Time to get the hiking boots out and stroll out for some fab views of Chesterfield.
The walk starts in Holymoorside and is a fairly strenuous 4.3 miles (including the stretch to Highfield House Farm). It's quite boggy underfoot with stepping stones so perhaps nopt one to do after heavy rain! Plus you can have a pint at the start of finish (The Bulls Head or The Lamb) or take in a bite to eat half way round (Highfield House Farm, Tyzacks at Stanedge Golf Course or The Red Lion).
There is plenty of on street parking in Holymoorside village but please be considerate.
From the Bulls Head, cross over and walk up Loads Road to the Lamb Inn, continue up the road, past Chander Hill Road on the right, once the houses start to thin out you reach the Old Star Cottage on the Right. Take the signposted bridleway (1) Opposite.
Pause as you climb to admire views over to Chesterfield and the crooked spire (2).
As the wall ends you can see Highfield House Farm, your hilltop destination (3), continue straight ahead on the main path with a fence on your right, which again becomes a wall (4).
Follow this path, take a look behind and see if you can spot the spire (5). You start to descend through trees, at a junction of paths, stay ahead with a fence on your right and continue to reach the road.
Turn right up the road for a short distance and then go left at a footpath (6) to descend through a wood where you will reach a footbridge (7) over the river.
Cross the bridge and follow the path up through the woods past the old abandoned pumping station (8) on the right.
Continue on the path crossing a stream using the stepping stones (9), continue uphill to cross the same stream.
Pass through the gap and follow the path with the wall on your left (10) to a gate to reach the farm buildings.
Continue up the drive past Stonehay Farm to reach the road.
This is your half way point - if you would like refreshments, turn right a short distance along the road to Highfield House Farm and Café. Peak Edge hotel is left along the road. Please take care this is a busy road.
To continue the walk from the path from Stonehay Farm turn left along the road for a short way and left down to Stanedge Golf Club (11).
Follow the drive to the clubhouse, continue past Walton Hay Farm (12) through the second gate and across the golf course to reach a footpath sign by a wall (13), turn left, with the wall on your right.
Cross the small bridge, follow the edge of the green and the woods to reach a sign ’public footpath to Holymoorside’ (14) pointing right through the woods.
Head down through the woods (15) until you eventually reach a gap stile (16), go through and drop down to a track.
Turn right at the track towards the farm buildings, make a left turn following the fence towards the trees, cross the stream and follow this path, staying on the lower track with the wall on your left (17), through a gate and past the pond, through the gap stile (18) and straight ahead to the road.
Turn left along the road to return to The Bulls Head.
Words & Images: Paul Chapman Map: Courtesy OS Open Data
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