Hartington, Peak District. B Walk (BOOKING ESSENTIAL)

B WALK DESCRIPTION: Leader: Peter Searle. 10 miles, ~1050 ft total ascent (one steep descent). The route starts along a footpath south from Hartington village, crossing rolling fields then entering Morson Wood, soon joining the River Dove through a gorge. We next take a track (by-way) through fields, before turning onto a bridleway that climbs through Narrowdale, then follow a footpath through fields to the pretty village of Alstonefield. After our lunch break on the village green (next to The George pub), we head east along Lode Lane before turning onto a track that heads NE towards Coldeaton Bridge across the River Dove. (The final descent to the bridge is quite steep, descending 70m over a horizontal distance of about 200m.) We walk beside the river upstream, then turn right into Biggindale. We walk the full length of this attractive Dale, gently climbing all the way to Dale End where we turn left onto Highfield Lane (byway), which climbs over a gentle hill before descending to the outskirts of Hartington. The fare is £15.