(S/E) Turn left along the A6, then left into Brookside Lane. At the end, cross and turn right, then left signposted to Woodside Tennis Club. At the entrance to the tennis club, turn left through the barrier and follow a tarmac path below gardens to a primary school. Continue ahead along the path beyond the school entrance, and walk along the top of a play area.
(1) Turn right through the gate for Brookside Farm and descend to cross the railway. Follow the farm drive round to the left then, just before the farm, turn left up steps and over a stile and cross the railway with care. Turn right and descend to a footbridge. Follow the path beyond to a stile into a field and cross to the farm ahead, joining the lane beyond the farm buildings. Keep left at a junction, ignoring a private track to the right. When the track turns left and crosses the stream, go through a kissing gate on the right and follow the broad path to pass under a railway bridge. Bear left alongside the stream to a footbridge, beyond which cross a ladder stile on your right into Lyme Park. Walk parallel to the stream to meet a driveway and follow it out to the hut on the main access road to Lyme Park.
(2) Turn right and cross the stream, then take a path heading obliquely off to the left with a red waymark disk. Climb quite steeply to meet a rough track and bear left towards The Cage. When the track bears right to pass below the summit, leave it and walk up to the tower. Beyond it, continue along the ridge before descending to Lyme Hall.
(3) Turn right past the hall gates and follow the curving surfaced path to the main car park and information centre. Cross the car park and turn left; at a fork, bear right over a cattle grid, signposted towards the overflow car park and Darcy’s Pool. At the top of the slope, turn right and follow the drive as it bends left, and then keep right at a junction between two flat-topped hills.
(4) Descend towards a farm but, before you reach it, turn right over a ladder stile out of the park. Follow the right-hand edge of the field to a stile by a barn and continue to a second, stone step-stile. Follow the edge of a wood on your right to meet a track at PNFS sign no. 266. Turn left and follow the metalled drive over a cattle grid to Plattwood Farm.
(5) Beyond the farmhouse, follow a track on the right which runs along the edge of Platt Wood. Pass Plattwood Cottage on your left and continue along the track, keeping left at the drive to a further cottage on your right; ignore a further footpath on the right. At a junction of tracks before Middlecale Farm, turn right and pass a house on the left before swinging left to the canal.
(6) Turn right past the WW2 pillbox on the near side of the canal and follow the canalside path over the railway lines. At the end of the fence, follow the path right as it leaves the canal and climbs through trees before passing along the bottom of some gardens. Swing right and left, past more gardens, to emerge by the entrance to Woodside Tennis Club.
(7) Follow the driveway ahead out to Hartington Road. Cross and turn right then left into Brookside Lane. On reaching the A6, turn right to return to the Red Lion.(S/E)
