Days out in the Peak District
Bamford and Ladybower Reservoir
Charlie spent a few days in the Peak District to participate in an outdoor first aid course and explore an area that is said to be amongst the most beautiful destinations in the UK. Charlie stayed in Bamford, in Yorkshire Bridge, to be exact. Why had she chosen this place and not another in the Peak District?
Why Bamford?
The main reason was that Charlie participated in an outdoor first aid course and that took place in Bamford over two days. Bamford can be reached by train in about 20 minutes from Sheffield, most visitors however drive. Charlie doesn’t, and was relying on bus connections. She soon found out why visitors usually drive.
She arrived in Bamford on a Sunday in the late afternoon. There were no buses on a Sunday and the only taxi company in town hadn’t answered the phone. Her only option was to walk to her accommodation, The Yorkshire Bridge Inn. It was a 35-minute walk up the hill alongside historic cottages. There is a pub in town and a church, but no other shops. If you plan to stay in Bamford, better bring the food you need during your stay. Charlie’s accommodation also offered packed lunches.
The first aid course took place in The Adventure Hub near the train station and there should have been a bus in the morning. That bus however was almost 30 minutes late and Charlie nearly missed the beginning of the course. A few kids that were waiting for the bus to get to school supported her by looking up where the bus was. It turns out that you can track the bus at bustimes.org
The next few times, she would walk instead of relying on the bus. There was a nearby walking trail that lead directly from her accommodation to the course location: the Thornhill Trail. It offered beautiful views through the valley and towards Bamford Edge.
Walks around Ladybower Reservoir
Staying at The Yorkshire Bridge Inn had one big advantage: It was very close to the Ladybower Reservoir, one of the most popular hiking destinations in the Peak District. They had maps and information cards prepared for guests to find different hiking routes. Those cards were very detailed and guided Charlie along some beautiful trails near Ladybower, one of the three reservoirs in the area.
The Lost Villages Trail and Derwent Dam
The most frequented route is the Lost Villages Trail which leads to Derwent Dam and all around one arm of the reservoir. It is a loop trail of approximately 8 miles and mostly flat. There are no steep hills, and the path is wide.
The route got its name because there used to be the villages of Ashopton and Derwent that were deserted and flooded when the reservoir was created in the 1940s. There is one spot along the route where you can still see the remains of the village road when water levels are low.
You will also pass by some cottages before you reach Derwent Dam. It is an impressive structure with two towers that forms Derwent Dam. Standing in front makes you realize how small a human really is. There are paths and steps on either side where you can walk up to take a closer look at the dam. Charlie took the stairs up to the west tower and reached a viewing platform that offered views of the backside of the dam and the whole reservoir. There are other hiking trails that start from there.
Nearby is a parking lot with a café, restrooms and bike hire: Fairholmes. There are guided walks too that start from this point.
Charlie walked back along the other side of Ladybower Reservoir. It was a straightforward route as you’re always walking alongside the water. You can’t get lost. There was no phone signal at all throughout the entire walk. Better keep that in mind.
The quiet side of Ladybower
The second route lead Charlie along the other arm of Ladybower reservoir. It was also a loop walk of about 8 miles that started along the water and led up to Crook Hill and back through the mountains. It was a bit more challenging with some steep hills and the paths weren’t always obvious. There was phone signal though on this route.
It started by crossing the dam of Ladybower reservoir where you can see the plugholes where the water flows through. You then walk along the side of the reservoir for about 2.5 miles. The water gradually gets narrower to form a river that you can cross via a bridge.
You are passing by the outdoor education centre of Hagg Farm and from there, you take a steep walk uphill. The views over the Peak District, the moorland plateau of the highest mountain Kinder Scout, Hope Valley and Mam Tor are breath-taking.
You are opening and closing quite a few gates along the route, and you will see lots of sheep. From here, the path isn’t always clear as you are walking through field. The gates in the stone walls and wooden markers guide you in the right direction towards Crook Hill. Once you’ve passed this hill, you walk down the other side and reach the path alongside Ladybower reservoir again. You cross the aqueduct and walk back towards Yorkshire Bridge.
Bamford Edge
It is probably the most instagrammed spot of the Peak District: the sunset at Bamford Edge. When Charlie asked at the inn for the best route up there to see the sunset, she was told to just go to Instagram and save herself the walk. That’s doesn’t do it for her though, she has to see it with her own eyes and take the picture with her own camera.
From the Yorkshire Bridge Inn, it was a 45-minute walk up New Road, through a gate and up to the highest point. It is a constant uphill walk with varying degrees of incline. Most people drive up New Road and park near the gate. From there it’s 10-15 minutes to the top. Hiking boots are still the best option because the path is uneven and formed of moorland and boulders. Everything you step on is either a hard rock or soft ground. You can see the sunset from any point along the route. If you walk all the way to the edge, you can also enjoy a view over Ladybower reservoir. It is no surprise that this is one of the more popular spots to enjoy a sunset.
