Peak District
16.9km/10½ miles 5½ hours
1 SJ998662 Walk up the lane and down Gradbach Mill driveway. A footpath opposite the main mill building leads into grassy pasture, then through a side-wall to a track. Where the track bends left, cross the Black Brook bridge then go uphill, across a path and up some steps to join a higher path. Go right, rising gently to a junction by Castle Rocks. Here, turn left for Lud’s Church, roughly 200m away, explore and return.
2 SJ985657 Follow the path west-ish, taking the second of two concessionary paths to Hanging Stone. Bend left below it, and descend to a stone track. Turn right along the track, then left through a gate. Descend through two fields, some woodland and fork right on a concessionary path to a wide track by the River Dane. Head left to cross a road bridge.
3 SJ965651 Take a footpath opposite the Wincle Brewery, heading uphill through fields. Bend right at a tall pole, aiming for a stile under a larch. Drop gently through woodland, cross a stream and ascend into fields. 4 SJ964657 Cross the wall between residential buildings to gain a driveway track, which bends left to a lane. Go left, then take a footpath right by Hammerton Farm. From here to the road by the Wild Boar Inn you're roughly heading in a straight line northwards on a mix of muddy ‘holloway’, concrete farm tracks, and field paths.
5 SJ959671 A footpath just right of the inn leads into fields. Cross a wall at an unexpected corner midfield, continue beside it, then bend right and downhill. Take a vehicle track left. Turn right near a farmhouse, then downhill over two small fields and a driveway. Go left on a country lane, left again to a T-junction, then sharp right onto a tarmac track at a widening in the road.
6 SJ964684 At a wide gate on the left, head 10-15m back along the fenceline to a stile. A track leads uphill; bend right at an early junction, then follow a wall line across Piggford Moor.
7 SJ973692 Veer sharp right into a field, left onto a crossing track, then fork right to your original line, with a significant steepening as you leave Piggford Moor. Contour left to a stone flagged path, leading to the summit trig point. After taking some time to absorb the views, leave the hill by bearing right along the short ridgeline, then left and steeply downhill. Head right on a tarmac track to a road, turn right towards the Crag Inn, then left onto a wooded footpath.
8 SJ982685 Cross a footbridge, then go uphill beside woodland by a wall. In fields above, keep your direction to a small bridge. Bear right over it, and head for the diagonal top right field corner. Go through a gate and up a track below woodland. Bend left at the wood corner, through fields to a barn then a road.
9 SJ985677 Cross the road and a small corner of moor to a tarmac track. Fork left onto rougher track then rise over a slight summit, to drop towards Gradbach. At a third gate, bend left to a lane.
10 SJ991663 Turn right here, then left down Goosetree Farm drive. On a bend, go through a gate into fields. Descend these (brief zig left at bottom of first) onto a holloway. Cross a footbridge by Gradbach Mill, pass the mill, and finally bend left to retrace your outward steps.