The Limestone Way

Difficulty: Hard

Length: 49.53 miles

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Day 1 (16.4 miles)

Having arrived at Hope station I made the gentle walk along a quiet lane over to the pretty village of Castleton and the official start of the Limestone Way. A long climb starts the walk up through Cave dale along rock strewn paths past entrances to many of the area's famous cave systems. Peveril Castle sits high on the cliffs, watching as you make your progress up onto the wide expanse of Bradwell and Old moor. After some time the walk drops you down into Hay Dale, a beautiful wide valley filled with grazing sheep and wild flowers. Shortly after the walk heads back onto the top of the valley and across large stretches of sheep pasture however a sneaky diversion would let you walk down Monks Dale National Nature Reserve and rejoin the route later on. By now a quick lunch stop is often required and thankfully Millers Dale provides with the Anglers Rest, a lovely walker friendly pub that has benches overlooking the Wye. Continue along the route over hills (many) and dales until you eventually reach the villages of Flagg and then Monyash, it is here at the Lathkill Dale Campsite that I spent my first night.

Campsite: Lathkill Dale Campground

Day 2 (14.9 miles)

An early start sees you heading over hay meadows and pastures until you reach Cales Dale, quite a surprise and a definite challenge with its near vertical sides with stony steps cut into the rocky edges. Continue along the way and you drop down into the wooded valley that takes you past the pretty villages of Youlgreave and Bradford. The whole area is extremely important for its habitat but none more so than the river Bradford, a beautiful shallow flowing stream and its many weirs and pools. After a long steep climb you reach the rock formations of Robin Hood's Stride where wonderful views of the surrounding areas can be found. Continue across the open farmland until you reach the village of Winster where you can find a nice lunch and drink at the Miner’s Standard. From here the walk is slightly flatter but with no worse views of the surrounding area until you drop down into the village of Ible and a short walk further on the Middle Hills farm campsite for night two.

Campsite: Middlehills Farm Campsite

Day 3 (13.5 miles to Mayfield / 18.25 miles to Rocester)

Day three takes you through rolling hills and surprisingly steep valleys until you breathlessly reach the village of Tissington and its famous Hall, its well worth a look round with its cafe, gardens and candle shop. Heading over to the village of Thorpe with its fantastic views of Thorpe Cloud and Dovedale you then walk steeply down the valley to Coldwall Bridge and a long climb up the other side onto the hillside. Here the landscape changes and large areas of cattle grazed pasture split with hedges replace the sheep and stone walls of the rest of the walk. Another few miles drops you down to the end of the walk at the village of Rocester where the bus can be picked up for Derby or Uttoxeter.