Secret Hills Walking Holidays

Derbyshire's Magnificent Dales

Location:	Derbyshire Dales
From:	17th April 2010
Days:	5
Nights:	5
Price:	£485

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The Derbyshire Dales

– great walking country, with it’s lovely rivers and limestone uplands. Secret Hills Walking programme is designed to give the walker the best of this white peak country - and we have chosen some fabulous walks for you. The walking is moderate – some climbing but never severe.There is a variety about the walks too. We walk in the valleys, where rivers bubble along, and across the moors, all in a couple of hours - and there is a changing scene at every turn. Your walk leaders love this upland landscape, and they will help you understand its history and culture.

The Walks

Walks are between 8 and 10 miles per day - moderate grade, taken at a steady pace. A pub or packed lunch, tea at the end - and a social feel to the walking day. We may transport you to the walk start, or bring you back from the walk finish We keep the group size to a manageable level - don’t expect 20 on a walk. We take plenty of breaks to admire the scenery.

The walks we use directly from Hartington We could walk around this area for a year and still be exploring—so we have chosen walks for their scenic beauty, and variety of landscape. Old rail lines have been turned into major walking routes in this area and we criss cross them on our walks. Hartington is a great centre to walk from, and three of the days, we walk from there.

The Dove’s delightful dancing dale - Hartington, Biggin, Tissington Trail, Milldale, Wolfscote Dale, Beresford Dale. Partly limestone upland, but half the walk through the delightful and scenic Dove valley.

Two counties, Two rivers walk - Following the River Dove upstream to Crowdecote across limestone strewn fields and moors. Out of Derbyshire into Staffordshire, following the Manifold Valley through Sheen before descending back to Hartington. Upland country yet great , moderate walking, with a superb pub in the middle of the walk for lunch.

Ancient mines, railways and two tinkling streams - Through the Dove Valley, to Ecton, where minerals were mined in ancient times. Into the Manifold Valley on an nineteenth century rail track, hidden away in this gem of a valley. Upland villages of Wetton and Alstonfield are visited before returning in the Dove valley to Hartington. Full of ancient history, and sometimes a disappearing stream.!!

Walks away from Hartington

Lathkill’s beautiful dale - "I make no apology for naming Lathkill Dale as my favourite river valley walk in the White Peak" states Alan Garner Secret Hills Walking founder, Indeed it is a dale of outstanding natural beauty, and on this walk we follow the Limestone Way, Cales Dale before walking most of Lathkill dale, then Bradford Dale to Youlgeave, that delightful upland village. Transport to walk start and from finish. The Lathkill is a peaceful, clear, trout stream, bubbling it’s way to the River Wye near Haddon Hall.

Chatsworth grandeur and majestic moor land scenery

We travel to Edensor and walk around the Chatsworth estate into woodland before emerging on open moors for a breathtaking walk overlooking the Derwent valley, We return through the lovely village of Beeley, and along the Derwent valley back into the Chatsworth estate.

Accommodation

We stay at Hartington at the Charles Cotton Hotel for all of our walking breaks - a village and hotel steeped in walking tradition, and geared to walking needs. Its village centre has two excellent pubs, a cheese shop, several cafes, and shops to buy that present and those postcards. We use the Charles Cotton Hotel as our first base, supplemented by excellent country guest houses, chosen by us for the warmth of welcome, comfort, en suite facilities, and most importantly, the ability to help walkers dry clothes and boots should it rain. All rooms are en suite AND they offer a no single supplement policy,helping us fulfil a major promise in our company mission - NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS. The Charles Cotton has been a hotel for 275 years, but has undergone a complete refurbishment in the last two years, under new ownership. Rooms are spacious and tastefully decorated. The hotel is shown below

Food

Lunch is taken at country pubs and cafes - where you will get a welcome and good hearty lunch time food./or is packed. Breakfast at the Charles Cotton Hotel and all our Country Guest Houses are excellent - plenty of cereals and fruit, a hearty cooked breakfast, or simply a light option, We eat either at the Charles Cotton Hotel or The Devonshire Arms in the village - we have chosen them because they offer excellent value for money, and tasty food from an extensive choice on their menu’s. Your tariff is for two courses from three - but with quite large portions, this will sustain you. You certainly won’t go hungry.

What’s included in your Derbyshire Dales Break