Saturday 6th December - Upper Derwent Reservoir / Alport Castles

Upper Derwent Reservoir / Alport Castles   (Peak District National Park)

The Alport Castles are a landslip feature in the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire. At over half a mile long, it is thought to be the largest landslide in the United Kingdom.  The name "castles" comes from the debris from the landslide, which has produced several protruding grit-stone mounds which tower over the valley and appear from the distance to look like castles. Viewed from a distance the largest of these, the "Tower", resembles a full-scale motte and bailey castle.
Situated in the middle of the Howden, Derwent and Ladybower Reservoirs complex, the Visitor centre is just 500 metres from the Derwent Dam.

Date /Time of walk:        Saturday  6th December 2014, 10am
Start Location:                Fairholmes, Upper Derwent Visitor Centre car park (next to Information Centre), Fairholmes, Bamford, Hope Valley S33 0AQ
Grid Reference: SK 172 893
£4.50 for full day parking. (there are places to park for free along the access road but walk will start from the visitors centre)
Distance:                             Approx 14 km (moderate walk, mainly clear paths throughout, grass /paved  path on moorland)
Total Ascent:                    Approx. 300m (only one short  ascent through a wood)
Time:                                 Approx  4 hours
Route Description:          The walk heads out towards main Derwent dam (the test area for the “Dambusters” raid) and follows a quiet road alongside the Upper Derwent Reservior,  passing  the site of “Tin Town” , the pre-fabricated village that was built to house the “navvies” that built the reservoirs.

Continuing on, we come to a second dam, Howden.  We then follow the edge of Howden Reservoir until we leave the road to head sharply uphill through Ditch Clough plantation and out onto the open moorland to reach Alport Castles.

We then follow the escarpment over open moorland through Rowlee Pasture towards Lockerbrook Outdoor Centre. From here we descend through Haggside Wood, reaching the shores of Ladybower Reservoir, then returning to the Visitor Centre Car Park via path along the lakeshore.

Note: If anyone needs to shorten walk due to other commitments, there is the opportunity to shorten the final leg. From Lockerbrook Centre there is a signed  path descending through the woods that returns directly to Fairholmes Car park (although I haven’t been down it!)



Please let Karen or myself now if you plant to attend.

Regards
Paul
Tel:         0151 448 6282 (Work)
                07986 191604 (Mobile)