Peak District Old Stones Way – 38 Miles – 3-4 days – Carl Wark to Minninglow Hill. High on the Pennine moorlands south west of Sheffield, the rock fortress of Carl Wark stands proud, near Higger Tor, where you can see the destination of Minninglow hill, 25 miles south, resting place of prehistoric chieftains in their chambered cairns. This route takes in the old stones of the Nine Ladies, and Stanton Moor’s sacred groves that come alive on Midsummer Night with local festivities and Arbor Low, the Neolithic ‘clock’ whose massive recumbent stones are aligned to midwinter sunrise and midsummer sunset. All of these major prehistoric sites have a direct sightline to Minninglow – place and orientate yourself in the land with this visual technology, which our ancestors must have also done.

Low-cost hostels along route – Youlgreave YHA, Hathersage YHA, St Michael’s, Hathersage, Eyam YHA and others nearby.

Scroll down to bottom of page for logistics.

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Carl Wark

Higger Tor

View from Higger Tor

Burbage Brook in Yarncliff Wood

Chatsworth House

Curbar Edge

Chatsworth Stone Swirls

Nine Ladies

Stanton Moor Old Way overlooking Minninglow in distance

Cork Stone

Hermit’s Cave near Birchover

Hermit’s Cave

Hermit’s Cave Crucifix

Stone Circle and Robin Hood’s Stride

Youlgreave from Castle Ring

Youlgreave Church

Pilgrim with Staff and Wallet Pouch, Youlgreave Church

Youlgreave Font

Youlgreave Sanctuary

Lathkil Dale Weirs

Lathkil Dale from Conksbury Bridge

View from Lathkil Hotel, Over Haddon

Lathkil Dale

Arbor Low Stone Circle and Henge

Gib Hill Round Barrow

Tissington Trail (Old Railway Track)

Minninglow Chambered Cairns

Approaching Minninglow

Arbor Low is an optional destination if short of time.

An easier route from the start to Baslow (rather than the climb to Froggatt Edge) is along the River via Grindleford and Calver Slough. See the blue line on the Google Map.

Accommodation (in order of distance from Carl Wark)
First night – Baslow, Beeley or Rowsley.
Second Night – Youlgreave or Over Haddon.
Third Night (recommended) – Arbor Low or Biggin.

Distances
Carl Wark – 0 miles
Yarncliff Wood – 3.5 miles
Baslow (River or High Edge routes) – 5 miles
Beeley – 5 miles
Rowsley – 1.5 miles
Birchover – 4 miles
Youlgreave – 3 miles
Over Haddon – 3 miles
Arbor Low – 4.5 miles
Biggin – 4 miles
Minninglow – 4.5 miles
(Brassington – 3 miles)

Transport
Start: Take a train to Grindleford (2.25 miles) or Sheffield (8.5 miles), and take a taxi to the start or National Trust Longshaw, roughly a mile’s walk from Carl Wark…
End: From Minninglow walk 3 miles down the path to Brassington village and refresh yourselves at the Ye Old Gate Inne, or 4 miles back to Biggin to stay at Biggin Hall Hotel. Take a taxi from there to Matlock (£25) or Derby (£45) Train Stations, or back to Longshaw Car Park.

This route was devised by Nicholas Pitts-Tucker, and developed in collaboration with Guy Hayward of the BPT.