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Rural Ramble 2: Hartington, Wolfscote and Biggin Dales
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Distance: 6 or 9 miles |
Duration: 3 to 5 hours |
Price: From £15.00 per person (Group and family rates available) |
Wolfscote Dale |
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, which is well-known for both its farm shop and an excellent cheese shop. As Derbyshire is one of only three places in the world where Stilton Cheese can be made, this shop is one of the few places in the world where you can get genuine locally-produced Stilton.
From Hartington, it heads south across the undulating fields and follows the River Dove as it winds through the tranquil woods of Beresford Dale. Breaking out of the woods, the walk enters the spectacular towering rocky Wolfscote Dale. This is definitely one of the lesser known gems of the Peak District, and usually much quieter than the more popular and more heavily wooded Dovedale a short distance downstream on the Dove. Having followed the Dove for a couple of miles or so, it then turns left to leave Wolfscote Dale and ascend the narrow and rocky Biggin Dale.
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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.
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Distance: |
6 or 9 miles. |
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Duration (approx): |
3 to 5 hours (including lunch where applicable). |
Start point: |
The Market Place, Hartington, Derbyshire. |
Start time: |
10:00am |
End point: |
The Market Place, Hartington, Derbyshire. |
Dates available: |
Scheduled walks available on the following dates: June 2nd, 5th, 7th, 16th, 19th, 22nd, 26th, 30th. July 3rd, 14th, 17th, 20th, 24th, 26th, 29th, 31st. August 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 (subject to availability). |
When is this walk available?
Scheduled walks are available several times each month between the beginning of March and the end of November. 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 for the longer 9-mile route, or 9:00am to 2:00pm for the shorter 6-mile route.
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.
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Prices.
The following prices apply for this walk:
Ticket |
Price |
Deposit (Included in overall price) |
Adult or Child aged 16 and over (Up to 8 people in group)
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£15.00 per person (6-mile walk)
£20.00 per person (9-mile walk) |
£5.00 per person |
Personal Walking Guide (Group of up to 5)
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£60.00 per group |
£15.00 per group |
Personal Walking Guide (Group of 6 to 10)
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£100.00 per group |
£25.00 per group |
Personal Walking Guide (Group of 11 or more)
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£150.00 per group |
£37.50 per group |
Reduced rates for under-16s, plus discounted family tickets also available, giving cheaper prices for groups including children aged 15 and under. Please e-mail us for details and to book.
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Travel to and from the walk.
This walk is accessible by public transport from Buxton and Ashbourne on weekdays and Saturdays via the 442 bus service and some demand-responsive buses. Unfortunately, there is currently no Sunday or Bank Holiday bus service serving Hartington. If you do need to use public transport, the latest information on buses and trains to and from this walk can be found on our travel information page.
Limited car parking is available in the centre of Hartington, and also on Parsons Field Car Park (50 spaces, pay and display) on Mill Lane.
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Is there anything special I need to bring?
This is not a particularly challenging walk requiring lots of specialist equipment. However, the underfoot conditions do mean that proper walking boots are essential. Also waterproofs due to the unpredictable nature of the Brirish weather. In cold weather, a warm hat and gloves are highly recommended, plus an additional warm layer that you can put on if needed. In hot weather, a sun hat and suncream are strongly recommended, as there are long stretches of the route where there is no overhead cover to provide shade.
It is also recommended that you bring water with you, plus snacks and/or lunch as appropriate. For water, we usually recommend around 1 litre per person for the 6-mile walk, and 2 litres per person for the 9-mile route.
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Are there any disabled access issues?
Unfortunately, this walk is not suitable for wheelchairs or mobility scooters due to the terrain involved. Additionally, due to the sometimes rocky condition of the path through Biggin Dale, this walk is not suitable for those who find difficulty in walking over uneven ground.
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Is this walk suitable for dogs?
Yes, this walk is suitable for dogs. However, we do ask that you keep your dog under close control on a short lead at all times as the route of the walk passes through fields where there may be livestock present. Also, both Wolfscote and Biggin Dales are nature reserves belonging to English Nature, who request that dogs are kept under close control to avoid causing harm to the sensitive natural environment and wildlife. If you wish to bring your dog with you, please notify us beforehand.
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Booking
You can book places on any of our scheduled walks via the PayPal button below. Other payment options are available on request - Please e-mail us for details if required.
If you wish to make a Personal Walking Guide booking for this walk, please see our Personal Walking Guide booking page here.
Bookings for scheduled walks can be made at any time up to 48 hours before the intended date of your walk, or up to 72 hours beforehand for Personal Walking Guides. We regret that we cannot accept bookings made less than 48 hours prior to the planned start time of the walk (72 hours for Personal Walking Guide bookings).
Please ensure before booking that the date you require is not listed below and on our online calendar as unavailable or fully booked, and that you have read and agree to our terms and conditions.
Personal Walking Guide Availability - Hartington, Wolfscote and Biggin Dales
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Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Saturday |
Sunday |
Bank Holidays |
Yes |
Some* |
Yes |
Some* |
Yes |
Most* |
Some* |
Most* |
* = Please contact us for details of availability |
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Book a place on this walk
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Latest booking news
- Due to all guides being fully employed on other walks on those dates, we are unable to accept any bookings for October 5th, 7th, 8th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 16th, 19th, 24th and 25th, or November 7th, 9th and 30th. Please see our online calendar for full details of guide availability.
- Bookings are open for all other scheduled dates listed, and close at 1:00pm two days prior to the date of the walks.
- We are now accepting Personal Walking Guide bookings for this walk for Mondays, some Tuesdays, Wednesdays, some Thursdays, Fridays, most Saturdays and some Sundays from March 1st to November 23rd 2024.
- We are also accepting advance enquiries for March to November 2025.
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Important: Before booking, please make sure that the date you wish to book is not listed as already being fully booked in the "Latest booking news" section above.
Please select the number of places you would like to book and enter the date required.
Other payment options are available on request - Please e-mail us for details if required.
By placing a booking with us, you are accepting and agreeing to our terms and conditions.
If you encounter any problems with your booking, or have any questions about this walk, please e-mail us.
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Book a 6-mile walk
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Book a 9-mile walk
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