Youlgreave Circular Walk

An 8 Mile Peak District walk starting from Youlgreave.

Start: SK 19259 64472
Map: Landranger 119, Explorer OL24
Difficulty: 8
Refreshments : Alport, Bradford and Youlgreave

This Peak District walk starts at a picnic area on Moor Lane just outside Youlgreave. The highlights of the walk are the dales the walk passes through each one has something different to offer the Peak District walker.

First on our route is Cales Dale, it is narrow and steep sided, with a hidden cave high up on the valley side.

Lathkill Dale is the longest on our walk and probably the most dramatic and attractive. A rough gravel trail leads along much of this first dry (in summer) section of our walk. Overhead loom the limestone cliffs with scree slopes swooping down to the path. Mining for lead took place in Lathkill Dale between the 13th and 19th centuries. Although the dale is now densely wooded, evidence of mining is still visible. The miners dug a sough to lower the water table enabling them to work lower down and stay dry. During dry summers the River Lathkill may not appear above ground until reaching the springs at Psalm Pool.

The water of the River Bradford runs clear in the shortest of the dales on our walk, Bradford Dale. The sheer limestone crag popular with rock climbers has the unusual name of   Rhienstor and is right on the path adjacent to the river. Our walk takes a turn to the right to follow the river upstream towards Bradford Dams. The river valley widens now with cattle and sheep grazing beside the water, little bridges span the clear waters. The walk continues through the attractive outskirts of Youlgreave to Bradford Dams. The dams are a series of trout pools, which date from the 1890’s. The dale is worth exploring further but our walk crosses over a bridge and up into Youlgreave.

Youlgreave Circular Photo Gallery

Youlgreave Circular Walk Description

This Peak District walk starts at a picnic area on Moor Lane just outside Youlgreave and descends over fields through Calling Low Farm and into Cales Dale, here turn right and follow the dale until reaching Lathkill Dale.

Cross over the footbridge in Lathkill Dale turning right and stay on the north side of the dale until it reaches the road at Conksbury. On reaching the road turn right over the bridge and up the lane a little way until reaching a footpath on the left.

Follow this path on the south side of the River Lathkill until it reaches Alport. Cross the road and go through a gate and follow the River Bradford through Bradford Dale passing beneath Rhienstor a limestone crag popular with rock climbers. Follow the dale to Bradford crossing the lane and continuing below Youlgreave on the opposite side of the river.

Follow the path beside the clear pools until a stone bridge is reached. Cross over the bridge ignoring a path to the left and follow a path that doubles back along the other side of the river and up into Youlgreave. Turn right along the road past The Farmyard Inn and turn left up Moor Lane back to the car park.

Copyright © Peter Cox. All rights reserved.