Padley Gorge Short Walk | 3.5 Miles
Looking for a Peak District walk packed with loads of Autumn colour and a bit of history? This Padley Gorge short walk starts from Grindleford train station and passes Padley Chapel, the ruins of Padley Manor, the remains of Bole Hill Quarry (or Bolehill, depending on your spelling) and the abandoned millstones and then explores Surprise View and Padley Gorge. At just over 3 miles this is a perfect Autumn Peak District walk!
We started our walk from Grindleford Train Station and walked past Padley Chapel and the ruins of Padley Manor, an Elizabethan manor house belonging to the Fitzherbert family. You can find out more information about Padley Manor and it’s demise here.
After exploring the ruins of Padley Manor, we set off up the steep climb into Bolehill woods. Bole Hill Quarry was a humongous quarry in its heyday, quarrying gritstone for use in the building of the dams at Howden and Derwent. Nowadays Bole Hill Quarry is a peaceful nature reserve, with the quarry itself having closed in 1914. The woodlands around Bole Hill Quarry are one of the best places to visit in the Peak District in Autumn, packed with lots of different types of fungi and trees shedding their colourful leaves.
We wandered past what remains of the old winding drum, used for hauling stone and wagons down the railway incline towards the train station, and passed the quarry pool.
The path heads down onto the main quarry track, passing the stacks of abandoned millstones. The millstone industry collapsed suddenly following cheaper imports from abroad, leaving these millstones lying here.
We headed out onto the road and turned right, crossing the road to head up to Surprise View. After admiring the view, we followed the new(ish) path to the Surprise View car park and crossed the road again, passing Over Owler Tor and following the old packhorse route to the top of Padley Gorge.
Padley Gorge is one of the furthest inland temperate rainforests in the UK. It’s formed by a deep narrow valley with Burbage Brook flowing through it. It’s a beautiful place to walk, especially in Autumn. The site is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, cited as one of the best examples “of the remnant oak-birch woodland that once covered much of the edges of the gritstone uplands of the Peak District”. Padley Gorge is a haven for photographers.
At the top of Padley Gorge there are sometimes a herd of cows. I saw a dog getting too close to one of the cows and being butted out of the way, so I’d give the cows plenty of space and don’t let dogs (or anyone!) bother them.
There is a gritstone path that runs down through Padley Gorge, winding its way through the ancient trees.
There is a steep slope down to a wooden bridge over Burbage Brook, and some stone steps leading up onto the wooded banks.
The path then continues downstream until it reaches a hole in the wall. Turning left we arrived back at Grindleford Train Station, where there’s a lovely cafe.
This has to be one of the best Autumn walks in the Peak District, and the best time to visit is mid to late October into November when the trees are changing colour, the ferns are bronze and there are lots of fungi and toadstools to spot.
Padley Gorge Short Walk Details:
Walk Map (Opens in OS Maps): Padley Gorge Short Walk Map
Parking: We parked at Grindleford Train Station, Station Road, Grindleford, Derbyshire, S32 2HY W3W:///layers.fats.ranked. We paid £4.20 via the Ringo app for all day parking.
Dogs: Allowed, but must be on a lead in Padley Gorge – there are signs on gates.
Facilities: There is a customer toilet at Grindleford Station cafe, which also serves hot and cold drinks and snacks.
Walk Time: 2-3 hours depending on how long you spend exploring!
Difficulty: ▲
Distance: 3.5 miles (5.6km)
Elevation: 575ft (175m)
Trig Points Bagged: None
Peak District Peaks Bagged: None
Peak District Ethels Bagged: None
For a longer walk you might like Padley Gorge, Burbage Moor and Higger Tor Walk | 8 Miles or Bolehill Quarry, Higger Tor and Padley Gorge Walk | 7.5 Miles.
For more walks from Grindleford Station why not try Steel Cotton Rail Trail: Grindleford to Hathersage | 2.5 Miles
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