Rowarth

Summary

From the old mill village of Rowarth, climb gently on moorland tracks to Lantern Pike, a beacon site from medieval times, with commanding views across the western fringe of the Dark Peak, centred on the massive plateau and edges of Kinder Scout.

Difficulty:: Leisurely
Distance:: 5.5 miles (8.9 km)
Walking time:: 00h 00m
Type:: Circular

Start location

Rowarth, above Mellor (G Manchester) SK22 1EF

lat: 53.3998035

lon: -1.9838953

Map

Elevation

Route

Kinder Scout from Lantern Pike

Moorland road above Little Mill

On Matley Moor

1 of 0

Getting there

Stagecoach bus service 375 Stockport to Mellor (Shiloh Road terminus) Mon-Sat hourly until mid-afternoon (Tel: 0871 200 2233 www.traveline.info). The terminus is 1.6km/1 mile from Rowarth.

By car follow the road signed for Mellor from Marple Bridge (village centre traffic lights beside Norfolk Arms pub), or from New Mills (Mellor Road) to the 5-way ridge-top junction and road sign for Rowarth and Chisworth. Turn along this (Shiloh Road). In a further mile, about 100m past a development of houses converted from a pub (on L at a road junction), turn R (P sign may be misaligned on post here) downhill on the 'No Through Road' to find the L-turn for 'Rowarth Only' (c.800m). Turn here; the free car park is 400m and on the right.

Waypoints

1

Turn left from the car park; then left at the T-junction to reach The Little Mill Inn. Pass this and head uphill along Laneside Road. Keep right at the fork and advance past Laneside Farm, whereupon the lane becomes a rough sunken track, rising steadily to the moorland edge. As it levels, fine views splay west across this tranquil area where Derbyshire and Cheshire meet. Walk the walled track for a further 1km to reach a tarred lane above the Sett Valley.

2

Turn left downhill to reach a short terrace of cottages in 450m; here fork left up the signed Pennine Bridleway (PB). This initially tarred lane passes a secluded house to reach a gate into the National Trust’s High Peak Estate. Use this; then turn left up the steep wall-side path. In 175m turn right at a low waymarked post and walk the heathery path to the toposcope on the gently rounded 373m summit of Lantern Pike, probably a medieval beacon site.

3

Head due-north (etched on the toposcope), dropping to a bridlegate. Keep ahead 75m; then drift left along the braided field track to reach a multi-gated corner. Head left on the unmade lane (signed PB & Monk’s Road), reaching Matleymoor Farm in 500m. Pass left of the farm’s immediate grounds along the continuing walled track. Beyond a second gate in 550m, bend left with the PB down to a tarred lane.

4

Turn right; then first-left along the access road to Kings Clough Farm. Pass immediately right of the house (garden path is waymarked 40m before house) to cross a footbridge beneath willows; then head diagonally up-field roughly below power wires and poles. You'll reach the cross-wall half-way up (stile/gate here just uphill of the power line); don’t use this, but instead cut back-left on the level to use a fingerposted crossing of walls and fences at the opposite edge of the field. Very gradually drift right, rising gently along an initially ill-defined, but then increasingly notched path across the hillside, passing through decrepit walls to reach the ridge of a tongue of land, re-gaining views to the west.

5

Join the wide grassy path descending south (left) off this snout. At the walled corner favour the path signed over a stile for Rowarth, dropping to the hamlet. Turn right to walk beside the top of the greensward pasture to find the car park. Rowarth was a centre for manufacturing candlewicks and spun cotton at a series of small mills – all long gone - beside the beck here; one such stood opposite The Little Mill Inn.

Notes

Where: circular walk at Rowarth, Derbyshire

Start/End: car park at Rowarth (SK011891)

Terrain: lanes, byways, moorland paths and tracks; muddy/marshy in places

Maps: Explorer OL1, Landranger 110

Eating & drinking: The Little Mill Inn, Rowarth, High Peak SK22 1EB Tel: 01663 747678 www.thelittlemillinn.co.uk

Sleeping: The Little Mill Inn (as above): B&B including quirky suites in an old Pullman carriage;

Ladygate Farm B&B, Birch Vale, New Mills, Derbyshire SK22 1AY Tel: 01663 745562 www.ladygatefarm.co.uk

Visitor information: New Mills Heritage & Information Centre, Rock Mill Lane, New Mills SK22 3BN Tel: 01663 746904 www.newmillstowncouncil.org.uk

Guidebooks: Best Pub Walks in the Dark Peak by Les Lumsdon and Martin Smith (£7.95, Sigma Press ISBN: 9781850588153)

Local Ramblers Group: Greater Manchester and High Peak: www.manchester-ramblers.org.uk

Problem with this route?

If you encounter a problem on this walk, please let us know by emailing volunteersupport@ramblers.zendesk.com. If the issue is with a public path or access please also contact the local highways authority directly, or find out more about solving problems on public paths on our website.

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