Bamford - Ladybower Reservoir - Stanage Edge - Bamford
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This amazing walk starts off at the roadside parking just off the A6187 near Shatton and Bamford Station and follows paths and roads to Bamford Mill. The mill is the first of many on the course of the Derwent and was built around 1780, burnt down and rebuilt in 1791-2. It was a cotton mill, but closed for this purpose in 1965 and was used by an electric furnace manufacturer until the 1990s. It has now been converted into apartments.
After passing the lovely weir and River Derwent, the route joins the Derwent Valley Heritage Way. The route follows the line of the old railway that takes you straight up to the dam at Ladybower Reservoir. The views over the water to the surrounding hills from here are lovely. The route then crosses the dam and continues to follow the Heritage Way to Heatherdene (alternative parking) and then follows the path along the main road up to the Ladybower Inn. This is where the path turns north-east and follows a lovely route over the lower slopes of Derwent Moors. From this part there are some long, distant views of the next major section of the route over Stanage Edge.
Once the path has circled round back to the A57 and crossed the road, the route follows a well-defined path south in a direct line to Stanage End, the very start of Stanage Edge. It proceeds along the top of the edge past Crow's Chin to High Neb, the highest point on Stanage Moor at 458m. The views along the edge are breathtaking and are ever-changing as you traverse the rest of the edge to the causeway about two-thirds of the way along.
From the causeway there are some optional extras which include a short walk to Stanedge Pole (1.2km round-trip) and / or a longer ascent along the rest of Stanage Edge to the south summit of 457m (4km round-trip). Both of these routes require little effort and I would highly recommend them both! If time only allows for one, then continue to the south top; the views are well worth it!
After returning to the causeway the path follows a track down to the road and joins country lanes to work its way back to Bamford Village.
England - Central England - Derbyshire - Peak District
Features
Ancient Monument, Birds, Church, Flowers, Food Shop, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Lake/Loch, Moor, Pub, Public Transport, River, Toilets, Waterfall, Wildlife, Woodland
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