We are the Take a Hike Ramblers. We open the way for everyone in our local community to enjoy the pleasures of walking.
Suzanne M.
AKA Robin Hood's cave & Little John's grave.
A good level of fitness is required for this walk.
On clear days the views are excellent.
The ascent of Bamford Clough is steep, and will be walked at a slow pace. There is a sign stating the gradient is 35%. There is a section of the road that is closed off to traffic, this is the steepest part of the clough. At the top of the clough we cross the road (which usually has cars parked on it) to the path up to Bamford Edge, where we will have a break.
As we walk along Bamford Edge we have views of the Hope Valley, Win Hill (and Mam Tor in the distance), and Ladybower Reservoir (with Kinder and Bleaklow in the distance).
We head up past grouse butts on Moscar Moor to Stanage Edge. We follow the Edge as far as Robin Hood's Cave, retrace our steps for a short distance then head down through woodland to North Lees Hall (which has connections to Charlotte Bronte).
https://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/visiting/places-to-visit/stanage-and-north-lees/north-lees-hall
We continue across fields to the church in Hathersage, where we will see Little John's grave.
In Hathersage there is an outdoors kit shop which has toilets and a cafe upstairs. We can have a break here, if everyone is in agreement.
https://www.outside.co.uk/our-cafe/
Our return to Bamford is across fields and passes Thorpe Farm.
https://hope-valley.co.uk/ Thorpe Farm;: home of Hope Valley Ice Cream.
ALTERNATIVE WALK
Moscar Moor is a grouse shooting moor. It is unlikely there will be shooting on a Sunday, but if there is, after Bamford Edge we will be able to do an alternative walk down to Ladybower Reservoir and up Win Hill (Plan B will be a similar distance to the published walk / Plan A).
https://protectthewild.org.uk/news/reclaim-our-moors-walk-2023-moscar-moor/
https://sheffieldwire.co.uk/index.php/2023/12/08/grouse-shooting-estate-burning-city-council-calls-for-a-ban-on-the-destructive-health-threatening-practice/
https://www.landedhouses.co.uk/large-houses/moscar-lodge/
https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/magazines/derbyshire/22630745.duchess-rutlands-refurbishment-moscar-lodge-near-bamford/
TRAVEL BY TRAIN FROM LEEDS https://www.thetrainline.com/
You need to take two trains: L:eeds - Sheffield - Bamford (less than a mile from the meeting point).
You need to check train times nearer the date of the walk, once the information becomes available.
Jan25 - As a guide, I searched on Sunday 04/05/25. Off peak day return prices, £14.50 + £6.80 + booking fee. Leeds to Sheffield, 41 mins, 8.11 - 8,52. Sheffield to Bamford, 21 mins, 9.14 - 9.35.
Meet on Fiddlers Well, where it joins the main road. There is a seating area here, and the central stone from the art trail (this has all four images on one stone, if you were to walk the trail you would only find one on each of the stones). https://www.bamfordvillage.co.uk/touchstone-trail There is a small amount of parking on Fiddlers Well. It is usually possible to park on the main road towards the train station - the road is not wide enough for three cars, please allow space between parked cars so that cars driving from the direction of the train station have somewhere to pull in if needed. Some of the surrounding streets are private parking for residents. There are some residential streets where you may be able to park considerately, such as Brentwood Road. The train station is less than a mile from the start point.
