Brassington, Carsington, Limestone Way

2 hr 24 mins

5.95 miles (9.57 Km)

Car park on Wirksworth Dale (lane on right just before speed de-restriction signs when heading out of Brassington in direction Longcliffe)

SK233548

Head back to road from car park, turn left downhill into village and take footpath on left just beyond Smithy Barn (opposite 2nd right turn).
Pass between buildings and take stile right of metal gate (please heed the "dogs on lead" signs).
Head diagonally across field, trending uphill to a stile.
Continue in same direction across next field to another stile.
Turn left and go directly uphill to a stile.
Over stile turn right, keep wall on your right then bear left before reaching wall to the stile.
Continue on well defined path bearing left and uphill then downhill to stile just right of derelict barn (end of the strict warnings about dogs on leads).
Over track and continue up field to stile in top right corner.
Continue uphill, over the brow and past the posts of a stile in the vague remains of a wall.
Continue on path which descends gently between the "craters" with barn down to your right and Carsington Water beyond in the distance (the wind-farm is off to your left).
Follow the path to a stile right of metal gate (where fence and wall meet).
Follow the wide path with the wall/fence on your right and the hill on your left.
Over the stile by metal gate (you're now in Carsington village) and follow the lane down until it meets another road.
At the junction, take the path on your left between the quaint houses (Mining Lane).
Up the steps at the end and through a gate.
Follow the well defined path steeply uphill (waymarkers) to the wall at the top.
Before the wall, turn left and continue on this path keeping wall on your right and passing the wind-farm eventually on your left.
Continue to gate and stile by road.
Cross road, over stile and cross small field to another stile and High Peak Trail.
The route can be cut short by turning left on the High Peak Trail, follow for approx 2 Km where the Limestone Way crosses the trail. Turn left up steps at this point. The rest of the route is described further down (see *)
Directly over trail, head diagonally leftwards over brambled ground to a stile.
Cross the quarry road and head left keeping wall on your right.
Continue past the office buildings on your left and just before the large works building, a track heads right signposted to caravan site.
Follow this track round the back of the works buildings then downhill to a cattle grid (avoid the track on the left at this point to farm and caravan site).
Over cattle grid and at bottom of field, turn left on farm track.
When track forks just beyond 2 large metal gates, take right fork.
Continue on track for approx 1.5 Km and just beyond where the overhead power lines cross track, take the footpath left uphill signposted Limestone Way, High Peak Trail and Brassington.
The path isn't defined here so aim for the midpoint of the top wall - the stile is 20 mtrs left of the gate which is just visible from the bottom of the field.
In the next field continue in the same direction and stile is at lower end of the far wall.
Path continues in roughly the same direction bearing left slightly as it contours round the field to the next stile.
Diagonally leftwards down next field to meet the wall on the left at the lowest point.
Uphill on farm track for short distance and take the stile on left (well signposted).
Diagonally up next field then over 2 stile to High Peak Trail.
* The rest of the route is the same from this point whether you've walked the complete circuit or taken a shorter variant along the High Peak Trail.
Directly over trail, up steps, through gate then directly up field keeping wall on your left.
Through gate 20 mtrs right of top left corner of field.
Continue uphill, wall on your left.
Over stile with rough ground directly ahead but turn right after stile.
As rough ground finishes, path bears leftwards, over brow of hill and down to farm house and buildings.
Through stile to farm track and follow this to the road.
Turn right onto road then left at the "T" junction and follow the road downhill towards Brassington.
Wirksworth Dale and car park is just beyond the 30 mph sign on left.Route detail here....