Start/Finish Miller’s Dale Station/car park, OS grid ref SK 138 732 Total distance 34.6km (21.5 miles) Total ascent 1256m (4122 ft) Time 3.5-plus hours Maps Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50k: Buxton & Matlock 119. Or Garmin GB Discoverer 1:25k Peak District National Park (GPS). Summary Plenty of ups and downs to stretch your legs: steep, semi-technical ascents and descents, fast double track, and rail trail and farm roads. Join westerly Monsal Trail at Miller’s Dale station. Leave rail trail in Chee Dale, dropping to river and Blackwell Mill to follow track to A6 at Wye Dale car park. Join the A6 towards Buxton. Care is needed, as the road is busy and fast, with poor visibility. After approx 1km turn sharp left onto rough doubletrack that climbs the hill behind you. Ascend to King Sterndale, turning right onto the road to leave the village and pass the church on the right. At a right hand bend in the road, turn left onto the bridleway, then pass through a gate to cross diagonally over two open fields (signed but unclear on the ground). At far gate descend steeply into Horseshoe Dale, making a sharp left/right to continue straight ahead at the bottom and climb up to the A5270. Pass through a gate and turn left onto the road at the top. At the next junction turn right on The Ditch (road), then left to Chelmorton at next crossroads. Follow the road as it passes through the village and becomes track, bearing right on bridleway at the end to climb up on the hill behind the church. At the top, turn left at the crossroads onto Pennine Bridleway (PBW) and follow this as it descends to A6. Turn left onto the A6 for 1km then leave road and rejoin PBW at head of Chee Dale. Stay with PBW to cross Monsal Trail, the river and exit the valley before passing Tunstead Quarry. At junction bear right on PBW to Wormhill and continue across Monk’s Dale via road climb to crossroads. Turn right onto the track and continue south, returning to Miller’s Dale on Limestone Way. Join B6049 and climb towards the A6. Turn left onto Long Lane and follow the byway to Priestcliffe and then Bull Tor. Continue on the same track to Brushfield and onwards to descend to Monsal Dale. Turn left onto the Monsal Trail to return to Miller’s Dale Station.by Andrews_45
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