Country:
District:
Start : Road outside YHA Hartington Hall (SK17 0AT) Grid ref. SK 131 603
(S/E) Start from the road outside Hartington Hall. Take the track opposite between stone walls (South), signposted "Hulme End" and Cycle Route 549. When the walled track ends, head diagonally right across the field, aiming for a gap in the wall marked with a yellow-topped pole. Continue in the same direction across the next field, heading for the corner where there is a gate and a stone stepped stile onto Reynards Lane.
(1) Turn right along Reynards Lane, then after 250 m turn left (South) onto a track. Continue on this track until near its end when it turns sharp left. Here, continue in a similar direction (South) on a short footpath to rejoin Reynards Lane.
(2) Turn right (South-West) along the lane for around 280m until you reach a walled track on the right (there is a short cut across the field, but the farmer requests that you do not use it during the spring and summer). This track goes downhill, then bends left and narrows to reach a 'crossroads' of tracks.
(3) The cave Frank i' th' Rocks (A) is only a short distance away, and worth a visit. Continue down the track to the River Dove, then turn left through the gate and follow the path diagonally up the slope to the cave in the cliffs above.
To continue, return to the river. There is a path straight ahead crossing the water meadow to the footbridge in Beresford Dale, but this can be muddy or flooded. If so, climb the hill back to the 'crossroads' at the waypoint (3).
(3) Turn left onto the byway, and continue downhill to the footbridge over the River Dove (there are stones to step across the end of the water meadow). Cross the river and turn right (North) into the narrow part of the dale. Continue along this path, to reach another footbridge.
(4) Shortly after crossing the footbridge, you can see Beresford Tower (B) on the left, on the top of a rock outcrop - further on, there is a better view looking backwards. Shortly before leaving the woods, you may be able to glimpse The Temple (C) through the trees on your left. This is a small fishing house on the opposite bank of the river, built in the 17th century by Charles Cotton.
When you leave the wood, follow the worn path across fields, which in some places also has wooden marker poles. This descends to a small stream by a wall, then climbs again to cross a track between stone walls. The path continues straight on, passing farm buildings and houses on the left, to reach Hartington.
(5) To return directly to Hartington Hall, go right over the grass bank, then through the gap between the hedge and the fence. The footpath continues along the edge of the fields (besides the gardens of houses below), then along a narrow gap between walls to reach the road.
Turn right (East) to return to Hartington Hall. (S/E)
To visit Hartington village, turn left and downhill through the gap between buildings (the public toilets are then on your left).
Walker
Moderate 
