About the Author
Mark Richards’ transition from full-time farmer to full-time outdoor writer and broadcaster has been a gradual one. In 1973, with the encouragement of Alfred Wainwright, he wrote his first walking guide to the Cotswold Way. Since then he has indulged his pleasure in exploring rural Britain by creating a range of walking guides. In 1980 he began his three-part guide to the Peak District for Cicerone Press, and in 1987, with Chris Wright, wrote a guide to walking around the former county of Westmorland. This book sowed the seeds of a dream, to be fulfilled some 14 years later, when he and his wife moved to Cumbria. Here he developed a passion for the finest of all walking landscapes, held within and around this marvellous county. Mark is author of the best-selling Great Mountain Days in the Lake District and is working on the next two books in his series of eight Fellranger guides to the Lakeland fells and a new guide to the Dark Peak. Now living in what was once the Barony of Gilsland, Mark is also close to Hadrian’s Wall, enabling him to renew a fascination first kindled when he prepared a guide to walking the Wall in 1993. He has now published two books on Hadrian’s Wall for Cicerone.
Other Cicerone guides by the author
High Peak Walks
White Peak Walks – The Northern Dales
Great Mountain Days in the Lake District
Hadrian’s Wall Path
Lakeland Fellranger:
The Central Fells
The Near Eastern Fells
The Southern Fells
The Mid-Western Fells
The Spirit of Hadrian’s Wall (with Roger Clegg)
WHITE PEAK WALKS: THE SOUTHERN DALES
by
Mark Richards
2 POLICE SQUARE, MILNTHORPE, CUMBRIA LA7 7PY
© Mark Richards 2004, 2009
Second edition 2009
ISBN: 978 1 85284 518 6
First edition 2004
ISBN-10: 0 902363 88 3
ISBN-13: 978 0 90236 388 5
Printed by MCC Graphics, Spain
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
All photographs are by the author unless otherwise stated.
Dedication
To Rory Emerson Thompson, my grandson, born 12 December 2008 as I was completing this book. Rory, I wish you a happy and healthy life, with plenty of opportunities to develop your own passion for the great outdoors.
Advice to Readers
Readers are advised that, while every effort is made by our authors to ensure the accuracy of our guidebooks as they go to print, changes can occur during the lifetime of a particular edition. Please check the Cicerone website (www.cicerone.co.uk) for any updates before planning your trip. It is also advisable to check information on such things as transport, accommodation and shops locally. Even rights of way can be altered over time. We are always grateful for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground, sent by email to [email protected] or by post to Cicerone, 2, Police Square, Milnthorpe LA7 7PY.
Front cover: The Manifold valley from the top of the Thor’s Cave outcrop
CONTENTS
Bronze Age to barn conversions
From protests to the Park Authority
Walk 2 Morridge and Upper Elkstone
Walk 5 Manifold Track and Ecton Hill
Walk 6 Hoo Brook, Swainsley, Wettonmill and Ladyside Wood
Walk 7 Manifold Track and Waterfall
Walk 8 Manifold Track, Beeston Tor and Waterfall
Walk 9 Thor’s Cave, Wettonmill, Pepper Hall and Wetton Hill
Walk 10 Bincliff
Walk 11 Manifold Track and Throwley Moor
Walk 12 Ilam and Upper Musden
Walk 13 Hollinsclough Moor, Washgate Bridge and Hollins Hill
Walk 14 Parkhouse Hill, Chrome Hill and Dowel Dale
Walk 15 High Wheeldon and Pilsbury Castle
Walk 16 Sheen, Pilsbury Castle and Carder Low
Walk 17 Beresford Dale, Wolfscote Dale and Biggin Dale
Walk 18 High Peak Trail and Tissington Trail
Walk 19 High Peak Trail, Aleck Low and Tissington Trail
Walk 20 Tissington Trail, Biggin Dale and the Dove
Walk 21 Narrowdale, Wolfscote Dale and Milldale
Walk 22 Four Peakland Peaks
Walk 23 Shining Tor, Hanson Grange and Hall Dale
Walk 24 The Eastern Edge of Dove Dale
Walk 25 Dove