Lantern Pike and the Sett Valley Trail | 8 Miles
This 8 mile walk starts from the pretty Peak District village of Hayfield and heads up and over Lantern Pike before continuing to New Mills and returning via the Millennium Walkway and the Sett Valley Trail. There’s lots to see and after the climb up Lantern Pike the going is pretty steady.
Sett Valley Trail
The Sett Valley Trail is a lovely 2.5 mile route that links Hayfield and New Mills along a disused railway line. It winds through peaceful countryside and shady woodland, with plenty of benches and picnic spots to stop and take it all in. Perfect for an easy weekend wander, a family outing, or a gentle bike ride, it’s one of those trails that proves you don’t need to hike up a mountain to enjoy the best of the Peak District!
This walk starts from Hayfield. We parked in the car park on Station Road and set off on Wood Lane, through a housing estate, to a bridge over the River Sett. Crossing the bridge, we walked through a small park and then along Swallow House Lane. Just after Swallow House Crescent the path road forked and we took the right hand fork along a small road, passing a collection of pretty cottages. The footpath runs through a wooden gate and climbs alongside some woodland.
Emerging out of the woodland we carried on up the hill, up what is essentially someone’s driveway track, and headed over a stile into a small woodland and then the Open Access Land.
The path runs steadily up the hill and we crossed the field, heading to a wooden gate and a track leading up to the summit of Lantern Pike. The summit at 373m is marked by a toposcope or hill indicator. Lantern Pike does have a trig point, but this is in a field below the summit. We headed south, following the path down to reach a wall, and then it follows the wall back to a track.
Turning right through a gate, the route continues along the Pennine Bridleway and crosses a road before joining the Sett Valley Trail.
We followed the Trail all the way into New Mills, before taking a footpath off at the Peak and Northern Footpaths Society sign for Salem Bridge. We followed this (slightly overgrown) path down to Salem Bridge, and walked along High Street into New Mills.
On reaching the end of High Street and a roundabout near the train station, we walked down the hill to New Mills train station and joined a footpath on the left which crosses the Millennium Walkway.
Reaching Torrs Hydro, we followed the River Sett and then rejoined the Sett Valley Trail, which we followed back to Hayfield.
We went for lunch at The George in Hayfield and can definitely recommend it!
Lantern Pike and Sett Valley Trail Walk Details:
Walk Map (Opens in OS Maps): Lantern Pike and Sett Valley Trail Walk Map
Parking: We parked at the car park on Station Road, Hayfield, High Peak SK22 2ES W3W:///geology.unfilled.special. This is a pay and display car park.
Dogs: Allowed but the route passes through farmland so they must be on leads around livestock.
Facilities: There is a free toilet in the car park.
Walk Time: 3-4 hours
Difficulty: ▲▲
Distance: 7.9 miles (12.71km)
Elevation: 1075ft (328m)
Trig Points Bagged: If you’re counting actual trig points, this walk doesn’t bag any. If you’re counting the summit marker of Lantern Pike as the trig, you’ve bagged that! The actual trig is fallen over and lies at SK 02390 87945. It’s on Open Access Land, but there is a barbed wire fence surrounding it. Access might be gained from the north corner of the field from National Trust Open Access Land, according to Trig Pointing UK.
Peak District Peaks Bagged: Lantern Pike
Peak District Ethels Bagged: Lantern Pike
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