Ashford and Monsal Dale

A circular walk from Little Longstone

About 10km, a fair amount of up and down, allow plenty of time, say 3 hours.

This is a magnificent longer walk, well worth the problems of mud and the odd slippery rock step. The route follows well-defined tourist paths and mainly minor roads, one very difficult squeezer stile which can be bypassed. Lots of variety and interest.

Start – Packhorse Inn, Little Longstone, map reference SK190717

Before you leave the road pause to observe the clutter at the start of the path, 2 farm gates 1 white (private) gate, 1 small footpath gate, 2 stone through stiles, 3 footpath finger posts, 1 Monsal trail sign, 2 dogs on lead signs. There is a history to this site (in which I was involved) but it is perhaps time to consider the rationalising of these urban amenities.

Walk down the road to the start of the field paths on the right, opposite the Manor House. Find the signposted Ashford path and go almost due south towards the Monsal Trail (old Midland Railway).

Keep the grassy bank on your left (amenity tree planting on top) and the shallow long depression on your right. This depression shows distinct signs of subsidence here and there, perhaps, an old underground watercourse or mine “suff” or drain. Go through a gate in a cross wall and bear slightly left to another small gate in a very muddy spot at a wall corner adjacent to the railway embankment boundary wall. Go through the gate and follow the boundary wall up hill to a stile giving access to the Monsal Trail. Cross the Trail and take the path signposted Ashford by descending the awkward steps with the flying handrail.

The path from Little Longstone to Ashford is an old right of way that was well known for its wet condition and was little used locally as a result. The Peak Park “Improved” the path by better signposting and the provision of new gates to try and divert pedestrians from the road between the two tourist “honey pots” of Ashford and Monsal Head. Unfortunately the consequential increase in traffic following these well intentioned works has destroyed a lot of the surface of the path and failing to attend to the drainage work has led to some very muddy patches, including one known to my grandchildren as “Hippopotamus Hollow”. This path can be avoided by taking Pennyunk Lane for Monsal Head to Highfields on the outskirts of Ashford. Signposted Ashford at the Monsal Dale path junction immediately below the short stay car park at Monsal Head – see Under the Edge No 8, September 1999.

Follow the Ashford path keeping below the wall at the edge of the wood and above the boggy area to the right – a continuation of the depression on the other side of the old Railway line perhaps? Where the ground opens out there is a prominent grassy bank on the left, the home of a colony of black rabbits for many years. At the tarmac road (Longstone Lane) pause and consider a diversion to avoid the difficult squeezer ahead.

To divert go right along the road to a four way junction about 500M away, take the second left and walk down the road to Highfields, on the outskirts of Ashford.

To continue the original route cross the road and go into the field ahead via a squeezer stile. This is sheep country, please keep dogs under close control and close any gates or temporary obstructions as these are designed to keep lambs off the road. Follow the wall up, above the farm buildings to the very narrow squeezer. Struggle through and descend to the short lane by a small stone barn bearing “Critchlows” notice. The cattle in this field are often lively but friendly.

Cross the road, enter a small field via a small gate opposite and cross the field to a squeezer and another tarmac road. Turn left and walk up the road to the entrance to the Highfields estate opposite a large stone barn. This is also where Pennyunk lane reaches Ashford.

Immediately after the barn turn sharp left and steeply downhill into the older part of Ashford. By a lamppost almost at the bottom of the hill turn right onto a narrow tarmac path that leads to toilets and a small car park adjacent to a green traffic island, turn left and walk to the sheepwash bridge.

Sheepwash Bridge still retains the stone holding pen which held the sheep until they could be made to swim across the river to clean their fleeces. Men stood waist deep in the river to ensure no escapees and to dunk the sheep so that the whole animal spent some time submerged. The holes at the bottom of the pen walls were to prevent the tightly packed sheep suffocating – good old days!

Cross Sheepwash Bridge and cross carefully the busy A6 trunk road to the footpath on the far side, turn right and walk past the Rookery where art treasures were stored during World War II to protect from bomb damage or presumably theft if there had been a successful invasion. Take the Sheldon road on the left, ignore the pub advert on the farm gate, this refers to the “Cock & Pullet” at Sheldon, off our route today. Look out for an old river bridge on the right leading to a private works yard.

The yard is the site of the Ashford Black Marble works which produced many interesting and beautiful architectural features and ornaments which can be found in most of the churches, stately homes and many humble abodes in the locality.

There was also a comb mill in a subsidising part of the site where one Rowland Holmes made tortoiseshell combs from cow horn. The site cries out for a modest restoration and interpretation.

Just after the old bridge to the works yard take a short lane on the right to reach a field path on the riverbank. I forgot to look for the footpath sign but it used to be hidden in the bushes on the right of the lane. However a galaxy of notices makes the way ahead clear – bathing prohibited, dogs on lead, no cycling, shut the gate, river watch etc etc

Follow the river path ignoring the odd meander to another bridge and a group of stone buildings on the riverbank.

The first modern building is a ganging shelter to monitor river height and flow, the two older buildings are old mills with a varied history, restored by the Arkwright Society about 15 years ago, the main point of interest is the double water wheel at the side of one of the mills. This was also the site of a pump house which provided Sheldon with water some 150 meters above the site.

Continue on the river path behind the buildings to a distinct left then right kink in the path to avoid a turbulent short stream entering the river.

This is the tail of the Magpie suff, a main drain over a mile long and big enough to enable ore to be brought out by narrow boat. There are lock gates in the suff to enable the boat to be flushed out. The large stone block on the opposite riverbank is said to be a tethering point for the ore boat. The suff tail was opened out and restored by the Peak District Mines Historical Society about 20 years ago. The Society leases the Magpie Mine near Sheldon. The Magpie suff is gated – no access for cavers because of previous misuse and difficulties over pollution of the river.

Continue uphill, through the wood, observing by the river the large fishpond and after a long steady climb, parallel to hut above and distant for the A6 road, descend a sharp slope and a short slippery rock step to a stile in a cross- wall. Go over the stile, out of the wood and descend into a more open area and a path junction where the ground levels out. There are two low wooden footpath signs here (never use one where two will do), step down right of the main path and follow the path signposted “Bridleway and Footpath to White Lodge Picnic Site”. This goes down a narrow small rocky valley, and through a field to the picnic site, cross the site by the parking ticket machine, cross the A6 with extreme care – blind bend to the right – and enter Monsal Dale via a squeezer stile and stone steps by the bus stop.

The picnic site got its name from White Lodge Filling Station and was created by the Peak Park Authority as part of a scheme known as “Routes for People” some 30 years ago. This involved car park, picnic sites and extensive way marking of motor, horse and footpath routes in the “White Peak”. There is usually an ice cream vendor in summer and the “green” toilets are worth a visit, usually very clean and technically interesting. No hand washing possible with the system used. Nearby is an old Romano British site – a domestic settlement called Horseborough.

Enter Monsal Dale and follow the Dale bottom path for over 1 kilometre negotiating at the start muddy stepping stones over small clear streams feeding another fish pond by the river side – young fish being protected from any pollution in the river water. Despite the mud this section is now quite tolerable, before the stones were in place this was quite a fearsome “Granny stop” and deterred many tourists.

After about 1000 meters you may notice a very hill high up on the right. This is Fin Cop, the site of an ancient hill fort – possibly associated with the old village of Horsborough neat White Lodge.

A little further on there is a stone detached buttress on the other side of the river, with Limestone scree below. This is Hobs House or Hob Hurst House. Site of prehistoric cave finds and interesting geologically being in effect a landslip on the Limestone downhill towards the river. No access, private land and important for nature conservation.

About 1300 meters (20 – 25 minutes) from White Lodge the path climbs and goes very close to the river before reaching a wide flat grassy area on the right. Leave the main path here and follow the river round to a metal footbridge about 150 meters below a prominent waterfall. Cross the bridge and go left to the waterfall.

The waterfall is a man made weir, connected with a corn mill, newly demolished. The strange looking sponge like rock below the waterfall is Tufa, formed by the limestone in the riverwater being deposited by the spray, a similar process to petrifying wells.

From the waterfall take the clear path up through the wood, parallel but rising up above the river. This climb if taken very steadily is painless (relatively!) but if hurried is quite breathless. After crossing above the end of the viaduct the path finds Monsal Head. Parking, Toilets, Pub, Café, shops and a magnificent view.

Take the Little Longstone road opposite the Monsal Head Hotel back to the Packhorse, and if necessary, road or field path to Great Longstone.