Higger Tor Route 4
Chiz Dakin explores former packhorse trails, ancient forts and fabulous viewpoints in the pretty Burbage Valley.
Rocks and rivers on this varied trail
Way back in geological times, 150 million years before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, the area that is now the Peak District was underwater. It was part of a large tropical lagoon, the waters of which contained the sea creatures whose skeletons formed limestone. Fast-forward 50 million years and the lagoon was closing, a giant river delta now covered the Peak District. This formed shifting sandstone bars, which became the millstone grits of the rocky Peak District Edges,and now form the fabulous viewpoints of Higger Tor, Carl Wark and Over Owler Tor.
Skip over the dinosaurs to human times, specifically Bronze and Iron Ages (about 2500BC to 100AD). The tropical sea/delta was long gone and the land mass roughly in its current position. At this point we had green valleys and ancient tribes. Carl Wark is thought to be either a hillfort or ceremonial gathering place from this time, with later Roman and Middle Age refortifications.
Fast-forward to Medieval and later times, and several packhorse tracks criss-crossed the Burbage Valley, with key routes connecting the salt trade from Cheshire with Sheffield, as well as the millstone quarries of the Peak District. The pretty packhorse bridge below Carl Wark is one of the best remnants of these and dates from the 18th century.
1 SK249784 Descend the station access road and pass the café/ railway bridge to an easily missed squeeze stile on your right into NT Padley Gorge. There are several tracks here, particularly lower down, but rise up through the woodland, keeping the river to your left, and bearing right away from a footbridge over the river at SK252791. Fork right at a junction and away from the river, then join a higher path to continue upstream. Towards the edge of woodland by a road, a couple of rough steep dips can be avoided by detouring briefly onto the pavement. Near the top of the woodland go through a gate in the wall. 2 SK257799 Cross a narrow bridge over the stream, then continue up its western bank in a grassy moorland valley. Ignore one bridge, then cross the next bridge back to the eastern bank, now rising gently uphill on a stone pitched track. Immediately after crossing a small stream bend sharp right to continue uphill through woodland. Pass through a gate then look for a track bending very sharp left and out to a road. 3 SK262805 Cross the road and take the permissive bridleway opposite. Fork left at a junction and descend to the ancient packhorse bridge across the brook. Now rise up an intermittent path over boggy ground to the col between Carl Wark and Higger Tor. 4 SK258815 Head left to Carl Wark on a clear path between the two outcrops. Explore the summit area then retrace your steps to the col, then on to Higger Tor. It gets a bit scrambly at the final ascent over blocky rocks. Explore the top of Higger, then head west along the craggy top at its southern edge.
5 SK254819 Almost at the far western end of the crags, take a narrow path descending north off the back of the crags, which loops around under the western end. Descend to the far-right corner of a large stone enclosure, then head just below the broad rounded heathery ridgeline to Winyard Nick. Continue over a blocky section onto the gritstone edge of Over Owler Tor.
6 SK250806 From just south of the outcrop, do not be tempted by the main path to Mother Cap (large cube-shaped outcrop directly south). Instead fork slightly right by a boulder, then right again down a short edge and across heather plateau to a fenceline along Millstone Edge. Follow a path leftwards beside the fence.
7 SK249800 Where the main path bends left to Surprise View car park, go through the lower of two closetogether gates then parallel a wire fence to a road. Look for a waymarker almost directly across the road, detour left to cross the road with better visibility, then follow the waymarker down through a gate. Follow a fence/ wall line to sparse silver birch woodland at the bottom of the second field from the road. Fork left at the edge of this woodland, by a lone pine tree. A narrow avenue of oak trees leads to a gate in the wall on your right.
8 SK252794 Take the sloping path through the gate heading back into the steeply-sided Yarncliff Wood. A hairpin bend left leads down to a junction of paths by a fingerpost. Turn right and descend a blocky pitched path, staying right at a fourways junction of paths. Some stone steps lead over a slight summit, then descend to exit the woodland and down a gravel access track to a junction. Turn left and back past the station to the start.