Great Longstone annual charity walk day with the Crispin Inn

Introduction

2, 7 or 10 miles. Organised in collaboration with the Crispin Inn, Great Longstone - this annual walk day helps raise funds for local causes and provides a perfect excuse for a good walk, followed by pie and peas at an excellent local pub...all welcome! The 2010 walk (Saturday September 4th) will be raising funds to help towards the refurbishment of the Childrens' playground in the village park...


WALK DETAILS

Saturday September 4th 2010

Longer walks: 10.15am sign-in - 11am start (sharp) 

2 mile walk: 12.30 sign in | 1pm start (sharp)


Suggested entry fees:

Adults: £5 - £10 (or more via Sponsorship) 

Children under 14 - £1

Dogs - 50p

Optional Pie & Peas - £5

Please call Crispin landlord Paul on 01629 640 237 for more details/sponsorship forms etc.



10 MILES WALK INSTRUCTIONS (for those who can't wait!) 

The first part of the walk follows a fairly convoluted route onto Longstone Moor but, as it avoids most of Moor Road, is kinder to the lungs and affords better views, is a more enjoyable introduction to this classic White Peak trudge!
 
VIA LONGSTONE MOOR TO WARDLOW (75 MINUTES)
With your back to the Crispin Inn, Great Longstone, turn left along the pavement to the first bend, cross and join Moor Road.
After a few minutes turn left at the painted sign for Dale Farm.
Follow the track around the end building. DO NOT take the stile ahead. Continue up the steep, rutted path, eventually passing a seat on your right opposite a farm gate.
Just ahead take the stile on your right, next to a gate, and follow the evident grassy track up the hill, passing a pond on your left and skirting a line of trees to your right. Arrive at a stile in the wall just before another gate.
Turn sharp right over the stile and follow a thin path along the wall side and to the right of a single tree. Continue over the rise ahead to a small wooden gate in the wall.
Through the gate follow a grassy upward path until you arrive at a cairn (pile of stones) on top of the hill. This affords a 360 degree view. Return to the path and head for two groups of trees ahead, passing through the middle.
Follow the path around and onwards, eventually keeping to the left of a fenced area (disused mine-shafts). 100 metres past the first fence-post turn sharp left onto a clear path with a lone tree. On the brow of the hill ahead, the silhouette of a sign-post can be seen.
Continue along this clear path, over the hill and down as far as a wall. DO NOT cross this stile but veer sharp left and follow the path and the wall down to a gate/stile in the bottom corner, next to a road.
Cross over into the field ahead, and continue diagonally through a succession of gates/stiles and fields to meet the road above Wardlow.
 
WARDLOW TO LITTON (45 MINUTES)
Turn right and join the pavement down into Wardlow. Just beyond a house (on the opposite side) named 'Robin Hey' follow the footpath sign marked 'Ravensdale 1'. Continue along this green lane to the head of Cressbrook Dale.
Once over the stone stile, turn almost immediately right to access a steep, grassy path (care required) down into the dale bottom. Continue ahead for a short while to a series of large stepping stones on your left. Cross here into Tansley Dale.
Follow the route up the dale and, at the top, take the upwards path alongside a fallen wall. Climb to a stile before cutting diagonally up and across to a sign-post at the wall end in the field ahead.
Follow the field path ahead to another wall stile. Over the stile turn left for 20 metres to another stile in the wall to your right. Follow the field path to a stile next to a cottage and into the village of Litton.
 
LITTON TO LITTON MILL (50 MINUTES)
Turn left and keep left past the shop and beyond. Cross the road opposite Honeypot Cottage and follow the pavement and road down until opposite Dale Cottage. Cross here (safest) and shortly beyond pick up the high-level pavement. Continue along and down to the road junction.
Almost immediately to your left take the gate into Access land and follow the path down into Tideswell Dale car park (public toilets). Continue along to the fork in the path. Take either route, both of which rejoin the path which continues down eventually to a road. Turn left and follow the river down to the cottages at Litton Mill. 
 
CHOICE OF ROUTES FROM HERE (STRONGLY ADVISE NOT TO TAKE THE 'ALPINE ROUTE' WITH CHILDREN AND/OR DOGS OR IN INCLEMENT WEATHER)
 
RIVERSIDE ROUTE (30 MINUTES) - EASY, SAFE
Pass through the stone gateway on the concessionary path through the converted mill buildings and turn left onto the path at the end. Follow the riverside walk (occasionally very muddy) to the sheer rock face (Rubicon) used by climbers at Water-cum-Jolly-Dale, a broad and almost lake-like section of the river just above a weir and before Di's Brew Stop and Cressbrook Mill.
Turn right to cross the wooden bridge over the noisy waterfall. Follow the path up and around (above Cressbrook Mill) to reach the Monsal Trail after a few minutes.
 
ALPINE ROUTE (30 MINUTES) - POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS - NOT FOR CHILDREN OR DOGS
Opposite cottage number 10 follow the footpath sign to Miller's Dale. Climb the path onto the Monsal Trail and turn left. Follow the trail to the bricked-up tunnel ahead and climb the path to the left up to a stile.
Take the higher of two paths up to a small plateau with caves. Take the lower path passing a lone tree. Follow this very narrow path high above the dale below as it winds its way around for several minutes eventually dipping down past a group of trees and scree.
Continue to follow the path as it resumes its alpine course opposite the magnificent Cressbrook Hall, clearly in view across the dale. High above Water-cum-Jolly-Dale the path veers around the grassy headland to join the (Riverside Route) path leading onto the Monsal Trail.
 
MONSAL TRAIL AND HOME (50 MINUTES)
Continue along the Monsal Trail, passing the old station to reach the viaduct and, a little further ahead, the closed tunnel. Take the path to the left up to Monsal Head (public toilets). Proceed to the roadside next to the hotel.
Cross here (care required) and follow the pavement down towards Little Longstone, passing the Packhorse pub and on to the castellated Little Longstone barns (holiday accommodation) just beyond.
Cross here and pass over the stile or gate. Turn immediately left and follow the path over the grassy bank to a stile. Continue on through several more along the clearly marked field-paths to reach Station Road and Great Longstone.
Turn left and stroll back into the village and the Crispin Inn.
 
Mike Cummins
September 28th 2009