Bess of Hardwick had the Hunting Tower built both as a retreat and to view hounds hunting deer in the park. Lancelot Capability Brown turned the deer park into one of his creations embodying coherence and elegance.
From the Hunting Tower go down the steps situated beyond the cannons, cross the track at the foot of the steps and then descend steep stone steps and a footpath to connect with a forest track. Go left along the track and at the next track junction go right and right again at the next junction, then follow the track down to re-enter the car park.
WALK 2
Longshaw Estate and the gritstone edges
| Start/Finish | Longshaw Lodge SK 264 799 |
| Distance | 14km (9 miles) |
| Ascent | 300m |
| Time | 4hrs |
| Terrain | Moorland and woodland footpath |
| Map | OS 1:25000 Explorer OL24 White Peak |
| Refreshments | Longshaw Estate Café |
| Parking | Longshaw Estate SK 266 800 |
This classic walk along gritstone edges starts at Longshaw Lodge, a former shooting lodge of the Dukes of Rutland, and follows old estate trails to White Edge, returning to the Longshaw Estate via Curbar and Froggatt Edges.
The edges have long been favoured climbing crags, with Froggatt having hundreds of routes along its length including the enigmatically named Valkyrie and Jump Before You Look. The area is teeming with wildlife including larger red deer, water voles, ring ouzels, curlew, merlin and buzzard, and the walk takes you through oak woodlands and wildflower meadows.
From the main drive of Longshaw Lodge take the track that goes to the left of the café through woodland and curves to the right behind the building. Proceed through the gate onto a grassed track and continue along until the track forks. Take the left hand route, the way forward eventually signalled by a large pole, to reach a gate leading onto the junction of three roads. This area is known as Wooden Pole.
The base of the pole is dated 1778, the pole marking parish boundaries and also acting as a waymark for the old packhorse route that crossed this part of the area. The original line of the route is along the grassed track you have just walked up, the road being enclosed by the Duke of Rutland.
White Edge Lodge
Go through the gate and cross the junction to a second gate straight ahead giving access to White Edge Moor. Walk down the track towards a tall house, White Edge Lodge, situated on your right. Turn left at the house and ascend to a gate in the wall at the edge of White Edge Moor.Keep an eye out for the herd of red deer to your left on Big Moor. With binoculars, the large stags are easy to spot; it takes time and patience to see the others.
Go through the gate and then head right, directly south, along a track to White Edge. Continue along White Edge until you reach a triangulation pillar, then 200 metres further along take the footpath down off the edge, to the moorland below, heading for two large walled enclosures with many internal divisions. On reaching the enclosures take the path between the two and follow the right hand wall around to reach a road and car park. Go through the gate and across the car park to a gate on your right that will lead you up onto Curbar Edge.
Triangulation pillar on White Edge
The footpath takes you along both Curbar Edge and Froggatt Edge, eventually ending in a short descent to a gate giving access onto the A625. Go right for 50 metres up the road and then cross to a stile over a wall on the opposite side. Go over the stile, descending to a stream, before going up to The Haywood where the path forks. Take the left fork to stay on a reasonably level footpath that leads through a gate into a lane with a wooden fence on the left and culminating in a junction with a road.
Turn right along the road and immediately after a house on your right take a signposted footpath right up a tarmac drive to a gate by a house. Go through the gate and continue up the driveway to a footpath that eventually leads through woodland to a gate in a wall. Go through this gate and turn left along a wide track with walls on either side then follow the left hand wall down to a stream. Cross the stream and ascend the hill opposite then cross open moorland with a wall on your left to a stile leading onto a track. Turn left and follow the track through Longshaw Estate to return to Longshaw Lodge.
The Longshaw Estate is the former country shooting estate of the Dukes of Rutland. Longshaw Lodge was built in the early 1800s as a shooting box, and drives were put in the estate to facilitate ease of movement for shoots, the most prominent of which is the bridleway under Burbage Rocks. The estate has ancient woodlands with fast flowing streams in deep gorges, such as Padley Gorge, traditional oak woodlands and meadow, gritstone edges and outcrops, and a wealth of history.
WALK 3
Fox House to Big Moor
| Start/Finish | Fox House Inn SK 267 802 |
| Distance | 18km (11 miles) |
| Ascent | 310m |
| Time | 5hrs |
| Terrain | Open moorland, footpaths and tracks |
| Map | OS 1:25000 Explorer OL24 White Peak |
| Refreshments | Fox House Inn, Longshaw Estate Café |
| Parking | Fox House Inn SK 267 802 |
This is a moorland walk full of archaeological and natural interest. Big Moor, now in the hands of a partnership of wildlife and nature agencies, is being developed with conservation and protection in mind. Those who delight in wildlife will find this walk especially fulfilling, with great diversity of birdlife, especially raptors, and a large herd of wild red deer to admire. In terms of archaeology, the area has stone circles, guide stoops, a stone cross and ancient ways. Lovers of Ordnance Survey ephemera have much to explore with triangulation pillars and hidden fundamental benchmarks making for a walk full of tick-features to collect.
From Fox House Inn walk northeast along the A6187 for 300 metres and cross the road to go through the gate then follow the wall line up the field and through a second gate leading onto a road. Cross the road and go through the gate opposite and follow the defined track to Totley Moor. Where a second road, coming from the right, joins the track, proceed for 270 metres then take the faint footpath on the right southeast up towards the skyline and the triangulation pillar. Red deer are frequently seen on these moors, an incongruous sight when the city of Sheffield is the backdrop.
Head southwest to cross a tumbledown wall and carry on through the boggy ground of Totley Moss to reach a gate in a wall leading onto the B6054. Cross the road and turn right along the tarmac path for 200 metres to go through a gate and onto White Edge Moor.
Head left along the line of the wall on your left, stepping across the infant Bar Brook, for 750 metres and then go through a gate and on to a wooden waymark post. Go right at the post and walk down a wide grass track, the way marked by