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Contents :: WHITE PEAK WAY :: Day 4


		INTRODUCTION
		DAY 1
		DAY 2
		DAY 3
		DAY 4

THE WHITE PEAK WAY IS THE SOUTHERN EXTENSION OF THE PENNINE WAY

NATIONAL TRAIL GUIDES UK

Day 4 :: The Black Peak :: Peak Forest to Edale :: 7.5 miles

Yesterday we had finished our walk at Peak Forest. Today we started from there. We would be walking from the White Peak district to the Dark Peak district. I was convinced it was far further away than it actually was and was dreading the navigation over the moors from Peak Forest, but as it happens navigation was quite simple.

We took the road out of Peak Forest that went due north, and walked to the fork at the top (at Old Dam), taking the right fork, Old Dam Lane, and then turned immediately left to take a farm track north. A short distance along the track was a gate and footpath notice, pointing to the right beside a house. We took this and crossed to a stile on the wall, just 50 yards away. From the stile we looked ahead to make out the lie of the land and compared it to our map and our route. Ahead we could see a belt of trees at Oxlow Rake and knew that we should be walking alongside them.

We crossed several field stiles until 2 walls away from the trees. The map told us we should walk diagonally across this field (the others had been short distances straight across). We walked diagonally to our left but did not see the stone step stile until almost upon it.



Footpath at side of house near Old Dam Lane		Corner field stile approaching the trees at Oxlow Rake

As we approached the trees at Oxlow Rake there was a farm on our left. Billy goats were browsing in a field next to our path. We crossed a stile and bypassed the farm, taking a wide gravel track uphill between the trees. This was Oxlow Rake and it continued for some time, winding up hill and eventually leaving the trees behind. We passed through a gate onto more open land and to our left were many disused mine workings.

We continued to climb and as we neared the summit of our climb we could see over to the left the distant silhouette of Kinder Scout. We would be walking to the base of this. Our track started to descend and we were expecting to merge with the Limestone Way at a wall coming at us from an angle on the right. We were expecting a large path, but in fact there was no defined path, just a glaze in the grass along the wall.

The top peak of Mam Tor had now come into view, although only just, away on our left. We crossed through a gate and joined the Limestone Way. There was now no clearly defined track and we headed over to the wall on our left, to walk beside it in the direction of Castleton.



Billy Goats near Oxlow Rake		Distant view of Kinder Scout



Route towards Castleton, having merged with the Limestone Way		Depression showing entrance to Cave Dale

We continued our direction, walking on a pleasant grass track between cattle, until reaching a junction of paths and gates. We crossed the gates and continued our direction once moor. There was a much more direct route to Edale, as we could see from the ever looming presence of Mam Tor, but we were not going directly to Edale, but via Castleton, which was some way to its east.

We continued forward at the next gate but turned slightly away from the wall, following a Castleton signpost and the path marked on our map. The field started to rise up and down and the landscape ahead of us changed dramatically, with smooth undulating hills. As we crested a hill there was an obvious depression ahead of us, forming the unmistakable entrance to Cave Dale, the dale we were heading toward to take us into Castleton.



Start of Cave Dale		Moving further into Cave Dale

We continued walking towards Cave Dale and at length passed through a gate and into the dale. Cave Dale started as a pleasant grass track to the right of a stone wall. The dale sides were small, but as we progressed into the dale, the dale sides rose higher. The path became narrower, muddier and stonier but the view became more and more magnificent.

As we passed through a gate the dale ahead dropped considerably in height, leaving us with a magnificent view down the dale and to the hills beyond. Our path was now very stony and quite difficult to walk upon. There were many groups of school children all engaged in field projects of some sort, sitting in clusters at various places on the dale sides, all the way along.

Further down the dale one of the towers of Peveril Castle came into view, standing tall atop one of the dale sides. We neared the foot of the dale and the track became completely stony and quite wet as it narrowed and then passed a gate and between 2 limestone buttresses forming a dark and gloomy pass. Although it only took moments to pass through here the difference in temperature and moisture was obvious.

We emerged into Castleton and walked to the main street and turned left, stopping momentarily at the new Information Centre in the large car park.



Cave Dale deepens		Peveril Castle



Distant view of Mam Tor		Odin Mine Workings

We continued along the main road, but were most of the traffic turned left towards Winnats Pass, the Speedwell Caverns and Blue john Mines, we kept to the right. Our road ended about a mile further on,. It used to be the main road. In 1976 there had been a major landslip below Mam Tor, following heavy rain, and much of the road had moved in steps down the hill. The road has since been converted to a single lane road, repaired, and turned into a footpath.

We passed the entrance path to the Treak Cliff Caverns on our left and then passed an animal farm on our right. Walking further uphill, where vehicular access was denied, there was access on our left and right to the disused Odin Mines. I was more interested in the road slip from 1976, the evidence of which was all around.

We walked on until reaching a point almost directly below Mam Tor. This was a sheer rock face and the path to it was from the far side of it to were we were. Our route over these hills lay along a path leading up to Hollins Cross, further to our right. Carol wanted to go up the Tor, so I decided, rather stupidly to climb straight up the side, just to the right of the cliff face, where the slope was grassed and looked rather gentler. From where I was looking this certainly seemed the case, and it did not seem so high. I was later to learn that it was a lot higher and a lot steeper than I thought, but not until we were totally committed to climbing it.



Mam Tor		Start of our climb to the side of Mam tor

We passed through a gate on our left and took a path upwards to a footpath junction where there was a party of school children. Looking up I thought the climb gentle enough and so proceeded, Carol following. I had not realised that further up the path became very steep, too steep to walk upright. This was not obvious from where we were. I also had not realised that I could not see the top from here but only a false summit.

We proceeded up a worn track in the grass and bracken, thinking it perfectly safe because others had obviously done it before. We continued until reaching a path bisecting us, going off to the left and right. I now realised that beyond the path the hillside considerably steepened and there was no longer any path. I did not fear for myself but was worried for Carol. We had come too far to turn back now, and besides I still thought it was reasonably safe.



View to Hollins Cross		Ridge top path to Hollins Cross

At least I was able to take photographs of the valley and range that probably no one else had. The climb up seemed to last for hours as the top never seemed to get nearer. Each time I looked it still seemed the same distance away, and it was still getting steeper.

But we did get to the top, and as we climbed onto the path a couple of walkers passed and looked at us in disbelief, stopping to see from where we had come. Looking back there was just a drop. The slope up which we had walked was so steep that it was not visible from the path.

The path was paved and ran along the ridge top We followed it to Hollins Cross, taking in the wonderful views all around.



View over Hope Valley		Approaching Hollins Cross

We arrived at Hollins Cross, a meeting of many pathways up and over this ridge. There was a circular memorial cairn there. We were able to see back and down the valley and to see the climb that we had made from side on. It is the second steepest of the distant slopes, Mam Tor being the steepest.

We then turned left where there were 2 footpaths down. We took the one that was more acutely left. The path down to the Edale Valley was swift. We followed a stony track down, which brought us beside a farm and a gate and then over an open field to a farm track. We passed over a couple of stiles and crossed a bridge over the River Noe and then joined the main road, where we turned left and walked half a mile to the car park in Edale. This was the end of the White Peak Way, and where the Pennine Way began.

We felt a sense of wonderment and adventure at having completed this walk, which had held a few challenges for us, but the rewards had been great.

Day 3

Introduction

Author - Roy McKee