18th July 2015 - Monyash & Lathkill Dale
Walk Details
Distance walked: 9.3 miles
Total ascent: 1426 ft
OS map used: OL24 - The Peak District, White Peak area
Time taken: 5.5 hrs
Route description: Monyash-Chapel Street-Horse Lane-Bagshaw Dale-Lathkill Dale-Ricklow Dale-Lathkill Dale-Palmerston Wood-Meadow Place Grange-Moor Lane-Limestone Way-Cales Dale-Lathkill Dale-Church Street-Monyash
When my brother Stephen last joined me for a walk at the end of May we did a route that started from Hartington. On the drive home we passed the turn-off for Monyash and it put in my mind a good walk for the next time that he wanted to tag along. I saw Lathkill Dale for the first time last March and it impressed me with the quality of the scenery on show. However, with it being the start of spring it was quite drab and nothing was growing. My next visit had to be in the middle of summer so that I could see it at its finest with all the wildflowers in bloom. Today was just the right sort of day, sunny spells, fluffy clouds and good visibility.
After parking on Chapel Street in Monyash we made our north out of the village, then right onto Horse Lane. Almost immediately the public footpath down Bagshaw Dale is reached on the right. We followed it down Bagshaw Dale to reach Church Street, where after crossing the road we took the path into Lathkill Dale. On reaching access land we left the valley path behind to head up and over to Ricklow Dale and the public footpath there. This was where the start of the walk along the northern rim of the valley started (thanks to Mark Richards' White Peak, northern dales guide for alerting me to the possiblity of doing this). We then followed a fairly clear path above the valley to where the public footpath from Haddon Grove Farm heads down, eastwards from here the path isn't as clear and there was a section that was completely overgrown. A short detour into an adjacent field had to be done to get round it. If I'd known I would have taken the path down into the valley from Haddon Grove Farm. Anyway, we eventually reached the footpath from Mill Farm down into the valley. There was then a gentle stroll through the woodland down Lathkill Dale to the bridge across the river below Over Haddon. After crossing the river we followed the bridleway up to Meadow Place Grange, then the footpath to Back Lane and across to Moor Lane. We then walked up Moor Lane to reach Back Lane again and the Limestone Way. This trail took us to Cales Dale and the path down into Lathkill Dale. The last bit of the walk was to make our way up Lathkill Dale to Church Street and back to Monyash.
Total ascent: 1426 ft
OS map used: OL24 - The Peak District, White Peak area
Time taken: 5.5 hrs
Route description: Monyash-Chapel Street-Horse Lane-Bagshaw Dale-Lathkill Dale-Ricklow Dale-Lathkill Dale-Palmerston Wood-Meadow Place Grange-Moor Lane-Limestone Way-Cales Dale-Lathkill Dale-Church Street-Monyash
When my brother Stephen last joined me for a walk at the end of May we did a route that started from Hartington. On the drive home we passed the turn-off for Monyash and it put in my mind a good walk for the next time that he wanted to tag along. I saw Lathkill Dale for the first time last March and it impressed me with the quality of the scenery on show. However, with it being the start of spring it was quite drab and nothing was growing. My next visit had to be in the middle of summer so that I could see it at its finest with all the wildflowers in bloom. Today was just the right sort of day, sunny spells, fluffy clouds and good visibility.
After parking on Chapel Street in Monyash we made our north out of the village, then right onto Horse Lane. Almost immediately the public footpath down Bagshaw Dale is reached on the right. We followed it down Bagshaw Dale to reach Church Street, where after crossing the road we took the path into Lathkill Dale. On reaching access land we left the valley path behind to head up and over to Ricklow Dale and the public footpath there. This was where the start of the walk along the northern rim of the valley started (thanks to Mark Richards' White Peak, northern dales guide for alerting me to the possiblity of doing this). We then followed a fairly clear path above the valley to where the public footpath from Haddon Grove Farm heads down, eastwards from here the path isn't as clear and there was a section that was completely overgrown. A short detour into an adjacent field had to be done to get round it. If I'd known I would have taken the path down into the valley from Haddon Grove Farm. Anyway, we eventually reached the footpath from Mill Farm down into the valley. There was then a gentle stroll through the woodland down Lathkill Dale to the bridge across the river below Over Haddon. After crossing the river we followed the bridleway up to Meadow Place Grange, then the footpath to Back Lane and across to Moor Lane. We then walked up Moor Lane to reach Back Lane again and the Limestone Way. This trail took us to Cales Dale and the path down into Lathkill Dale. The last bit of the walk was to make our way up Lathkill Dale to Church Street and back to Monyash.
Route map
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Leaving Monyash behind and we head down Bagshaw Dale
Soon after entering Lathkill Dale access land is reached. We left the valley path behind to head up and over to Ricklow Dale. Lovely views of wildflower filled fields..
..and across grass swaying in the wind back to Monyash
Lathkill Dale as we start our walk along the northern edge of the valley
Fantastic views up and down the valley as we make our way down dale....
Above the wooded part of the valley now with Parsons Crag ahead
Looking back up Lathkill Dale
That wasn't pleasant. The path across access land between the public footpaths down into the valley from Haddon Grove Farm and Mill Farm seems to have been used far less than that further west up the valley. There was a bit that was completely overgrown with head high bracken, thistles and nettles. The only way to get past other than turning back was to take a short detour into the adjacent field, which was what we did. If I'd known beforehand I would have taken the public footpath down from Haddon Grove Farm.
A quiet spot for lunch, next to the footpath down from Mill Farm into Lathkill Dale
After lunch and it's down into Lathkill Dale
There isn't much water flowing down the River Lathkill today as we cross it below Over Haddon
Approaching Meadow Place Grange
Looking back to Meadow Place Grange with the village of Over Haddon on the hillside beyond
A view to the east towards the moors around Rowsley and the confluence of the rivers Derwent and Wye
As we reach Moor Lane a look back to a distant Over Haddon
After enjoying the unexpected bonus of an ice-cream from a kiosk parked next to the car park on Moor Lane we're heading back towards Lathkill Dale on the Limestone Way
My brother Stephen strides out ahead of me as we start the descent to Cales Dale
Lathkill Dale to our right
A last shot across to the limestone crags before heading down
A fantastic walk up Lathkill Dale to come
Lots of wildflowers to see, including Meadow Cranesbill, Field Scabious and Bird's-foot Trefoil
We walked around the top of this side valley earlier in the day
Looking back down the valley
Approaching the top of the valley
The rare Jacob's Ladder. It's in a fenced enclosure to protect it.
A last shot looking down the craggy part of the valley. Those tall plants with spikes of yellow flowers are Great Mullein, also known as Aaron's Rod.
Stay up there
A short walk up to the road and then it's back to Monyash