From magical waterfalls to mysterious caves, the Peak District is packed full of places to visit. We’re lucky to have such an incredible place right here on our doorstep.
At this time of year the Peak District truly comes into its own and it’s the go to place for gorgeous autumnal walks. There’s one walk in particular which offers breathtaking views across the Derwent Valley, which becomes even more stunning when the leaves change to rich oranges and reds.
Derwent Edge is a Millstone Grit escarpment which sits above the valley, providing an excellent vantage point to look out over the rolling landscape. Surrounded by rugged moorland, it feels like a truly wild place where you can leave the stresses of daily life behind.
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What makes it such a unique place are the intriguing rock formations - tors - found along the edge. Appearing like slices of rock stacked up on top of each other, these tors were shaped by the wind and rain over hundreds of years.
They’ve acquired interesting names over the years; there’s the precarious-looking Salt Cellar, The Cakes of Bread and The Coach and Horse (also known as the Wheel Stones), which stands at around 7.6m high).
The highest point of Derwent Edge is Back Tor, with an elevation of 538m. As well as being a popular route for walkers, the rocky outcrops along the edge are a hotspot for climbers.
There are different lengths of routes you can take to Derwent Edge, depending on how much you would like to see and your ability. If you want to take in the various rock formations and appreciate the views of Derwent and Ladybower Reservoir, then there's an eight mile circular route you can follow, starting at Fairholmes car park.
Start the walk from the car park, heading towards Derwent Dam and then along the reservoir. From here you’ll take a footpath bearing right and leading uphill along Walkers Clough.
This will bring you up to Lost Lad, a hill standing at 518m and then to Back Tor. You can then follow the flagstone path along the edge which will take you to the various rock formations.
From The Coach and Horse the path will bear downhill and then head towards Ladybower Reservoir. This will then take you back to Derwent Dam and the car park.
Fairholmes Car Park S33 0AQ
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