Offerton Moor from Leadmill

Karen has a cold and decided to stay at home as I set of with a chilly start with the temperature at 1 degree Centigrade, on my way towards Hathersage.

I parked in the layby outside The Plough pub at Leadmill just outside Hathersage and crossed the road then followed the minor road heading west until I reached a foopath sign with a path leading downwards towards Highlow Brook.

The path crossed the brook on a small hump-baked bridge and the followed a field uphill passing Hog Hall to reach a lane leading to the hall. Continuing uphill along this lane, I reached a junction with another minor road and a track leading past Tor Farm and soon reached an obviously ancient route across an open grassy area bordered by trees displaying very vivid autumnal colours with a path covered by Larch needles passing through a wooden gate into a section of Highlow Wood.

The oath was fairly muddy as it passed through the wood and soon reached a junction of paths at a ford where a small tributary joined Highlow Brook.

From here I followed a rough track which gradually rose to an open moor and then dropped back down to a small valley joining the Highlow Brook valley.

Another section of very muddy path which was quite wide as walkers tried to avoid the mud only succeeding in a large area of mud, led to Stoke Ford.

Crossing a small footbridge, I then followed the path through woods along Abney Clough to reach the hamlet of Abney and then turned right on the minor road heading eastwards from Abney to reach a footpath about a hundred metres later which rose up to reach Offerton Moor.

The path was obvious but often narrow as it made its way north-eastwards across the moor and as I reached the other side before it dropped down towards the main road below, I coulde see in the distance Win Hill, Ladybower Reservoir, Bamford and Bamford Moor, Hathersage and on the skyline the three and a half miles of Stanage Edge.

I dropped down the path leading to Offerton Hall and joined the lane leading past the Hall heading to the south-east for a 1 hundred and fifty metres or so the left the lane onto a footpath leading down to Callow Farm.

The path led through a gate on the other side of the farm house across a field to a gate into another section of path through woods then again across a field to join a rough vehicle track.

Turning right on this track I soon reached the farm house at Mountpleasant Farm and from there through another gate and across a field above the River Derwent to Leadmill bridge.

Crossing the road I followed the footpath passing the Plough and back to the layby.