The unusually wet winter of 2023/24 has left the ground in many parts of the Peak District very wet and muddy. As a result of this, we have been forced to temporarily revise or postpone a number of our walks. Due to potentially hazardous muddy conditions and flooding along parts of the route of this walk, we are not able to offer the 6-mile version at this time, and the 9-mile version has been temporarily rerouted to use roads and tracks to avoid the hazardous areas. This rerouting means that it cannot access Beresford Dale, or pass through Biggin Dale, but does still pass through Wolfscote Dale. Please see below and here for more details.

This circular walk is available in two different distances to suit varying abilities and schedules. It begins and ends at the popular Peak District village of Hartington. From there, it heads south across the fields and follows the River Dove through the tranquil woods of Beresford Dale. Breaking out of the woods, the walk enters the spectacular towering rocky Wolfscote Dale, which is one of the lesser known gems of the Peak District and much quieter than the more popular Dove Dale a short distance downstream on the Dove. It then turns left to ascend the rocky Biggin Dale. Reaching the road at the top of Biggin Dale, the routes of the different walks divide. From here, the shorter 6-mile walk turns left and follows the country lanes back to Hartington, while the longer 9-mile route turns right to pass through the village of Biggin. From there, it joins the Tissington Trail to the site of the old Hartington Station, before returning to Hartington village via cross-country footpaths and quiet country lanes.

Due to the slightly rugged nature of part of the route, this walk is not really suitable for those who may have difficulty on rough surfaces.

As a result of the need to temporarily reroute some of our walks due to the extremely muddy conditions in parts of the Peak District, we have had to make major changes to this walk. The fields between Hartington and the end of Beresford Dale are extremely muddy and slippery, and not really passable with any degree of safety. Additionally, the base of Biggin Dale is completely flooded and very muddy, rendering it totally impassable. As a result, the walk has been rerouted around these problem areas, which does mean that it cannot pass through either Beresford or Biggin Dales. Having taken an alternative route out of Wolfscote Dale, the walk joins the Tissington Trail to Biggin, and then heads back to Hartington via another road-based route. All of these changes mean that we cannot offer the 6-mile option for this walk. However, the new temporary route of the walk still works out at approximately 9 miles, so that option is still offered. As soon as the ground conditions improve sufficiently, this walk will return to using its normal route, although we cannot give any indication of when this will be as it is very dependent on the weather.

Duration (approx):	3 to 5 hours (including lunch).
Start point:	The Market Place, Hartington, Derbyshire.
Start time:	10:00am.
End point:	The Market Place, Hartington, Derbyshire.
Dates available:	Available as an open walk from March to November on a date of your choosing on Mondays, some Tuesdays, Wednesdays, some Thursdays, Fridays, most Saturdays and some Sundays. Scheduled walks available on the following dates: March 2nd, 6th, 10th, 12th, 16th, 20th, 23rd, 27th, 31st. April 3rd, 6th, 14th, 17th, 20th, 24th, 27th. May 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 18th, 22nd, 25th, 29th. June 2nd, 5th, 7th, 16th, 19th, 22nd, 26th, 30th. July 3rd, 6th, 14th, 17th, 20th, 24th, 26th, 29th, 31st. August 3rd, 7th, 9th, 12th, 17th, 21st, 23rd, 26th, 28th, 31st. September 4th, 8th, 13th, 18th, 21st, 25th, 29th. October 2nd, 5th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 23rd, 27th, 30th. November 2nd, 6th, 10th, 16th, 20th, 24th, 27th, 30th. (Online pre-booking is essential for these walks.) Private group bookings are also available on a date of your choosing via a Personal Walking Guide for any date from March 1st to November 30th 2024.

When is this walk available?

This walk is available on a date of your choosing between the beginning of March and the end of November. Scheduled walks take place several times each month during the same period. If you wish to have the exclusive services of one of our guides, it is also available as a private booking on a date of your choice from March to November via a Personal Walking Guide. For Personal Walking Guide bookings, we are usually able to offer a range of different start times from 9:00am to 11:00am.

All bookings are subject to the availability of a suitable guide - Please see our online calendar or e-mail us for availability of your chosen date.

Is this walk Covid-secure?

At Derbyshire Heritage Walks we follow all current government and industry guidelines, and all of our guides have been fully vaccinated. Therefore you can be confident that this walk is as Covid-secure as we can possibly make it. Details of how we do this can be found here.

Will we have the exclusive services of the guide?

All of our open and scheduled walks are open to all. If you book onto either of these types of walk, then there is a chance that there may well be other people on the walk with you. If you wish to have the exclusive services of the guide, you MUST book a Personal Walking Guide.

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