There are countless walks in the Peak District, with a wide range of scenery types and suitability for different ages and abilities.
Inside West Barn there are many leaflets and books that can describe the routes far better than we can. Feel free to use these to plan your walks. There are a number of very helpful websites that list walking routes, see the links to the right.
The fields surrounding West Barn have many footpaths, well sign-posted and maintained by the local walking groups. From the farmhouse, start by going up the lane beside it (leads to paths above or behind West Barn), or down towards the village and also – towards the front – over ‘our stream’ and up to a stile just beyond our front top wall to the right. It is possible to join these paths together or walk further afield, even to Chatsworth.
Below is a list with descriptions of walks that we have done, some are local and that may not appear in the guide books. Serious walkers may be amused as these are of a “recreational” nature!
Walks worth exploring
- Padley Gorge from the NT Longshaw estate
- Lathkill Dale
- Mam Tor at Castleton
- Chrome Hill at Hollinsclough
- Baslow, Curbur & Frogatt Edges
- Stanedge Edge, Hathersage
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A pleasant local walk starting from the doorstep, mostly gentle on quiet roads and footpaths, wear boots as can be a little muddy.
- Walk up the lane to Loads Road – or if you want – cross the stream and walk up the footpath at the front of the barn towards the RIGHT, through the style and up the neighbour Tom’s drive to Loads Road.
- Turn RIGHT and walk up Loads road to the top of the hill. At the crest, there is a footpath that heads LEFT over the fields and down into the next valley.
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- Follow the footpath down until you come to Harewood Road
- Turn LEFT and walk down Harewood Road for just over a mile until you see a public footpath sign on the LEFT
- This footpath climbs gently across the hillside, providing some pleasant views and over the top of Holy moor, following an old drover’s road. This path returns to Loads road opposite the ‘Old Star’ pub
- If you reach the village you’ve gone too far. No matter, turn LEFT into Gallery Lane and then turn LEFT at the end into Loads Road and re-join the route at the cottage signed as the ‘Old Star’ pub
- Walk up Loads road for about 50m and take a footpath to the RIGHT, through the wall and beside some conifer trees
- Follow this path up the hillside, crossing fields until you come to the drive for Mill Close Farm
- Turn RIGHT and go down the concrete drive and turn LEFT into the gated field – just before reaching the farm’s bridge
- Walk up the field beside the stream, though a gate beside the derelict cottage, through a stile, back into Netherloads farm yard.
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You can either follow the instructions given in the guide below or use the ample visitor car parking at the reservoir. There is a slope down to the lower of 3 reservoirs, from where you can choose as along or short a walk as you wish.
http://www.peakdistrictonline.co.uk/a-walk-around-linacre-reservoirs-i5704.html
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[stextbox id=”Custom_west_barn” caption=”Woods & lakes above Chatsworth that feed the Emperor fountain” collapsing=”true” collapsed=”true”]
The start is approx 2 miles away on a corner on the road to Beeley where there is normally an ice cream van parked at weekends and holidays.
Turn right out of our lane onto Loads Road and drive over the moor. Turn right at the 2nd cross-roads towards Beeley, and right again after approx 200yds. After another 200yds just before a sharp right-hand bend, you will be able to park beside the road. There a bridleway on the opposite corner that leads down, across fields and moorland into the grounds above Chatsworth, downhill to Beeley or further afield. Half a mile down this lane, you can climb over a high stile for Chatsworth or continue left down the lane to Beeley.
The high fields and valleys are where the water is gathered and stored to power the Chatsworth cascade and Emperor fountain. There are a series of ditches that feed lakes above the house and then the water features.
You can walk free of charge over the hill-top, with views of the estate valley, through the woods and down to the Chatsworth children’s farm and stables. You can visit a hidden aqueduct and waterfall high above the main cascade and walk through landscaped grounds to the folly.
Map and pictures to follow………….
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[stextbox id=”Custom_west_barn” caption=”Coming Soon – Local walk 2 – Over the hills to the Back” collapsing=”true” collapsed=”true”]
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[stextbox id=”Custom_west_barn” caption=”Coming Soon – Local Standing Stones – Ancient Way-markers” collapsing=”true” collapsed=”true”]
More to follow…………. However there is a booklet in the hallway bookshelf about the standing stones – some of which can been seen beside the road, up the hill towards Beeley – right at the very top.
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