Buxton
30 August 2026
Our next ramble is a 12-mile linear walk through a wide variety of Peak District countryside, covering dales, pretty villages, spectacular water features, moorlands, old railway lines, an ancient spa town, fantastic viewpoints and the abandoned remains of its industrial past. The walk begins near Taddington and ends at Buxton.
We begin the walk just up the A6 main road from Taddington, with a gradual climb along Senners Lane and Pillwell Lane, past Chelmorton Low. We then turn along the remains of Grove Rake, where lead ore was once extracted along a long, narrow seam. Our route traverses the delightful village of Chelmorton. We pass several water features, including the Illy Willy Water spring on our right as we enter the village. The spring also supplies water troughs in the village itself. We pass the ancient parish church of St John the Baptist and other old buildings as we walk along the main street. Notice also the large ‘ENGLAND’ name set out high on the hillside to the north of the village.
We proceed past the local sewage works (no walk is complete without a decent sewage works en-route!) to a footpath above Bullhay Dale. A short road walk brings us to Shallow Grange, where a footpath takes us to the top of Back Dale. Here, we turn up the short, but pretty Brierlow Dale and cross the A515 at Brierlow Bar, well known for its bookshop and café.
A brief sojourn across fields brings us to quarry country. We pass under the old Buxton-Ashbourne railway line, still used in part for limestone traffic from the surrounding quarries. Here, we turn north and follow the railway for a short distance before branching off on the old trackbed of a former branch line. We soon see Harpur Hill village below us on our right. We then climb briefly to the trackbed of the former Cromford & High Peak Railway. We turn west and join Grin Low Road for a short distance, to one of the Peak District’s spectacular secrets.
Just off the road, we get the chance to inspect the amazing Tufa calcite terraces at Countess Cliff. These were formed by a complex chemical process from quarry waste seeping through the rocks. This has been gradually filling the valley with layer upon layer of tufa over the last 150 years or so. These gleam brightly in sunshine. Don’t step too far (pun) as the deposits are very soft.
We climb past the Tufa and head across Stanley Moor, past a disused reservoir to the tiny hamlet of Ladmanlow. We cross the main road and head out onto the moors, towards Burbage Edge (the one above Buxton). This Edge offers spectacular views in all directions as we reach the trig point at 500 metres above sea level.
The final stretch of our ramble is the steady descent into Buxton. We pass by Beet Wood and Watford Farm before walking through the Cavendish Golf Club’s panoramic golf course. A stroll through the grounds of Buxton Pavillion brings us to the town centre. It is then but a brief distance to the Market Place, where our coach will pick us up.
Breaks en-route will be arranged on the day, depending on the weather. Buxton Market Place and surrounds have several pubs for refreshments. Our coach is planned to leave the Market Place at 6:30pm for the very scenic journey home.
New people are always most welcome. If it’s your first visit to us the coach fare is free for your first walk. No need to book, just go to your nearest coach pick up point.
(Text by Richard Lake).
Coach Departure
The coach picks up at the following points.
(With the agreement of the leader other pick-up points
on the bus route may be available).
| “Staff of Life” pub, Hack Lane | Sutton-in-Ashfield | 9.15am |
| Priestic Road, opp McDonald’s | Sutton-in-Ashfield | 9.20am |
| Eastfield Side, (Blue Bell) | Sutton-in-Ashfield | 9.22am |
| Hermitage Lane stop, Sutton Road | Mansfield | 9.25am |
| ASDA bus stop. Stockwell Gate. | Mansfield | 9.30am |
