I imagine it's quite a surprise to someone travelling in the opposite direction. Eventually, it disappears altogether, the path leading across enclosed farmers fields. It's not hard to imagine where the village gets its name from.Īfter the views begin to fade away, the valley loses its aggressive rockiness and begins to peter out becoming greener and shallower in the process. The castle, founded after 1066 and now owned by English Heritage, occupies a commanding position on the hillside overlooking Castleton. The Limestone Way, a long-distance route from Castleton to Matlock, runs up the length of Cave Dale and, despite the slippery ice, the route is easy enough to follow though steep in places.Īt the top of the steepest section, the valley swings west but not before offering a fine view of Peveril Castle backed by the sun-drenched Lose Hill. The walls of the lower section closest to Castleton are some 50m tall and almost perpendicular to the ground, casting a dark shadow across the entire valley. The dry limestone valley is a real highlight of the Hope Valley, formed by glacial meltwater thousands of years ago. We started off by heading away from the ridge, taking a route south that leads into the depths of Cave Dale. I have done this walk a couple of times, once when I was still in short trousers and didn't care much for walking and another when it snowed and rained in equal measures so today was probably the first time I've really been able to appreciate the beauty of the undulating hills. Though of fairly modest elevation throughout its length, the ridge sits splendidly isolated dividing the picturesque Vale of Edale and Hope Valley and surrounded by some of the finest scenery the Peak District has to offer. I was finally freed from the shackles of work by the time the first weekend of 2015 rolled into view so Sara and I planned a short trip to a mountain ridge in miniature - Edale's Great Ridge. People's posts and pictures of the Lake District certainly have me green with envy. I've been working over the festive period, bound to the house on standby for a week while missing out on the glorious weather we've been experiencing recently. Other points of interest: Cave Dale, Hollins Cross, Back Tor

Mam tor and the great ridge walk