Peakwalking .. the original online guide to walking in England's Peak District
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Peakwalking .. the original online guide to walking in England's Peak District
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A short and enjoyable walk combining gritstone uplands and two lovely wooded valleys.
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Walk Facts: |
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| Start | National Trust car park at Longshaw visitor centre (SK 265 800). The walk can also be done from Grindleford railway station, on the Manchester to Sheffield line. Grindleford also has a bus service (click for MAP) |
| Terrain | Good
paths and tracks through grass and woodland. Steep in places. Can be slippery in wet or icy conditions. |
| Length | About five miles |
| Time | 2 to 3 hours |
| Food/Drink | Cafes at Longshaw and at Grindleford station. Pub near Longshaw |
| Toilets | Longshaw and (for customers) Grindleford station cafe |
If travelling by car the start is at Longshaw Lodge. Take the Sheffield road from Hathersage and turn right opposite the Fox House pub about two miles outside Hathersage. If you're arriving by train or bus, pick up the circular route at Grindleford station, a little over half way round, as indicated below.
Most of this walk is within the National Trust's Longshaw Estate. From the car park, walk round to the visitor centre then take the signed path past Longshaw Lodge itself. After passing through a gate, head left to go through a second gate onto a dirt track. Take care not to go astray here - if you end up alongside a big pond you're going the wrong way!
Follow the track for some way, going straight on where another track crosses it. After a while you go through yet another gate. About 300 metres after this, take a path which leaves to the right and crosses a low wall into a field. Walk down the field, heading vaguely left. The path is initially (and surprisingly) paved with gritstone 'flags'. These are a good walking surface in summer but take care in icy conditions, as they can then be treacherous. Once the flags disappear, the rest of the path can be boggy.
As the end of the field is reached follow the path, still downhill, heading for a distinct wooded valley descending ahead. This is Oak's Wood. Take the path through the wood on the right hand side of the stream. The path is steep and needs care in icy conditions. Shortly after entering the wood, there's a 'Footpath' sign pointing left - ignore it and carry on straight ahead.
As soon as the road is seen, veer left and descend to join it. Cross the road and turn left, then after a few metres take a walkway on the right which leads down to Grindleford railway station. The walkway was rather overgrown when I did this walk.
If travelling by train or bus, the walk starts here!Cross the bridge over the railway. To the right, the line disappears into Totley Tunnel which, at 3.5 miles, is one of the longest in the country. Continue over a bridge crossing the stream and pass Padley Mill on your right. About 100 metres past the mill, take the track to the right. This passes several houses, then you gain access to the wood via a gate.
Padley Gorge (pictured right) is a delight, an ancient wood of mainly oak and ash, with a stream either trickling or roaring below, depending on the weather. It's a place to linger and relax, encouraged by the fact that the going is quite steep in places. This is an important and delicate environment which is now being sensitively managed after a period of neglect. Please help preserve it for future generations by keeping to the path at all times.
Continue walking on the track all the way through thr gorge, gradually gaining height. The stream is to your right at all times, sometimes quite close and at other times far below the track.
On emerging from the wooded gorge onto a grassy moorland, take the path which follows the stream. Cross a wooden bridge and climb to the road. Turn right and after a few metres cross the road and enter Granby wood. Follow the path through the wood and past the large pond, veering gradually left back to Longshaw Lodge, which is in view most of the time.
