Ladybower Reservoir Walk With Win Hill | 8 Miles
This Ladybower Reservoir walk is 7.8 miles long and explores the woodland surrounding the reservoir as well as Win Hill with it’s stunning far reaching views. Starting from Haggwater Bridge, this walk only has two steep climbs and is the gentle way to climb Win Hill.
Ladybower Reservoir is a large reservoir in the Upper Derwent Valley surrounded by beautiful countryside with views of woodland and moorland. Ladybower Reservoir (together with Howden and Derwent Reservoirs) were built by flooding the villages of Derwent and Ashopton, known as the Lost Villages, with residents relocated to nearby Yorkshire Bridge. Completed in 1943, the reservoir was opened by King George VI on 24 September 1945. There are many walks around Ladybower and the surrounding area. This Ladybower Reservoir walk takes in varied terrain, including woodland tracks, trails and moorland which can be muddy in winter.
Our walk starts from a parking lay-by behind the bus stop on Snake Pass. This lay-by is free but is small, with space for about 10-12 cars. Walking a short distance on the road north-east, we took the track down the hill towards Haggwater Bridge. Crossing the bridge we followed the path adjacent to the River Ashop and then followed a track which zig zagged up the hill. At the stile, which has amazing views over to Mam Tor and The Great Ridge as well as Crookstone Knoll on Kinder Scout, we joined the course of the Roman Road to Hope Cross, a former waypost.
Following the course of the Roman Road, we then headed up Hope Brink and Thornhill Brink towards Win Hill and Win Hill Pike. The climb is very gentle and you hardly notice it in places! Win Hill stands at 462m above sea level and has spectacular views down over Ladybower Reservoir, Howden and Derwent Reservoirs and across to Crook Hill and Bamford Edge. This has to be one of the best views in the Peak District! Win Hill Pike is the nobbly, rocky ridge on the top of Win Hill, where the trig point has a gold heart painted on.
We carried on over the top of Win Hill and then headed down the steps at the other side. We followed the line of the wall down the hill north-east, then took the footpath north-west which headed down into the woods of Wiseman Hay Clough Plantation. There are lots of different paths which wind through the forest, all of which are muddy in winter!
We wandered through the woods, heading downhill to pick up the track which leads alongside Ladybower Reservoir. From here you have amazing views of Crook Hill and the reservoir itself, which looks like something from the Lake District.
We followed the track alongside Ladybower Reservoir back to Haggwater Bridge, then retraced our steps back up to the car park.
This is a great walk for the kids, as there is lots to see, and who doesn’t love a woodland walk? It’s also the easiest way to climb Win Hill (although it takes longer than the short, sharp Parkin Clough route).
This walk doesn’t take you near the Ladybower Reservoir plugholes unfortunately as they are down at the southern end of Ladybower Reservoir. You can find out in this blog post how to find the Ladybower Reservoir plugholes.
Ladybower Reservoir Walk Map:
Walk Map (Opens in OS Maps): Ladybower Reservoir and Win Hill Walk
Ladybower Reservoir Walk parking:
We parked in a lay-by on the A57 Snake Pass, near Haggwater Bridge and Hagg Farm, Bamford, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S33 0BJ. W3W:///compliant.shifting.young
Facilities: Toilets in the car park at nearby Heatherdene
Walk Time: 3-4 hours
Difficulty: ▲
Distance: 7.8 miles (12.5km)
Trig Points Bagged: Win Hill
Peak District Peaks Bagged: Win Hill
Peak District Ethels Bagged: Win Hill
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