Hayfield
7 June 2026
Today’s ramble follows the intriguing and spectacular Doctors Gate path from Old Glossop to the top of the Snake Pass. We then cross the moors via the Pennine Way and descend past the Kinder Reservoir into Hayfield. The route is approximately 11 miles long. This is more or less a repeat of what we did in September 2024, when very low cloud obscured the view. Hopefully, things will be much better this time!
Doctor’s Gate is a late-medieval track. The route is still shown on maps as an old Roman road, but this is disputed. A more likely route for the Roman road is further south along the Ashop Valley. Doctors Gate was almost certainly financed by a Doctor Talbot, who was Vicar of Glossop from 1494 to 1535. It was an attempt to connect Glossop with the outside world towards Sheffield. The Snake Road turnpike (A57) was only completed in 1821.
Our walk begins in Old Glossop at Manor Park. We begin a steady climb past Shire Hill towards Mossy Lea Farm. The valley quickly narrows as we follow the Shelf Brook through beautiful moorland scenery. We pass along Crooked Clough for a short distance, before ascending out of the valley to ‘Old Woman’. Here, we leave the Doctors Gate path and join the Pennine Way towards the south. We shall have a break at some point along this first section.
Crossing the A57 Snake Pass road, we reach Featherbed Moss (one of many!). Passing Glead Hill, we arrive at Mill Hill where we shall have another break, with panoramic views of Kinder Scout and other surrounding hills. We then descend along William Clough, past White Brow and the Kinder Reservoir. This was part of the route of the famous Kinder Trespass in 1932, when hundreds of walkers illegally walked over private land to try and secure access rights to open country – a privilege that we now take so much for granted. The scenery on this section is equally spectacular, with Kinder Scout dominating the view to our left.
The Kinder Reservoir was completed in 1908 and officially opened in 1912 to supplement Stockport’s water supply. At the reservoir we diverge onto Middle Moor for more wonderful views of the surrounding scenery before descending to the delightful village of Hayfield. Here, pubs, tea rooms and our coach await our arrival.
The coach will leave the bus station at Hayfield at 6:00pm for our scenic journey home.
As usual we welcome new walkers, and if its your first walk with us the coach fare is free!
No need to book, just go to your nearest coach pick-up point –
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 |
