Halloween Walks in the Peak District
If you love a good spooky story with your strolls, these Halloween walks in the Peak District are right up your street. From eerie old villages with dark pasts to misty moorland paths said to be haunted by wandering spirits, these routes have a few spine-tingling tales to tell. Whether you’re into ghostly legends, real-life horror stories like Eyam’s plague history, or just fancy a moody autumn walk with a hint of mystery, these walks bring a little extra atmosphere to your October adventures.
Lost Lad, Back Tor and Abbey Brook | 10 Miles
At the side of the Derwent Dam is a memorial to Tip, the faithful collie who belonged to local shepherd Joe Tagg who went out onto the moors to check on his sheep in deep snow and never returned. He was presumed dead, and Tip along with him. It wasn’t until 15 weeks later, when a local man was walking up to Howden Moor that he discovered something moving feebly along the path. It was Tip, who had stood vigil next to her master’s body all that time. She was taken home and cared for, but sadly died a year later.
Legend has it the ghost of a black and white collie dog can be seen in the nearby pubs, especially when there’s due to be a bad snowfall. Is it the ghost of Tip?
This walk explores some of the moorland of the Howden Moors.
Lost Lad and Back Tor | 6 Miles
The cairn at Lost Lad is a memorial to Abraham Lowe, a young boy who helped his widowed mother to run a sheep farm on the edge of Derwent Village. Despite knowing the moors like the back of his hand, he got lost one winters night in thick snow and died of exposure. He managed to scratch the words ‘Lost lad’ on the rock under which he and his dog had sheltered just before he died – he wasn’t discovered until the spring.
Redmires and Spooky House | 6 Miles
The Spooky House sits alone on the Hallam moors above the Redmires Reservoirs and is an eerie little building with two rooms. This is a great walk with kids – Stanage Edge always great to explore and the spooky house (although originally a water authority building) definitely adds a Halloween twist!
Nine Ladies Stone Circle, Stanton Moor | 4 Miles
Stanton Moor is home to countless myths and legends, including that of the Nine Ladies. Local legend says the stones are women turned to stone for dancing on the Sabbath, and on dark, misty nights you can almost hear their spectral footsteps echoing across the moor. It’s easy to imagine ghosts circling and whispers of ancient rituals carried on the breeze.
This walk also explores the eerie Rowtor Rocks, where it’s believed that if you sit in the carved stone armchair just after midnight on Halloween, you’ll hear the name of your true love.
West Nab Druid’s Stone | 6 Miles
According to local legend, the Druid’s Stone near West Nab was once a sacred site where ancient druids gathered to perform rituals and ceremonies under the open sky. Some say it was used for midsummer solstice celebrations or as a place of sacrifice, while others believe it was simply a meeting point for spiritual reflection. The large, flat-topped stone is thought to have been used as an altar, and even today, you can see why it captured people’s imaginations
Peter’s Stone and Cressbrook Dale | 6 Miles
Did you know Cressbrook Dale hides a gory secret – Peter’s Stone was the site of the last gibbet in England. This walk takes you up and over the stone, where the bodies of dead criminals were displayed as a warning to others.
Eyam – The Plague Village | 6.5 Miles
Eyam is famous for its incredible history, but it’s also got a haunting edge perfect for Halloween. The village quarantined itself during the plague of 1665-66, and wandering its cobbled streets today, it’s easy to imagine the fear and heartbreak that must have filled every home. From the Plague Cottages to Lydgate and Riley Graveyards, you can feel the stories of the villagers lingering in the air.
The Roaches and Doxey Pool | 4 Miles
Doxey Pool looks peaceful enough in the daytime, but local stories suggest there’s something lingering beneath the surface. There’s a malignant mermaid known as Jenny Greenteeth who is meant to live in the pool, luring visitors to their doom. With the twisted gritstone outcrops of The Roaches as a backdrop, it’s the kind of place that makes you glance over your shoulder – in the best spooky-walk way.
Jenny Greenteeth is also said to live in the nearby Blake Mere pool, which some legends say is connected to Doxey Pool via a huge underground tunnel.
Mermaid’s Pool, Kinder Scout
Mermaid’s Pool on Kinder Scout is one of those spots that feels a little magical – and definitely a bit eerie if the mist is rolling in. Tucked away on the high plateau, this small, dark pool has inspired legends for centuries, including tales of a mermaid who lures unsuspecting walkers to their deaths. This Red Brook scramble walk heads up to the Mermaid’s Pool and on to the tops of Kinder Scout.
Errwood Hall Ruins | 6 Miles
The ruined mansion of Errwood Hall is spooky enough, but perched on the hillside near the ruins is something even spookier – the graveyard of the Grimshaw family who lived at Errwood Hall. This lonely place is seldom visited, but this walk takes you exploring the ruins, the graveyard and a little chapel nearby.
Cave Dale and Peveril Castle | 5 Miles
This walk through Cave Dale passes underneath Peveril Castle built in 1176 and which is said to be haunted by a ghostly white knight. Locals tell tales of a ghostly figure wandering the ramparts, sometimes glimpsed in the moonlight, clad in medieval armour. Some say it’s the restless spirit of a knight who never left his post – perfect fodder for a chilly autumn evening walk with a touch of history and mystery.
Winnats Pass and Mam Tor Walk | 6 Miles
As well as being a beautiful place to explore, Winnats Pass has a grisly past, with the ghosts of two lovers said to roam there. The couple, Alan and Clara, were riding to be married in the Peak Forest in 1758 when local miners robbed and murdered them, throwing their bodies into an old mineshaft. The miners paid for their crime over time. One fell from a cliff near the scene of the murder, one was killed by a falling stone, one committed suicide, one developed psychosis and the last was so guilt ridden he confessed on his deathbed 20 years later. The couple were buried at the church in Castleton.
Torside Clough Scramble to Bleaklow | 6 Miles
Bleaklow is definitely an eerie place at times, and hikers claim to have seen a legion of Roman soldiers heading through there, following a route believed to link the Snake Path to Longdendale. This route up Torside Clough (it’s an optional scramble as you can follow the Pennine Way up onto Bleaklow) is a great one to experience the wilderness of the moors.
Devil’s Dyke
The Devil’s Dyke is high on the moors above Glossop, and is said to be the site of a race between a doctor and the Devil. The doctor had apparently sold his soul to the devil for a set number of years, and when the time came for the Devil to collect payment the doctor challenged him to a race. When the doctor won, the Devil is said to have gouged a great ditch into the moors with his claw. The Pennine Way passes over this ditch today, and many people head over this on their way to the RB29a Superfortress OverExposed crash site (aka the Bleaklow Bomber).
Bleaklow Bomber Walk | 6 Miles
Not far from Bleaklow is the summit of Higher Shelf Stones where the remains of the RB29a Superfortress ‘Overexposed’ plane lie. This is an eerie place, even more so in the Autumn mists (when navigation can be difficult). The plane crashed in 1944, killing everyone on board.
There are lots more Peak District plane wrecks to discover, and you can find some routes here: Peak District Plane Crashes
Black Hill | 3 Miles
The legend of a ghostly soldier on Black Hill, or Soldier’s Lump, adds a spooky edge to this windswept Peak District spot. With its bleak moorland, bit of military history (the trig pillar replaces the Ramsden Theodolite, used by the Royal Engineers under the Principal Triangulation of Great Britain) and lonely trig point, it’s easy to imagine a spectral figure still patrolling the hills – perfect for a misty autumn walk with a touch of mystery.
You never know, you might see a ghostly figure in the mist up there – it’ll probably just be another walker, but you never know… oooooooOOOOOOOooooohhhh…
Luds Church | 9 Miles
Luds Church seems like quite a mysterious place anyways, but it’s said to be haunted by the ghost of a young girl, Alice, who was killed during a skirmish with Lancastrian soldiers hunting for Lollards, a religious group in the 15th Century. Alice is said to haunt the place, and strange floating lights hover above and around the place. Maybe you’ll see her on this 9 mile walk?
Jane Eyre Trail | 5 Miles
This 5 mile walk from Hathersage explores locations that Charlotte Bronte knew and wrote about in her books, including North Lees Hall (aka Thornfield Hall where Mr Rochester kept his secret wife locked in the attic). This route is perfect for fans of Jane Eyre, and heads up onto Stanage Edge for some sweeping moorland views.
I hope you find a spooky walk this Halloween!
You might also like: The Most Beautiful Peak District Walks for Autumn
