Lathkill Dale

Walk 17: Lovely Lathkill Dale

A beautiful walk that takes in the tranquil valley and river of Lathkill Dale – a Peak District ‘must visit’.

Starting from the free roadside parking area, you head across fields down towards Lathkill Dale, before climbing back out again to Over Haddon for refreshments. You then once again descend back down to the river for one final visit, before making the final climb back out of the valley to the starting point of the walk.

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Essentials

  • Distance: 6.8 miles
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Minimum Duration: 3 hrs
  • Refreshments: PubCafe
  • Route: Download .gpx file
  • Start Grid Ref: SK 19258 64469

Parking

Free parking is available at Moor Lane Car Park, Youlgreave, DE45 1LW.

Weather

Derbyshire, UK

Route Map

Guidance

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Safety First

Please do not rely on this walking guide to solely navigate the hike. Always take a paper map and compass with you and make sure you know how to use them. Hiking is generally safe, but there are always potential risks. Use common sense, plan your route beforehand and make a reasonable judgment at all times.

Directions


  1. Cross over Long Rake Road/Back Lane and head through the stone stile in the wall opposite the roadside parking area. Interesting Fact: The initial section of the walk is part of the Limestone Way, a long-distant footpath that crosses Derbyshire.
  2. Continue diagonally across several fields following the footpath for roughly 900 meters before meeting Low Moor Wood. Briefly head through the small wood and continue across another field up towards Calling Low Farm.
  3. Continue on the path and take the stile in the wall to the right of the farm. Follow the path through another small wood as it bends westward across more fields and slowly descends towards the trees in the valley ahead.
  4. Upon meeting the final wall before the trees, head through the stile and drop steeply down the well marked stone steps. Continue down, all the way to the valley floor.
  5. At the bottom, turn right and continue for about 300 meters until meeting the River Lathkill.
  6. Cross the river and turn right. Continue along the path for just under 2 miles, with the river close to your right.
  7. Eventually the track will meet a small road with a large house on the right. Continue up the road as it steeply snakes upward, first left and then right, up to the village of Over Haddon. There are a couple of cafes and a pub along this stretch if you need a pit stop.
  8. Opposite the main car park, head right up Main Street. Follow Main Street until it becomes School Lane, continuing past the Lathkill Hotel on the left. Head towards the stile in the wall where the road turns sharp left. Leave the road through the stile, taking the path (wellgate lane) down across the fields southeast back towards the River Lathkill.
  9. The path will meet Back Lane. Follow the lane down. Just before crossing the bridge over the River Lathkill, turn right and take the path back along the river.  You will eventually meet the same house you passed in step 7.
  10. Turn left and head past the house, crossing the bridge across the River Lathkill.
  11. Follow the track as it steeply ascends out of the valley.
  12. Upon reaching the top, head for Meadow Place Farm.
  13. Walk through the farm and follow the path out the other side, along the remaining set of fields to Back Lane.
  14. At Back Lane, turn right for the remaining ascent, returning to the start point of the walk.
  • Green fields
  • Lathkill Dale
  • Lathkill Dale
  • Lathkill Dale
  • Woods
  • Old mine entrance
  • Church at Over Hadden
  • River Lathkill
  • River Dove
  • Woods
  • Lathkill Dale

Questions or comment about this route? Leave them in the comments section below.

Leigh Walker

View posts by Leigh Walker
Hi I'm Leigh, the creator Walk In Derbyshire. I've been walking in the Peak District National Park for over 30 years and have a huge passion for connecting with nature and hiking in the outdoors. I write up the all the walks for Walk In Derbyshire and am also the lead on our group hikes.

1 Comment

  1. Rebecca Hollingworth9th September 2022

    We did this walk (3 families with kids aged 10-15) and it was easy. We did it in August and it was inundated! I think we may have eaten our lunch with about 40 other people….So may be go on a weekday …It was late on in August and following the heatwave. The vegetation was dying and someone actually asked me where the water was!!! This walk is probably very beautiful, but I would go in Spring on a quiet weekend or during the week. I am really posting to highlight that this walk involves walking through a farmyard and directly through a pen with bulls and cows. These animal are harmless, so you don’t need to try and walk round (which we did, much to the anger of the farmer!).

    Reply

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