay Dale (E) GR { SK118773 you cross a stile onto a track. The track to the left is the Pennine Bridleway and goes to a road. Our route follows the track straight ahead. Watch for a footpath on the left into Dam Dale, GR { SK119775. 8. The path follows a wall (to the right of the wall) along the dale passing through gaps in the wall. 3 Towards the end of the dale the path passes Damdale farm, keeping to the right of the farm. The path reaches a stile with a 4-way signpost. follow the sign for Peak Forest, bearing slightly left up the hill. You should see a stile over the wall ahead and then another stile with a prominent sign. The houses of Peak Forest are now visible and you are aiming for the road into the village. There are three footpaths from here onto the road. Take the middle one { none are particularly visible on the ground but the middle one comes out at a gate that you can see ahead { [(F) GR { SK 117791] and turn left on the road to enter Peak Forest. 9. Just after the school, at the traffic lights, take the road to the right. At the T-junction ahead, where there is footpath sign, take the track ahead indicated by the sign. Look for a public footpath to the right, (G) GR { SK116798. Follow the footpath over several stiles. When you cannot see the next stile ahead look for the stile in the far left corner of the field. 10. The footpath emerges onto a track at GR { SK121798. Follow the track, which climbs steadily. As you come to the brow of the hill there are lovely views ahead with Rushup edge and Mam Tor becoming visible. The track merges with the Limestone Way that comes in from your right as you pass through a gate. 4 11. At (H), GR { SK135813, the path crosses a track. Go through the gates and follow the sign for Castleton. 12. At (I), GR { SK139816, the path forks. The right hand path goes down to Castleton via Cave Dale. Our route takes the left hand fork which at first goes uphill. At the top there are stunning views. 13. At GR { SK146824, on the downward side of the hill, the path bears slightly left although there is a track towards the wall. Bear left with the path, as that by the wall is extremely steep and slippery with mud. The path is, in any case, steep at this point so take due care. At the bottom you meet a path by the wall. Turn right and follow the path through the woods and into Castleton. In the town there is a jennel that follows the stream. Take this and then, when you emerge, follow the rod down to the main road. Just opposite the visitor's centre near where you emerge there is a place where you can wash your boots in the stream. Turn right and follow the main road through the town to the bus station { there is another good boot washing place a short way along Mill Lane which is to the left just before the bus station. 5.