Weekly Route - Wyedale

Miller's Dale > Cheedale > Topley Pike > Chlemorton > Calton Hill > Miller's Dale

Distance: 8miles (5Km)	Height Gain: 1356 ft (413 m)
Overview: Classic White Peak walking route through limestone scenery with added historical interest and an extinct volcano...	Maps: Ordnance Survey OL 24 / Landranger 119 Online: Streetmap
Strenuousness: 2 Tecnicality: 2 Photogenicness: 3	Start Point: SK 137 732 - Miller's Dale

A walk that combines classic features typical of the White Peak. Starting with a waymarked trail down a secluded steep sided valley before ascending to the limestone plateau and a 2000 year old field system. The return is a journey past neoloithic burial chambers and an extinct volcano to the start point on an abandoned railway converted into a leisure trail.

Bad Bridge over the River Wye joke here...

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Section 1 - Millers Dale to Topley Pike

Length: 2.97 miles ( 4.78Km)

Height Gain: 587ft ( 179m)

Start from the Car Park at the old Millers Dale station just off the Wormhill road. The first half mile is a straightforward stroll along the track of the disused railway line, passing a series of ancient, partially restored, limekilns on the right.

The track brings you out at a large viaduct, high above the River Wye, where you will often find outdoor groups using the structure for abseiling practice. Continue over the viaduct and take the gate on the right. A diagonal path leads across the field descending to the obvious bridge over the river. Once across the bridge turn left into the Nature Reserve and continue along the bank of the river.

The path continues meandering alongside the river till the bridge at Wyedale Springs. Here an easy ascent brings you high above the river before a tricky descent on a polished series of limestone steps (TAKE CARE!). The path rejoins the bank of the Wye, passing through the steep sided gorge of Cheedale (below) - a popular rock climbing venue. Pass below the undercut cliffs on the north side of the river, and over a series of stepping stones to a bridge.

Cross the bridge and continue along the other bank of the river to a further bridge which brings you back to the north side. A second set of stepping stones helps pass an otherwise difficult corner and the path now continues through a wider section of the valley and an easy approach to Wyedale Cottages. Cross the river again and continue along the wide road/track to emerge at a large car park at Topley Pike on the A6 three miles outside Buxton.

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Section 2 - Topley Pike to Chelmorton

Length: 1.78 miles (2.86 Km)

Height Gain: 500ft (152m)

Cross the busy A6 into what appears to be a quarry at Topley Pike. The public footpath is well marked here, sticking to the base of a steep slope on your left as it enters Deepdale. After a third of a mile the path splits into three near the obvious cave entrance of Churn Hole.

Take the left hand path, which rises steadily onto Chelmorton Flat, following a long limestone wall on your left. The path now crosses a series of ancient field enclosures heading South to where you cross the A 5270. Go straight over the road, down a well defined path between limestone walls and continue on past Shepley Farm to emerge in the village of Chelmorton.

A left turn here along a short section of minor road will bring you to The Church - a pub - on your left.

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Section 3 - Chelmorton to Millers Dale

Length: 3.21 miles (5.17 Km)

Height Gain: 500ft (152m)

Continue past the pub to the top of the lane, where you turn right along a wide, well marked, path that skirts the foot of Chelmorton Low. As you approach a minor road the path splits into two, and the left hand branch provides the way on.

Cross Pillwell Lane and continue on past Fivewells Farms (these should be on your right). The footpath now curves round to the left, crossing the green lane used by the Limestone Way, as it passes below Five Wells Tumulus, a neolithic burial chamber. Up to the left the fence on the skyline marks the boundary to Calton Hill, now a Nature Reserve with strictly limited access.

Formerly used as both a quarry and a landfill, Calton Hill is actually the remains of an ancient volcano - with the main vent still visible. The path now continues north, crossing the busy A6 again, before dropping into the tiny hamlet of Blackwell. On reaching the minor road turn left and after a few yards go straight across at the crossroads, before taking the footpath on the right leading to Blackwell Hall.

The path now descends steadily to Wyedale -above -where you rejoin familiar territory in the field at the end of the viaduct. Instead of turning immediately right to retrace your steps from the first section continue down the field to the bridge again. Cross the bridge for a second time, but this time turn right to follow the bank of the River Wye back to the base of the viaduct. Now climb the steep bank on the left hand side of the viaduct to regain the dismantled railway, and a straightforward walk back along the track to your start point.

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Route Map - bigger version

 

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