I did however enjoy bumping into any number of DoE groups, who as always were over-loaded with gear and slightly damp....

John Scott

The path up the hill here is steep and a little rough, but well marked, and we soon join a better path. We follow the quiet road straight on, then take a little path which starts by crossing a wall on stone steps and climbs through a wild flower meadow to reach Monks Road, which we leave almost immediately to the right, on an indistinct track. A path takes us over the brook and climbs to Charlestown Road, and we follow the main road down the hill, over Glossop Brook, then up to the station meeting point (crossing High Street at a pelican crossing just left of the junction)....

Hugh Hudson

From the Chapel meeting point by the town hall, we head west along High Street and soon turn right up Church Brow and left onto Terrace Road, following Eccles Road under the railway bridge then turning left onto Horsefair Avenue. We follow the road down and then up into Chinley, where there are plenty of facilities, then head up the hill and left beyond the railway, following the quiet road up the hillside, steeply in places....

Hugh Hudson

For the first half of the walk, coming out of Hayfield I barely saw anyone, it got a little more busy as I approached Edale. It’s definitely not a walk to be done without proper walking shoes and plenty of water but if you enjoy hiking then I don’t think the inclines are too much trouble....

JessGreen

On the route I didn't encounter anything that blocked my way or meant I had to backtrack, though walkers should be aware of livestock as well as multiple stiles and gates, and that first concrete road out of Hayfield is probably the steepest part of the route so a real 'weed out the unprepared' moment....

Lauren G

Leaving Hayfield, we cross the car park to find the start of the Sett Valley Trail, which we follow most of the way into New Mills, apart from the road junction on Station Road in Birch Vale, where the main track goes down right of the road but we take a shortcut footpath crossing the road higher up....

Hugh Hudson

The permissive route west from Edale station means that an easier route is available as far as Upper Booth, but that is the only thing on this one I might be tempted to change if I were designing it. Leaving Edale station, we follow / lead the crowds up into Edale then along the well signed Pennine Way route which climbs then descends into Upper Booth....

Hugh Hudson

I had plotted this route but didn't know the New Mills end....

Ken

Going east to west care is needed after Edale Cross to leave the bridleway onto the footpath....

Ken

As others have said, there are stiles and gates so some detours would be needed to make it mule-accessible (sounds weird, but a there was a request on Insta for feedback on this!)....

KatyP

As the previous reviewer indicated it does have steep climbs and descents. It also has many stiles and narrow gates. But is mostly along paths and byways across some beautiful countryside....

Tim Ryan

From Hayfield, you ascend along rocky woodland tracks which are often narrow and can be steep in places, then the middle section is gently undulating before a sharp descent into Glossop....

Lauren G

Unfortunately my review didn't post and I don't remember exactly what it said - but I agree with the previous reviewer, this is a pleasant and easy to follow route, well used by all classes of traffic (bikes, dogs, prams, kids on tricycles, and evidently horses as there were lots of hoofprints). The 358 bus runs Stockport - Hayfield and stops at New Mills, so there's good public transport access if you're doing a one-way walk....

Lauren G

If you have a decent pair of boots and you can manage a stiff climb, rough moorland paths and a fair few stiles this is well worth the effort - but it's not one to be taken lightly. Then it passes into farmland as the climb begins, and you cross a series of sheep fields using stiles - some of them are pretty high, and the gates are locked, so it was fine with a terrier but would be tricky with a larger dog....

Bryony

A few climbs - most notably the cobbled path down to join the path from New Mills - but otherwise easily navigable with wide gates and a cafe available at Birch Vale....

Bryony