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Beresford & Wolfescote Dales from Hartington

Peak District Walk

Nat Park - Peak District - Dovedale Manifold Valley

County/Area - Derbyshire & Staffordshire

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 7.2 miles / 11.7 km    Ascent - 550 feet / 167 metres

Time - 4 hours 10 minutes    Grade - easy/mod

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Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Beresford & Wolfescote Dales from Hartington
Click image to see photo description.

Hartington village with its shops, cafes and pubs makes a perfect start for this Peak District walk in the limestone dales of Staffordshire and Derbyshire. The village, with its green and duck pond, usually has ample parking. On busy days you may have to use the pay and display car park on the B5054 a short way from the centre in the direction of Hulme End. This walk explores Beresford Dale, through which the River Dove flows, before climbing up to the village of Alstonefield from where the route descends back into Dovedale for a return along the river to the start.

To start the walk, follow the B5054 south from the village centre. Close to the public toilets on the left hand side you will locate the signed path into Wolfescote Dale. The path is well used and easy to follow and initially crosses open pastures before entering woodland. You are now in Beresford Dale. The path soon reaches the River Dove and you follow this well-known river south to reach a footbridge (grid ref. SK128588). Cross this to the other side of the river and continue south to a second footbridge at the end of Beresford Lane (grid ref. SK128586).

Turn right down Beresford Lane and after a short distance take the signed footpath on the left. Continue until where the track bends left towards the buildings at Narrowdale (grid ref. SK126576). Here bear right onto a bridleway. At the end of the wall on your left, bear left uphill towards the flank of Narrowdale Hill. Go through the wall and walk left and continue on this footpath/track. Where the track bends left, continue straight ahead across fields and a track to reach a road (grid ref. SK126563).

Turn left along the road for about 600 metres and at grid reference SK129558 bear left onto a track. Keep left walking northeast until you reach a footpath sign on the right hand side (grid ref. SK130558). Turn right here and almost immediately left to follow a well walked path across a number of fields. The path leads into a walled track and continues northeast towards Gypsy Bank and Dovedale.

Continue steeply down into Dovedale. Cross the river using the stepping stones and turn left along the opposite river bank. Continue through Wolfescote Dale to reach the bridge at Beresford Lane. Cross the bridge and return along the path used for the outward part of the walk back into Hartington.

Other walks nearby

Walk 1369 Tissington Trail - Hartington to Parsley Heyeasy4.0 miles
Walk 2455 Lum Edge & Revidge Moor easy/mod6.5 miles
Walk 1021 Milldale & Hall Daleeasy/mod5.0 miles
Walk 1257 Wolfscote Daleeasy/mod7.5 miles
Walk 1709 Milldale and Wolfscote Daleeasy/mod6.5 miles
Walk 3597 Manifold Valley, Thor's Cave, Ecton & Wetton Hills from Alstonefield moderate10.0 miles
Walk 3601 Dove & Manifold Valleysmoderate10.0 miles
Walk 3709 Sparklow, Crowdicote & Pilsbury Circulareasy/mod9.0 miles
Walk 1181 Wetton Hill & the Manifold Valley from Wettoneasy/mod6.5 miles
Walk 1653 The Manifold Valley from Wetton easy/mod7.8 miles

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