A route in a series that are accessible from mainline railway stations from Sheffield, a collaboration with The Outdoor City#trainstationwalks
This lovely circular walk from Hope is an absolute stunner! You leave the village behind very quickly and progress up over hill trails and footpaths on to Hope Brink. This affords you the most magnificent views of the Hope Valley, the Edale Valley and even into the Derwent Valley in places. The heights of Lose Hill and Kinder Scout tower above you, and you walk as far as Hope Cross, a medieval packhorse road marker, before returning via an old Roman road.
The walk starts and ends at Hope train station (SK 18072 83262; S33 6RD; ///misty.differ.ages) and is also very close to the Hope Station Road End bus stop, so it’s easily accessible by public transport. This walk is from our Hope Valley Walks Series that all start and end at Hope Valley Train Stations.
This is a walk of just over 6 miles. For the most part it uses grassy footpaths and country lanes, although there is some uneven, rocky terrain and a couple of stiles that might be difficult for those with reduced mobility. Allow 2-3 hours to complete this walk at a moderate pace, allowing for rest stops to take in the views.
For refreshments before or after the walk in the village of Hope we recommend The Old Hall Hotel, which serves great pub food and real ales, or the Courtyard Cafe for wonderful snacks and lunches.
Note: This route is provided in good faith and is correct at the time of publication. Please be aware that routes may be diverted over time as paths and access are altered, particularly in farming areas. Our directions should not be used instead of a map. You should always take a map with you to cross-reference the route.
The Walk
1. From Hope train station cross over the railway line via the footbridge and take the public footpath that turns right immediately after descending the footbridge steps, walking with the station fencing on your right for a short distance. If arriving from Manchester, take the public footpath that goes straight on from the platform at the base of the footbridge, walking with the station fencing on your right.
2. Walk through an old iron kissing gate
and into open fields, keeping to the right hand edge of the field. Cross over a stile at the side of a tree, and
continue straight on through the next field, ignoring footpaths off, again
keeping to the right hand edge of the field.
3. Continue until you reach a small wooden
gate that leads on to a quiet lane. Go
through the gate and turn left on the lane, then almost immediately right on to
a further lane lined with trees. At the
top of this lane, on reaching Edge Farm, take the footpath heading up through
trees to the left. This lovely path leads
on between two dry stone walls. Keep
following it past a tumbledown barn on the right, ignoring other footpaths off,
and eventually out on to open moorland. From
here you have the most magnificent views over Lose Hill and the Hope Valley to
your left.
4. The path is obvious here. Continue following it, bearing left when it
is joined by Footpath No 519, eventually walking alongside a stone wall and
coniferous woodland to your right. The
route continues through a small wooden gate to the right of a stone wall, and then
tracks between a stone wall on the left and a fence to the right. From here you can see into the Edale Valley
to your left, with the slopes of Kinder Scout ahead of you. Although you can’t see it, Ladybower
Reservoir lies in the valley beyond the woodland on the right.
5. Ahead of you on the left, you will soon
see the distinctive landmark of Hope Cross.
This medieval marker stands at the crossroads of important ancient
packhorse routes through the Peak District, and is marked on its four sides
with Edale, Glossop, Hope and Sheffield.
The date 1737 carved below the word Hope is believed to be the date of a
restoration.
Hope Cross
6. From
Hope Cross, go back the way you came, but this time following the broad track that
runs to the right of the Cross. This is
widely believed to be a former Roman road that runs from Glossop to Brough.
7. Follow the Roman road as far as a wide gate with a stile beside it. Cross the stile and then turn immediately right, walking downhill, keeping a stone wall on your right. At the bottom of the stone wall, cross through a small gate and follow a well-marked grassy path down through the field. The path is joined by another coming in from the right and continues heading down towards the picturesque Upper Fulwood Farm, now a National Trust Area Office.
8. Follow the path as it turns right in front of the farm and then almost immediately left, walking past the farm yard on your left and keeping a small river, the River Noe, on your right. Continue on this path and cross over a stone bridge.
9. Immediately after crossing the bridge turn right and follow a short, steep track up through trees, heading away from the river. On reaching a gate at the top, emerge (carefully!) on to the road. Although this road is quiet, be aware that cars do pass along here very quickly and there is no footpath. Turn right on the road for a very short distance and then almost immediately left, crossing under a railway bridge and up along a pretty tree-lined path.
Hope Valley Walks
10. At the top of the track turn left and cross a stile, emerging into open pastureland with superb views of the ridge you walked along earlier. The obvious grass path curves to the right. Keep following the path as it tracks alongside a stone wall to the left, over a stile and through a succession of gates. You will eventually reach a very narrow path that continues to the right of a fence and then through trees, to emerge beside Oaker Farm.
11. At the end of the path alongside Oaker Farm, go through a small gate and over a stile to emerge on to a quiet lane. Turn right on the lane, away from the farm. This quiet lane passes farm buildings and Losehill House Hotel & Spa, before heading down towards the village of Hope.
Losehill Hall Hotel – Hope Valley Walks
12. On reaching a (slightly) busier road that leads into Hope from Edale, turn right. Soon after passing the Cheshire Cheese pub, look out for a public footpath to your left, just before a convex mirror on a telegraph pole. Follow the public footpath down for a very short distance and then turn left when you reach the lane, to cross over a bridge.
13. The footpath turns right almost
immediately after the bridge, passing through gateposts, now with the river on
your right. This lovely tree-lined lane
passes by some beautiful houses. When it
emerges into a farm yard, follow the path as it turns left by a seat just
before a stable yard. It is well
signposted! The path continues up a
series of steps and then turns right, with a hedge to the right and a fence to
the left.
Hope Valley Walks views in the valley
14. Continue on this path through an iron
kissing gate, following the well-marked track through open fields, with the
river once again on your right. As you near
the main road (A6187), walk up a series of steps to a gap in the wall ahead of
you, and turn left. Be aware that this
is quite a busy road but there is a footpath.
The road back to your starting point at Hope railway station is on your
left after a short distance.
15. Note, if you want a diversion into the village of Hope, turn right on the A6187 instead of left, and the village is approx. 250 metres ahead of you. The Old Hall Hotel is great for pub food and a wide selection of drinks, whilst The Courtyard Cafe is perfect for cakes and lunches. Hope also has a lovely delicatessen, farm shop, a gift shop, and an Indian restaurant.
5 Hope Valley Train Station Walks in the Peak District Hope Valley
The Let’s Go Peak District Hope Valley Train Station Walk Series are all circular, and if you set yourself the challenge to walk all of them you will have walked ~28 miles, and taken in many wonderful views.
){kind=link}