Peak District
25km/15½ miles 8 hours
1
SK297601 From the packhorse bridge, cross the A6 to go ahead up the hill then take the footpath first left across the rail bridge to begin the Limestone Way. Walk up fields keeping to the right of Masson Lees Farm. Turn right along the track and take the footpath left, uphill until you exit a field via a gate.
2
SK279590 Go south to enter the paved lane into Bonsall. Pass the Bonsall Cross on your left and take the minor road on the right. Follow the walled lane to Upper Town, entering the village via Bell Lane. At the road turn left into the village, following the road right then left. At the church building take the footpath due south to a walled lane. Go right via the lane then across fields to a minor road. Continue south-west over fields to exit turning right along the road to Ible. Having left the village take the footpath left across the field to Grangemill. Turn left along the road then left again, cross the A5012 and go forward to the footpath heading south along the hillside.
3
SK243568 Where the footpaths join go southwest. Cross the High Peak Trail and keep a course south-west through a farm to a minor road. Go right and right again at the fork then take the footpath south-west via fields and a wooded area to a walled lane. When the lane becomes a minor road go ahead to the B5056. Cross this to follow the track uphill.
4
SK208544 Where the track sweeps north-west to Baildon, take the footpath west over the hill to cross a minor road. Follow the hedge west then cross a small stream and head south-west to a road. Go right along the road and take the footpath first left to Parwich.
5
SK187543 From the
village pond take the track across the front of cottages to enter a narrow walled path signposted Limestone Way. The route rises over a hill then descends to cross Bletch Brook before rising again to meet the track to Shaw’s Farm. Go straight on, crossing the bridge spanning the Tissington Trail and along the minor road to Tissington. Just before the road forks, take the footpath left across a field and second road. Then follow the field boundary south to Tissington Church.
6
SK176522 (If heading for Ashbourne go east and follow the signs for the Tissington Trail.) For Ilam follow the road west out of the village. Cross the A515 then go down the minor road. Take the footpath first left. Cross the road and take the footpath left across many fields to a minor road by a dewpond. Go left then take the footpath first right down via fields until you see a hotel. Take the
footpath left before the hotel to cross the car park then go right to Thorpe. Go left at the first junction and in the dip take the footpath right across a stream and up a lane to enter the churchyard. Walk past the church and exit onto a road. Go left and follow the road until it becomes a track descending a hillside. Keep on the track to cross Coldwell Bridge.
7
SK147497 As the
track begins to rise up the hill, take the footpath right following the course of the river to Ilam. Keep left of the monument and then enter the grounds of Ilam Hall.