Ladybower Reservoir - Abbey Brook - Margery Hill - Howden Reservoir - Ladybower Reservoir

Frank Hollingworth

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This is a cracker of a walk. It's tough, but not too tough, with great views all day. It finds very little-used paths to explore this popular area, well off the beaten track. The walk starts in the valley containing the Derwent and Howden Reservoirs, but soon climbs to explore the hills to the east of this valley, eventually reaching the summit of Margery Hill. En route an obscure path is followed out of Abbey Clough. This path is a little gem. Not being on the Ordnance Survey map it is not walked frequently but is still easily followed on the ground. From here onwards most of the walk is on little-used paths. This is a real bonus as it avoids the popular routes. On the way to Margery Hill you join Howden Edge, passing the Wet Stones with magnificent views west. The return leg again takes you along a little-walked path, eventually arriving at Howden Dam, one of the many impressive structures within this valley. This walk is quite long; by the time you get to Howden Dam for the last leg along the track back to Derwent Dam, most of the visitors will have already gone home!

All in all, whilst the walk takes you to an area very popular with walkers, it avoids most of them for most of the day! The only downside is that the paths within the latter half can be indistinct and do not appear on the OS maps. It is for this reason I advise that a GPS would be a useful aid, if only to confirm where you are.

Outline:
Derwent Dam - Walker's Clough - Abbey Brook - Howden Edge - Margery Hill - Cut Gate End - Upper Hey – Cow Hey - Howden Dam - Derwent Dam.

Terrain: hills and moors.

England - Central England - Derbyshire - Peak District