Win Hill and Ladybower Reservoir

Starting point  and OS Grid reference: ope Village SK171835 - Pay and Display cp.		Ordnance Survey Map OL1 The Peak District – Dark Peak Area. Buy this map from List of OS Maps
Distance: 9.5 Miles	Date of Walk: 21 October 2010
Ascent: Descent: See Walking Time Calculator	1758ft (536m) 1758ft (536m)
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Introduction: This relatively easy walk gives good views of the Edale valley from Win Hill and takes you along the shore of Ladybower Reservoir built between 1935 and 1943 and took two years to fill! The villages of Ashopton and Derwent disappeared beneath.

There are good views to Mam Tor and Stannage Edge.

Start the walk in the village of Hope.(SK171835) where there is a pay and display car park opposite Hope Garage.

Start: Turn right out of the car park and take the left turn on the road to Edale alongside the Old Hall hotel. Walk along this road until you see the road on the right signposted Hope Cemetery (SK 172839). Take this track.

Turn right at the second junction on this track and go under the railway. Continue passing Fairfield Farm on the left until you reach the road (SK 180838 ). Turn left.

Walk along the road for half a mile and just past Aston Hall and a road off to the right, turn left on to a footpath (SK 187839). Climb this path until you can clearly see the unmistakable top Win Hill Pike. On the map, the footpath continues to the edge of some trees at which point you would turn left to Win Hill but in practice various tracks have been worn. Use whichever takes your fancy and climb to the top (SK 187851).

Looking left (west) you will see the ridge curving away from you in a clockwise direction. Follow the clear ridge path along (Thornhill Brink and Hope Brink) until you reach a right hand turn which almost immediately takes you into the trees (SK 173861). Follow the obvious descending path which eventually branches left until you reach the shore of Ladybower Reservoir.

Turn right and follow the shore and past the dam. Just beyond, look out for a footpath on the right signposted Thornhill (SK 198849).

[Note since I walked this route, I am informed that another fingerpost has been installed for the “Thornhill Trail”, before the one for “Thornhill”. Do not be misdirected by this as I am informed it will take you on the wrong route.]

Follow this footpath. At the “cross roads” of paths, continue straight ahead. At the metalled road, turn right then take the footpath almost immediately on your left indicated by a fingerpost.

Remain on this footpath ignoring the branch to the left until you come to another road (SK 186834). Cross straight over and follow the path down towards the railway line. Join the road where it passes under the railway and turn left . At the A6187, turn right into Hope.

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All information on this site is given in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of any damage, loss or injury which might result from acting on it.