Great Longstone - Ashford Circular

About 8KM — say 3¼hours

A lovely walk on easy ground, apart from some muddy spots, awkward stiles and over-grown lanes.

Parking and facilities at the two Longstones, Monsal Head and Ashford village centre via a short diversion.

Cow and sheep country, minor roads can be busy, children and dogs under close supervision please.

START Great Longstone Post Office Map reference SK 199718

1) Go left into Station Road and after about 150 metres take a field path to the right through a squeezer stile by a footpath finger post. After crossing a walled lane go to the top right hand (NW) corner of a big field by a wood. Go through the wood on a narrow fenced path and go downhill to Little Longstone joining the road in front of the Manor House.

The wood is a shelter belt planted some years ago as a cooperative venture between the landowner and Peak National Park Authority.

The Manor House is the home of the Longsdon family who have lived in the area for many centuries - did the family name come from the village name or vice versa? The Domesday Book mentions Longstone as "Langes Dune" - "Long Hill" perhaps?

2) Go left up the road to Monsal Head. At Monsal Head walk to the view point in the small car park in front of the pub and tea rooms.

3) Cross the road going down into Monsal Dale and go through the larger of two gaps in the boundary wall opposite the viewpoint, turn left down some stone steps on a path signposted "Monsal Dale and Ashford".

Just opposite the start of a light fence take a level path on the left signposted "Ashford". Follow this stone edged path as it climbs gently through the wood, via a stile and more steps to a fairly level path on the rim of the dale. Follow this path along (a concession path not shown on OS maps) to a memorial seat on level open ground.

4) Turn left at the seat and climb a stile by a decrepit gate into a walled track (signposted "Ashford"). Follow this walled track via run—down stiles and old gates to a concrete pond on the left. Just after this pond climb a stile on the left into a large field and follow the obvious track downhill to the bottom right hand (SE) corner of the field.

5) Turn right over a stile into another walled lane, follow this lane all the way to the Highfields Estate on the outskirts of Ashford. Ignore the track on the left about 80m from the stile that gave access from the field.

The lane is called Pennyunk Lane and is recorded on a map in the 15th century.

6) At Highfields the lane opens up into an open area of tarmac. Go straight across this to the public road out of the village, by the wall of a large limestone barn. (For a diversion to Ashford Village only turn right here) Turn left to continue the walk.

7) Go past the "30" sign and just after a metal footpath "To Monsal Head" sign, find an overgrown squeezer stile on the right, go through, cross the narrow field to a small gate, stile and steps down to another road. Cross this road half left and go down a short rough lane sign posted "Monsal Head". Observe the notice about Critchlows on the end of the stone barn at the end of the lane.

8) Continue on the field path by the field wall and above the modern farm buildings to Longstone Lane, Cross Longstone Lane and pick up the signposted path to Monsal Head on the other side. Follow this path to the old Midland Railway, now the Monsal trail.

9) Climb up the steps to the trail, turn right along the old railway line to Longstone Station, now a private house. Go to the far end of the platforms, go left up a flight of stone steps to Station Road. Turn left along the road past a small letter box and a modern bungalow. Look for a small gate and footpath sign on the left. Go into the field, follow the clear path half right to regain Station Road opposite the start of Glebe Avenue.

10) Cross Station Road, go up Glebe Avenue and just after a modern stone terrace of 3 houses turn left up a narrow footpath. Follow this back to Main Street. Turn left at Main St. to go back to the Post Office.