MAY 2024 – 12 MILES – WIN HILL AND LADYBOWER (PEAK DISTRICT)

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A friend 😊 had suggested I check out some hikes around the Ladybower area, I discovered quite a few that weren’t too far for me to travel to. One particular trail caught my eye, and I was eager to do it. Since it was on the longer side, I knew my sister and brother were usually game for these kinds of adventures. Sadly, my brother couldn’t join us this time, but my sister was still keen on the challenge. I decided to take some time off, and my sister came to stay so we could turn it into a full day excursion 😁

Total Distance: 12 Miles
Steps: ~36,000 Steps
Highest Point: 1503 Feet
Total Realistic Time: ~6 Hours

Win Hill is a hill north west of Bamford in the Derbyshire Peak District of England. Its summit is 1516 feet above sea level and it is bounded by the River Derwent to the east, the River Noe to the south west and Ladybower Reservoir to the north, with a ridge running north west linking it to Kinder Scout. The Roman road from Glossop over the Snake Pass crosses the ridge to the north and descends to Hope and the old Roman base of Brough in the Hope Valley, with the Hope Cross, a marker post dating from 1737, at the highest point of the road.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Win_Hill

Ladybower Reservoir is a large Y-shaped, artificial reservoir, the lowest of three in the Upper Derwent Valley in Derbyshire, England. The River Ashop flows into the reservoir from the west, the River Derwent flows south, initially through Howden Reservoir, then Derwent Reservoir, and finally through Ladybower Reservoir. The reservoir is owned by Severn Trent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladybower_Reservoir

Parking cost £6.80 for up to 10 hours, with other options available at Hope Car Park, which was our starting point. You can pay by cash, contactless, or use PayByPhone, but be aware that the phone signal isn’t very strong. There are toilets by the car park as well. It’s a fairly small car park, so arriving early increases your chances of finding a spot. We arrived at 8:30am on a Saturday and there were still a few spaces left.

Here’s the route we took, from the car park, we headed straight to Win Hill, then along the bottom half of Ladybower Reservoir before returning to the car park via Roman Road.

On the drive to Hope, we saw sheep roaming along the side verges. The adult ones looked a bit menacing, but luckily they didn’t suddenly jump into the road. The drive itself was beautiful, with picturesque, lush green scenery that made it feel like we were in a different continent. The weather was sunny and hot all day too.

The route started through some farmer’s fields with more sheep roaming around. Some fields were overgrown, so we took a detour along small roads to get back on track.

The scenery on the way to Win Hill was lovely.

We made it to Win Hill Pike, also known locally as the Pimple. The clear skies gave us amazing scenic views all around Hope Valley and the reservoir. Looking down over Ladybower, where we were headed, was beautiful with the water looking so blue. Many groups were out enjoying the panoramic views.

Here is the view we got on top of Win Hill Pike 🤩

This is the path down we took towards Ladybower.

The path led us to the edge of the forest, heading towards Ladybower Reservoir. The hike down through the forest was pretty steep, and we took our time since the path was quite slippery. It was incredibly beautiful, with lush greenery all around and the sounds of wildlife in the air. Truly mesmerising.

When we arrived at Ladybower Reservoir, it was quiet. We took our time to soak it all in.

On our way back to the car park, we headed towards Roman Road via Hope Cross. This route led us back into the forest area. The tall trees stood in perfectly aligned rows, creating a striking sight.

This Roman Road took us all the way back into Hope. It was a very long road. By this point, we had finished all our snacks and were both feeling very hungry.

On our way back to Hope car park, we stumbled upon Cafe Adventure. It seemed like a nice, cosy spot offering homemade food. We were starving, and as soon as we saw the spread of food and cakes inside, we were sold. The food was fresh, tasty, and exactly what we needed. And, of course, we enjoyed it all with a refreshing pot of tea. I couldn’t resist treating myself to some ice cream afterward, I went for my favourite chocolate scoop. 🤤

Conclusion:

At the start of the route, we encountered a few farmer’s fields to navigate through. Some were a bit overgrown, prompting us to take a detour along small roads to get back on track. Thankfully, most of the route offered clear paths and picturesque views. The weather was perfect, and we found ourselves not wanting the day to end, but we had to make our way back home. My sister and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, especially taking in the stunning views. Driving through Winnats Pass is always breathtaking. I look forward to returning very soon to complete the other two routes.

GENERAL EQUIPMENT

  • Apple iPhone 15 Pro (for taking photos/videos and mapping using OS Maps)
  • Comfy walking shoes (most important)
  • Flask with Hot/Cold drink (a good cuppa is always welcome)
  • ibuprofen (helping hand if you have any aches and pains)
  • Food and snacks (fuel to keep you going – not enough on this one)

 

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