White Peak Hike PEAK DISTRICT CHALLENGE WALK
With Mark Reid FRGS – author of ‘The Inn Way’ & Mountain Leader
A beautiful walk through the Manifold Valley & Dovedale
33 km (21 miles) – 400 metres of ascent – 10 hours
Devised by Mark Reid in 2022, the White Peak Hike challenge walk is a beautiful route through the stunning valleys of the Manifold Valley (Staffordshire) and Dovedale (Derbyshire) in the White Peak of the Peak District, so named because of the gleaming white and grey rocks of the underlying limestone.
Starting and finishing in the lovely village of Hartington, the route takes in the very best of the Manifold Valley, with its famous caves and limestone tors, before reaching the beautiful village of Ilam. Our route then follows the River Dove northwards through stunning Dovedale, with ancient woodland and towering limestone crags, back to Hartington.
The route follows good paths and tracks all the way, including the old railway trackbed of the Leek and Manifold Light Railway through the Manifold Valley, and well-made paths through Dovedale. The walk passes through lots of ancient woodland, alongside sparkling rivers and across fields and pastureland. There are some ‘ups and downs’, with a short but quite steep optional detour up to Thor’s Cave.
It is a demanding walk due to its length (33 km / 21 miles) and so must be approached with preparation and training, but it is also an rewarding walk that will be remembered for many years.
Mark Reid knows the Peak District like the back of his hand and will guide you around this route (whilst also sharing his knowledge of the area), so that you can forget about navigating and concentrate on enjoying the walk!
This guided walk is designed for solo or small groups of walkers who want to take on the White Peak Hike challenge walk, but don’t want to worry about route finding.
- Fully guided walk with Mark Reid (Mountain Leader)
- Experience the camaraderie of walking a challenge route with other like-minded walkers
- Discover the history, heritage, flora and fauna of the Peak District
- Share your sense of achievement with your fellow walkers
- Small group sizes – maximum 10 people per walk
- You are GUARANTEED not to get lost on our guided walk!
OUTLINE OF THE DAY
7:30am: Meet at Hartington, Peak District
8am – 6pm: Fully guided walk around the White Peak Hike challenge
6pm: Debrief back at Hartington, then head home
NB: Finish time is approximate. There are cafes and toilets at Hulme End, Wettonmill, Ilam Hall and Milldale, which we reach at approximately 9am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
