Hatdro three

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This is generally a good route,care needs to be taken shortly after the start as it winds it ‘s way through a large new development (after passing under the A61)insuring one stays on route.From Mickey open fields and woodland follow.crossing Baslow Road the moors are to be seen in the distance Moss Road is mostly tarmac until reaching Totley moor.This area offers some very good views of Sheffield and beyond,A small amount of pavement walking (6521 passing Fox inn/ Longshaw estate).Towards the end of route crossing the A6187 and heading via Mothers Cap became confusing as there a number of paths,it was possible eventually to find the correct route however care needed.The last stage is straightforward.No access issues,good public transport links( trains)either end.Underfoot mostly good some mud.Enjoyed this walk it has plenty to offer.

This was a most enjoyable Peak District gritstone walk. It does involve three climbs and has a huge variety of path surfaces. There are some stiles and potential for cattle. The climbs are rewarded with superb views. There are refreshment stops along the way plus buses to Sheffield if required. I walked from Dronfield on a dry and sunny day, parts of the walk could be very challenging if visibility is poor.

From the meeting place the network of sometimes unrecorded paths provide a very pleasant off road route with a gentle climb through the much expanded town. This expansion has its own shopping centre that we pass by, not through, away from the traditional area around the station. Follow the plot with care and concentration to take the correct path among the many options. A local shop at Dronfield Woodhouse might supply a forgotten requisite.

From Mickley the route enters real open countryside passing the appropriately named Moorview Farm. The lane offers easy if wet walking and excellent views including the confusingly located edge of Totley our next destination. First we head south west to pass Woodthorpe Hall before a climb passing Totley Hall to reach the road where an inn is close by. There are also buses here.

We are soon heading for the hills but The Cricket Inn offers a pleasant and popular spot for refreshment if the extensive outside seating is any indication. It's a long steady climb along Moss Road first with a good tarmac surface then gritstone and mud. It could be bleak in poor weather but on my walk the view back to Sheffield was amazing, a city so close to wild moorland. I marvelled at the skill and effort needed to construct the tunnel under the moor. The line can be traced by the air shafts along the underground route.

Our route turns north but it's still well defined on the ground and eventually crosses a road then leads to another making me realise the moor is not as remote as it had felt. The Fox House Inn offers another watering hole and a bus stop if required but the public loos are barred, permanently I suspect.

A short encounter with the Longshaw Estate now National Trust but a detour would be required to use the cafe here. I was apprehensive about the section of road walk but there is a pavement although it may be used for parking during the high season. An ice cream van marks the point where our path drops down into the honeypot of Padley Gorge. We only cross the well walked path alongside the bright stream before taking a sunken path to arrive at the Hatherrsage Road by a car park.

As discovered from the review of Hatdro-1 the definitive path is not available and this sets the tone for the next section of the walk. There are many paths here but the essential which may not be the plotted route is to head for the high ground and Mother Cap. Time for a breather to take in more great views back to Longshaw. From there the walked path takes us to Over Owler Tor where it's difficult to see a walked path close to the definitive and plotted route.

I followed walked paths to meet the definitive path which heads north and from here it was simple to follow the plot on a path along a fence line then to a gate at the road. Once that right to roam experiance was over it was again straightforward to follow the plotted route down a very pleasant path which becomes a track to return to the Hathersage Road.

A short backtrack up hill then across a field and it's plain sailing to the station. The meeting place is not user friendly with no seat only a cycle rack and Amazon lockers. I think somewhere in the town would be an improvement.

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Summary: the Southern route across Totley Moor is great for experienced hikers in winter and most active walkers in the summer.

I walked from Dronfield to Hathersage on an overcast December day.

Generally the signs are clear and the paths are walked enough for you to be able to follow them from Dronfield.

The start of the walk (photo 1) took me to a park set in a small dip in Dronfield itself. There is some residential walking to get you to the outskirts of Dronfield but this passes quickly. The first rural path (photo 2) is very rural into a small farm to get to the lane (photo 3). The cows were in for their milking when I went past but be aware that you will walk through cattle and horse fields on this route. From here I walked though woodland and on well used paths alongside or through arable fields (photo 4). This part of the walk was more pleasant and rural than I had expected. There are multiple stiles and gates on this part of the walk, but all are in good condition.

Climbing over a stile and though a small wood I walked into Totley and said ‘Good Morning’ to a local – a brief chat and I discovered that he also walks the path past the school that I was about to take. This was useful as he advised me that he never walks down it in the winter, he only walks up. I could see why – it was a narrow, steep, cobbled track with a camber that could prove a problem in icy weather (photo 5).

From there it was a straightforward walk to Totley Bent’s Recreation Ground and a walk along the lane to take me to Moss Road (photo 6). A brief walk took me to the gate where I left the road to walk through the fields. I walked past the first of the air shafts for Totley Tunnel and found myself at a broken stile. It had no step; the uprights were wobbly, and it was unable to support my weight. I decided not to risk it but a brief detour using Moss Road and I was back on track.

I went through the entry gate to the moor (photo 7) and onto the muddy path straight up and over Totley Moor. The paths are wide and boggy/pond-like in winter and walking boots are strongly advised. The path (photo 8) that forks west and north (where I turned north/right) is clear and a map will show you where to go without a problem.

This is not a remote moor as I crossed the A625 (photo 9) and a beautiful path (photo 10) before meeting the A6187 that led me to the Longshaw Estate Visitor Centre Café, where I had a welcome pit stop. After a short break, I continued onto B6521 pavement and from there onto the Longshaw Estate (photo 11) and a gully path (photo 12).

It was crossing the A6187 again that I came across confused paths. I wasted a considerable amount of time looking for an alternative, before climbers in the area pointed me to the path from the car park a few metres down the road, that they used to get to Over Owler Tor. This path still has a rock-step, but it isn’t as large as the previous path.

At the top of Mother Cap I discovered friendly but uninterested bulls who were more interested in eating than me, so I continued along the clear path (photo 13). From here it was a obvious (photo 14) (even in dusk) where I needed to go (photo 14), although this may prove more of a challenge in the summer when everything is flowering. Not too much of a challenge though because even at this time of the day in December I passed a walker heading in the opposite direction.

I walked onto the small quiet road to take me onto the final leg of my journey (photo 15 – I lost the light at this point.) After a stile and a smaller lane I was walking into a small wood which took me to the back of Hathersage Booths and into Hathersage itself.

This is a great walk and will be popular in the summer.

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