Words & Photos Ian Battersby

December 03 2009

350 million years ago a tropical sea by the equator gave life to generations of marine creatures, whose discarded shells were laid down in an ever thickening deposit, compressing itself into rock. The plate moved north, closer to immense river deltas that drained a colossal range of mountains.

The silt settled over this bed of pressurised shell, and in turn compressed. What we have now is gritstone (silt) laid over limestone (shells), with shale between the two. This is all perfectly presented in the Peak District around Castleton, and this walk covers all three geological areas.

Cave Dale allows access onto the well drained limestone grasslands to the south of Castleton, known as the White Peak. The theory that it was a collapsed cave system has been superseded. It is now thought to be a glacial meltwater route. It runs dry, except in the wettest weather, but limestone crags litter the sides of the gorge, adding drama. The ruins of Peveril Castle are perched up on the western flank, and good views of it are gained by climbing the opposite bank away from the path.

Across the valley the intermediate height of the Great Ridge divides the lower White Peak from the higher Dark Peak area, and is predominantly shale. It is very unstable, with obvious signs of landslip, especially from the eastern and northern flanks of Mam and Back Tors, but when seen from Mam Tor or Kinder Scout, the hummocky nature of the northern slopes of Lord’s Seat betray an earlier phase of instability. The landslides have revealed the rickety layers of shale and grit lending Mam Tor its nickname: the Shivering Mountain. The wind blows cold here (another excuse for the name?) but peer over the sheer eastern edge to view the debris from the landslips fanning out.

Eager to visit the gritstone of the Dark Peak proper I left this ridge at Hollins Cross, and traversed the Vale of Edale to climb the southern edge of Kinder Scout to the prominent gritstone outcrop of Ringing Roger. You can see why it’s called the Dark Peak. Gritstone is impervious to water, and less well drained than the porous limestone of the White Peak. The predominant flora of these tops are sphagnum, bilberry and heather, which decay quite quickly to produce the famous thigh-swallowing peat. Today stone blocks pave the way, and I moved swiftly past more gritstone outcrops, with fantastic outlooks over the emerald vale below, before dropping down to Hope.

Refuelling is possible from a choice of teashops and pubs before an evening stroll through the pastures around the river, while contemplating the varied life of the area, from the paradise of the tropics to arctic tundra.

Distance: 14 miles/22km Ascent: 2800ft/841m Time: 8-9 hours Start/finish: Castleton (GR: SK 150829) Maps: Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 Explorer sheet OL1 (The Peak District, Dark Peak area); OS 1:50,000 Landranger sheet 110 (Sheffield & Huddersfield, Glossop & Holmfirth) Information: Glossop, 01457 855920

Technical Spec
Limestone Way SW past Peveril Castle for 2km. Track and paths NNW over Windy Knoll. Climb NE to Mam Tor. Continue to Hollins Cross. Path NW to Edale. Lane N 300m. Path over Grinds Brook. Follow zigzags north to Ringing Roger. Follow Edge of Kinder Scout ENE to Crookstone Knoll. ESE to Crookstone Barn. Ridge SE for 1.5km. Descend S through Hope, crossing Peakshole Water. Paths W to Castleton.