Peak Walks 11. Calver Sough, Longstone and Eyam Circuit.
- Map: The Peak District White Peak Area 1:25000,
- Time:Allow 5 hours walking time. -1 hour for Short Cut 1, -1 hour for Short Cut 2 Outdoor Leisure 24
- Distance: 19.6km/12 miles
- Ascent 460m Main Route
- Inset: on Longstone Moor
A splendid circuit with possible variations and with stunning views.
Park at Calver Sough, either on the little one-way road near the traffic lights at SK238749 or in the village on the road behind the cafe at SK239748. Walk south up the Hassop Road B6001 past the garden centre for some 200m to a footpath sign and stile on the right just after the wide grass verge ends. The path climbs steeply up a field and soon joins a farm track which after about 1km joins a quarry track on Longstone Edge. Turn right. and after a short distance pass through a new gate on the left, cross the track across the field, pass through another gate and after a few metres turn right. The path is vegitated for a short way but then opens out onto a pleasant hillside. Follow the grassy path which eventually loses height and joins a grassy lane. The lane joins a recently surfaced lane which soon bends left towards the village of Rowland. Superb views from here. 200m below the bend cross a stile on the right and take a diagonal line across the field to another stile. Over the stile is a track, cross this (stile) and continue in the same direction, ignoring a path to the left after 100m. Maintain the same general direction towards Longstone, passing a galvanised cattle trough and aiming for a shallow valley containing Hardrake Lane. Where the narrow Hardrake lane bends to the left by a large Hawthorn/Elderberry, cross a stile on the right, cross fields, cross a farm track and continue down the fields to a lane which eventually leads one to the road.
In Great Longstone, take the small Station road opposite the bus shelter before the Crispin Inn, and after about 150m take the footpath on the right, across several fields to Little Longstone. After prolonged wet weather it may be better to follow the main road to the Packhorse Inn. Turn left along the road, and after the excellent Packhorse Inn take the footpath immediately right. Follow the footpath into a field and after some 100m cross the wall on the right by a collapsing stile, and continue in the same general direction. The path becomes less defined for a while, at an open field head about 30° left towards a shallow valley right of a blockhouse where at a projecting wall there is a stile. Cross the stile and two others to a lane. Turn right along the lane for about 600m past an enclosure on the left where there is a stile and footpath. Follow the pleasant green track up the hill, past a pool to a stile, cross this and follow the wall rightwards to a gate. Stunning view all round. Pass through the gate and continue up the hillside to an ancient tumulus. Continue in the same general direction gently downhill for 600m to a point by the two wired enclosures contained sink holes but which have been filled, to meet a path crossing, turn left to the high point at an old finger post with its finger missing.
From the high point there are superb views to the north containing Hucklow Edge, distant Derwent Edge and to the left the Dark Peak with Kinderscout. The track now runs almost straight for about 3km, crossing lanes and 2 minor roads on its way to Housley House at SK 193759 on the A623. Cross the road (care) and walk up the road towards Foolow. At the junction keep straight on and just after the 30 signs for Foolow take a footpath on the right. We know the next 2km as the path of a thousand stiles. There are actually only 22 with 4 redundant ones but it just feels like 1000. Many of the ancient stiles have been converted to spring loaded gates which may last for all of 5 years.
Follow this path to Eyam, keeping in the same general direction, pass through a small housing estate on way to the main road where one turns right. Eyam is famous for its plague of 1666 and has many sad plaques and cemeteries. At the square (tea shops and pub) cross the road and take Lydgate, the lane next to the post box and defibrillator telephone kiosk and follow this past the Lydgate graves, between a house and farm, along an obvious footpath then over fields past the Boundary stone. The stone contains holes where vinegar soaked money was left for food for the quarentined villagers of Eyam during the Black Death of 1665.
The path now tumbles steeply down towards Stoney Middleton. At the lane turn right then keep left, down through the village to stream level. Here there are 2 options.
1. Continue up to the main A623, cross this (great care) into the car park of the Moon Inn, walk to the top of the car park where on the left is a gate. Pass through this and the one at the other side of the lane and follow a path parallel to the busy main road as far as Coombs Dale where one has the cross onto the pavement 3 minutes from your starting point.
2. Better, turn left, pass the rare octagonal church, and follow the lane past the thermal spring (17deg C) to where the tarmac runs out. Go straight on through the gate and continue in the same general direction across fields and river side until one joins the B6001. Can be muddy. Turn right here to return to Calver.
Short Cut 1. In Great Longstone, pass The Crispin Inn, (excellent refreshments), and after another 60m take a small road on the right. Follow this uphill towards Longstone Edge for about 1km and where it bends sharply right continue straight on up a small steep track (steps in places) which leads over a stile, over a rise and then between wired enclosures onto Longstone Moor to a path crossing point.. This is a heather moor, unusual in a limestone region and it probably survives due to an underlying layer of peat. Continue over the crossing and straight on past an old finger post to a gentle high point and continue as for the main route.
Short Cut 2. Old Ladies Variation. Either from the main route or from Short Cut 1, at the crossing, continue down the moor. The path soon turns left and eventually meets a small road. Turn right and continue to Longstone Moor Farm. take the footpath alongside the farm, follow it (unmarked) down the hill towards the settling pools, turn right over a stile and continue downhill into Coombs Dale. Follow the easy track for 2 miles back to Calver and turn right at the main road
Points of interest. Excellent pubs, stunning views, Great Longstone and Eyam villages.
Revised 5/4/18