HARTINGTON

Turn left from the car park and walk back through village or park round the center of village and follow the main road as it bends to the right at the central triangle. Turn right along the lane signed Youth Hostel 250yd and walk up hill to reach this establishment. As you gain height there are good views down across the meadows below towards St. Giles church. Go past the first narrow lane on your right and the lane opposite the youth hostel. A little further on you come to a walled lane this is called Highfield Lane .The continuation way winds south east over the brow of the hill ahead, passing a stone barn, to lead you to Dale End below.

During your descent the scar of Biggin Dale part of your route comes into view over to your right south south east, and the village of Biggin lies directly ahead. Ignoring a way off to your right follow the walled track past Dale end House to reach a surfaced lane. 

Turn right along this lane and within a further 100 paces turn right again to go along the signed public footpath leading into Biggin Dale. This is entered through a narrow g-stile and an English Nature sign welcomes you to the dale. The way then goes southwards following the folds and grassy way of this quiet dale. Continue along the obvious wide path which hugs the bottom of the Dale as your surroundings become spectacular. Cross over the next s-stile to cross the dry stone walling that blocks your way and further down disregard the public bridleway to Hartington which branches off uphill to your right. 

Pause along this stretch of the Dale and look for Hawks and birds of pray, there seems to be a selection of birds and if your lucky enough you may see their wonderful ariel displays.

The path leads to an intersection of ways and your continuation route follows Biggin Dale around to the right, on the far side of a limestone wall ahead.  To reach this, first bear left to circle around a dew pond, using a wooden gate above on the left, to pass through another dry stone wall, then turn immediately right to continue along the signed public bridleway, this can be very muddy so please be careful.

The sides of the Dale continue to steepen and the plunging slopes become covered with large patches of gorse and limestone scree. Then past another wooden gate, shrubs and willow appear, this section can become wet underfoot. Go through a redundant gate and continue on this route until the spectacular Peaseland Rocks come into view. 

You will now come to the River Dove pause a while here and watch the ducks on this lovely stretch of water. Turn right to follow the obvious path at the side of the river and carry on to Wolfscote and Berrisford Dales. The scenery along this stretch of your walk which leads north west is full of vertical walls of white limestone. Watch out further along this path as the scree covers your path. Carry on as the sides of Wolfscote Dale becomes less dramatic and become lower more rounded less steep grassy slopes. A stile and adjacent wooden gate signal that you are approaching the north reaches of the Dale and a short distance beyond these features and past more limestone cliffs and scree you will emerge from the jaws of the valley. Do not cross the River Dove or veer off right uphill along a walled track but instead pass through two g-stiles and cross the flat private meadowland directly ahead north.

The crossing of this meadowland - if this is particularly wet veer right to the slightly higher ground - leads towards Beresford Dale. Directly ahead exit from the meadow through an unusually shaped stone g-stile. After this cross the River Dove via the adjacent bridge and turn right to continue along a path signed Hartington. Berrisford Dale is shorter than the previous Dales but it is interesting and has a calming charm as the River Dove flows serenely through steep wooded slopes. .

You will recross the river, and a short distance further on, the route emerges from the Dale to commence a gradual climb across more open countryside back towards Hartington. The clear and defined well trodden way leads through a gate g-stile positioned in a dry stonewall and then uphill veering to the left of a grassy slope where you are requested to keep to the marked path. 

Follow the way signed route as it bears left towards the buildings of Hartington which now come into view head. Cross a shallow grassy depression then negotiate a g-stile and a wide gap in a stonewall before the path bears right uphill to round another grassy hillock. The way then crosses a walled track flanked by w-stiles, which you use to continue along a final approach path into Hartington. This is again signed and it runs along adjacent to limestone wall on your left. The path then goes down through a gateway to lead you back to the road through the village. A little to the right you will come to a pub where you can enjoy a good pint of beer. If you parked in the car park you may have missed the duck pond just to the right of the pub take a look as it's worth it.