Youlgreave

 October 5, 2022

YOULGREAVE

LAY-BY AT ALPORT NEAR YOULGREAVE, BRADFORD DALE, LIMESTONE WAY, MEADOW PLACE GRANGE, LATHKILL LODGE, LATHKILL DALE, CONKSBURY BRIDGE, ALPORT

Distance: 6 miles Total ascent/descent: 970ft

Difficulty: Easy

Weather: Wet throughout

Walkers: Peter Beal, Micky Barrett, Alastair Cairns, Chris Owen, Jock Rooney with Millie

Apologies: Alan Hart (hospital chauffeuring duties), Tom Cunliffe (preparing for house move), Andy Blease (wet weather), Dean Taylor (unwell), Cliff Worthington (simulated flight on Vulcan bomber), Simon Williams and Keith Welsh (both unspecified), George Dearsley (Turkey)

Leader: Rooney Diarist: Beal

Starting point: Lay-by at Alport near Youlgreave

Starting time: 10.45am Finishing time: 1.05pm

We were small in number for today’s walk from one of the Wanderers’ more far-flung starting points. But given the forecast which even included severe weather warnings, it was perhaps a surprise that as many as five of us chose to venture out.

There were difficulties from the outset. A combination of rail strikes causing more motorway traffic and the confounded Buxton roundabout roadworks saw Alastair’s journey from Silverdale, collecting Micky en route, take an epic near-five hour.

Jock’s original plan was for a ten-mile route taking us up into the mist-covered heights, but the weather and our late start meant his alternative of a six-mile lower walk was voted for unanimously. It was as well, for the rain never stopped, despite easing occasionally.

There was disappointment at the end as none of the three pubs in Youlgreave, described as one of the Peak District’s largest and busiest villages, was open for business.

Confusion surrounds the village’s name. The village sign has it spelt Youlgreave so we’ll go with that. Yet the road signs pointing to it omit the ‘e’. The OS Landranger map has it as Youlgreave. Yet the larger-scale OS Explorer uses Youlgrave, but inserts the ‘e’ to denote the parish. Businesses in the village all use Youlgrave in their title – but Youlgreave in their addresses. Most puzzling and there appears to be no explanation.

Anyway, we were parked just outside the village in the hamlet of Alport, close to the point where the rivers Lathkill and Bradford converge. We crossed the road and the River Bradford and headed west along a track close to the riverbank. We crossed the river (15 minutes) on a lane that would have taken us uphill into Youlgreave (or Youlgrave) village, but turned immediately left along the river bank. We were now on the Limestone Way.

We soon crossed to the southern bank and continued along the river, the bed of which was almost completely dry following the recent drought, as far as a stone bridge (43 min).

We crossed here, following a Limestone Way sign, and took a short but steepish climb through woods to emerge on a minor road.

We turned right here up the road and then took a stile on the left to climb briefly to another road crossing (60 min). Following a green footpath sign to Over Haddon we climbed gently through fields over five stiles to come to the minor road of Moor Lane which was covered in nearly a foot of water from the heavy rain. We crossed this and soon came to another road, which we crossed to follow a straight and well-marked footpath through fields to arrive at the muddy (and other stuff) farmyard of Meadow Place Grange (85 min).

A short walk through a field ahead saw us enter a wood and descend on a broad track that zig-zagged left to arrive at a small bridge over the River Lathkill at the house of Lathkill Lodge (105 min).

Lathkill Dale is one of the White Peak’s ‘occasional’ rivers, sometimes disappearing underground for stretches according to rainfall and the hidden water levels. This effect is added to by the many lead-mining workings along the valley.

My trusty Peak District Companion says of it: ‘Lathkill Dale’s striking yet restful loveliness inspires much affection. Its basic rocky format is impressive: the ancient seabed contorted and cracked by earth movements; the scree slopes created by the pulverising erosion of water, frost and general weathering; and the delicate dignity of the trees that clothe it.

‘And the heart of all this is the Lathkill itself – innocently clear water, trout pools behind little weirs, just-submerged mosses and mischievous disappearing acts. The charm of Lathkill Dale spans all the seasons.’

We turned right and continued downstream with the attractive river on our right to reach Conksbury Bridge, where we turned right to cross the river, climb uphill on a lane for a short while and then take a path on the left through fields to reach the road a short distance from our cars (140 min).

The late start and poor weather meant we had stopped for neither pietime nor lunch. But our hopes for refreshment in Youlgrave were dashed after driving there when we found both The George and Bull’s Head firmly closed, indeed looking rather abandoned.

We headed off in various directions and your diarist linked up with Chris, Alastair and Micky purely by chance at the Duke of York in Pomeroy on the A515, where the Robinson’s Dizzy Blonde and Cumbria Way were pronounced excellent.

Next week’s walk, which might be labelled by Tom as ‘white handbags’, will start at The Ship Inn at Styal near Wilmslow at 9.30am. There is roadside parking. Chris and Micky will devise a route taking in Styal Woods and Lindow Common to call at the King William in Wilmslow at 12.30pm to finish at The Ship around 2.30pm.

Happy Wandering!