Matlock to Bonsall
DAY 1
SK296602 Exit the 1 train station onto the main road, then bend right onto Snitterton Road. Fork second-left onto a tarmac track by ‘The French Wine People’, heading uphill. At the track end, go up steps into fields, going straight ahead at a path junction.
2
SK295599
Cross a tarmac track, then follow intermittent Limestone
Way (LW) waymarkers, roughly maintaining a slightly west of south-west direction by the edges of fields. Cross over a few tracks/ driveways, sometimes slightly staggered, you’ll also swap occasionally between sides of the field boundary.
SK285594 3 Briefly head diagonally right across the middle of one field in a more westerly direction, then regain your roughly south-westerly direction. Pass a line of trees then a small barn, then bend right and through a gate.
SK279590 Follow 4 a hedge line left round the outside corner of your last field and under power lines.
SK279588 Just after 5 a shaded wooden gate, fork right then left following waymarkers.
Ignore all side paths and descend to Bonsall’s cross, bending sharp right onto ridged concrete for the final descent.
SK279583 Go 6 straight past the cross and into a narrow lane where Yeoman St bends left. Take steps and a walled path into fields; fork slightly right across a small field then take another walled path. Pass beside a lone pine tree then out to cross a tarmac lane (Uppertown Lane) on a slightly staggered
junction.
7
SK272584 At a junction with
Abel Lane (by Hollies Farm), take a footpath towards Brightgate. Fork left at a junction of tracks, cross the wall line near a barn, then stay left near the continuing wall line uphill through fields (with very narrow squeeze stiles!) to a stony walled track.
SK268590 Turn left 8 onto the track, then take a footpath right after about 150m. Head roughly north-west through fields, passing left of some ruined stone barns, beside a rickety iron farmers gate, take a staggered junction right over a sandy track then left across a country lane. Maintain your direction across a large field and under power lines.
SK255599 Now 9 head more westerly, soon dropping just below plateau height but above a fence line, and high above the Winster valley. Cross the fence line then drop right below Luntor Rocks. Fork left at a
fingerpost, rising
back up to a continuation track.
SK237600 Emerge 10 onto a road just opposite a strange square building (former mining lead-bank). Take
the lane behind this, then go right towards Elton on a restricted byway track. Fork right early on, then cross a tarmac farm driveway and Chadwick Hill (lane) to descend Dudwood Lane.
SK228618 Fork left 11 just before a main road, rising up a tarmac driveway. Where the track bends right, fork left across grass following LW waymarkers. Cross a corner of field containing the gritstone outcrop of Robin Hood’s Stride, then head diagonally across two large fields passing left of a large tree stump.
SK223626 Take the 12 lane rightwards, then a wide track left into woodland (just before a sharp bend left). Descend gently to the far end of the woods, then go diagonally across a field to a junction of paths by a stile.
SK218629 Head 13 right under power lines. Rise gently to a great view over Youlgrave, then down to a ruined gateway close to a large tree. Fork right towards Youlgrave church tower, then follow LW waymarkers out to a road. Turn right then take a path left following the north bank of the River Bradford. At the bottom of a dead-end tarmac lane (Holywell Lane) turn right and head uphill to Youlgrave.