Wednesday 28th January 2026
Leader, Report & Photos: Mike B
Walk Report
Route – Ashford in the Water, Little Longstone, Longstone Moor and Edge, Rowland, Great Longstone, Cracknowl Wood, Lumford Mill.
A group of 11 walkers met at the bandstand in Ashford in the Water.
The group included a member from Glossop and a young couple from Nottingham who wanted to join the walk as ‘guests’. They being interested in joining the `Ramblers and wanting to try out and experience a group walk. The route of this walk had been recently amended by the leader, from the original published version, to avoid the closed sections of the Monsal Trail.
It was a cold dry frosty start, with the village being shrouded in low cloud. The weather forecast was for this cloud to lift mid morning and sunny conditions in the afternoon. Thankfully no rain in the forecast and we did enjoy sunshine and blue skies for most of the walk
The group set off and followed the footpath passing Highfield Farm and onto the boggy path through the fields behind Thornbridge Hall and onto the Monsal Trail. The recent heavy wet weather making most fields on this walk muddy underfoot.
The group crossed the trail and followed the footpath through fields to reach Little Longstone. From here we made the steady climb up Chertpit Lane to come out of the low cloud to reach a sunny Longstone Moor. The views below us of the cloud inversions were much admired. See photos.
A welcome coffee break for the group was taken and some of the leaders home made flapjack consumed.
On reaching the Tumulus as the highest point of the walk at 1300 ft, we had opportunity to admire the great 360 views of the Peak District and a group photo was taken – see photo. The group then continued on the path for 1.5 miles along the Moor and the along Edge to reach the narrow track to descend into the hamlet of Rowland. From here the group followed the footpath through many fields to reach the village of Great Longstone. Lunch was taken at the cricket ground as it has many convenient bench seats.
After negotiating the back streets of Longstone to emerge onto fields again, the group headed towards the A6020 and to go under the Monsal Trail. After a short walk along the road the group followed the path up and through Cracknowl Wood to emerge past Cracknowl House and on to the hill overlooking Bakewell. The group descended down the bridleway past the old chert mine and onto Holme Hall.
The leader gave the group a short history about Holmebank Mine. Opened in 1865 and operating for nearly 100 years. It produced the very hard stone called ‘chert’, used for the grinding of pottery glazes. The flooded sections are now employed to train groups of cave divers.
After a short section of pavement walking at Lumford Mill the group then followed the footpath for a mile through fields towards Ashford in the Water and back to the start. The River Wye and its various weirs being evident for most of this section.
A varied circular walk with a nice amount of climb with good views was enjoyed and appreciated by all the group.
Distance: 10.3 miles
Elevation: 1300 ft
