Nice, easy fine weather walk starting from the beautiful village of Winster. Lovely views as you travel through different terrains.
Calculated time: 2h55[?] 
Distance : 8.3km
Vertical gain : 200m
Vertical drop : 198m
Highest point : 271m
Lowest point : 139m 
Difficulty : Moderate
Back to starting point : Yes
Walking
Area : Peak District 
Location : Winster
Starting point : N 53.142501° / W 1.631762° (D)Car Park (Free) just outside the village in the local primary school, it is well signposted. Turn Right out of car park and walk down the road for 150m.
(1) Cross a stile on the left. Bear right across a couple of fields through stiles, the path is well defined. There are two stile posts in the middle of a field, bear slightly left from these towards the woods, there is a stile initially hidden from view in the corner of the field.
(2) Go through the gate and enter woods and follow the woodland path (can be boggy in wet weather). On emerging from the woods bear left up a track towards a gate/barrier.
(3) Turn left before the gate and you will walk past the engine house ruin and onto a woodland path which leads to a track over a stile. Turn left and proceed for 500m to a finger post on the right.
(4) Go through the stile and up the field for 200m to the stile on the left. Cross the stile and follow the track into the village of Birchover.
(5)Turn left and pass public Toilets (open April to October only). Village has two pubs if you need a rest stop, both on the Main Street. Take the lane to the left of The Druid Inn and follow the track around the hill crossing a stile by a gate and reaching another at the meeting of three paths.
(6)Proceed along the middle path to a stile and then continue with the fence on your right down the hill. Cross the stream and up the short sharp rise to the road. Cross the road and through the small wood and through the gate into the field. Proceed up the hill towards a gate into the car park next to the house, go though the car park and reach Dudwood Lane (part of the Limestone Way)
(7)Turn Left and up a fairly steep ascent until you reach a road, about 500m. Cross the road and continue up the Limestone way until the next lane.
(8)Cross the lane and take the stile immediately on the left across the fields towards Winster. Through a second stile and across another road, follow the path across the field through two gates and straight on towards the church yard passing a large house on your left. Go through the church yard to the road
(9)Turn left and then right along the main street, through the village and back to the car park. There is a village shop on the main road and The Old Bowling Green pub is right at the old Market Building - worth a visit::
Waypoints :
D/A : km 0 - alt. 223m - Car Park at Start
1 : km 0.11 - alt. 221m - Stile
2 : km 0.73 - alt. 152m - Gate into Woodland
3 : km 1.81 - alt. 164m - Before Gate
4 : km 3.32 - alt. 259m - Finger Post
5 : km 3.93 - alt. 255m - Main Street
6 : km 4.97 - alt. 216m - Gate to Middle Path
7 : km 5.5 - alt. 200m - Join Limestone Way
8 : km 6.65 - alt. 262m - Lane and Stile
9 : km 7.46 - alt. 249m - Road in Winster
D/A : km 8.3 - alt. 223m - End at the Car park
Winster Car Park is free
Two Pubs in Birchover
Public Toilet on Main Street in Birchover only open April to October
Village shop in Winster
Good Pub in Winster
Good boots required
After wet weather some of the narrow tracks get boggy
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
Good views of the countryside
Excellent woodland walks
Pleasant all round walk.
Global average : 3.94/5
Number of opinions : 6
Description quality : 4.17/5
Routemap quality : 3.33/5
Walk interest : 4.33/5
Global average : 4.67 / 5
Date of walk
: 09/10/19
Description quality
: Very good
Routemap quality
: Good
Walk interest
: Very good
Very nice walk. It was very muddy in places...had to use our gaiters. On step 3 after the Engine house a couple of trees had blown down across the path.
My husband tried to climb under one of them forgetting he had his rucksack on his back. . It was hilarious!
We had lunch at The Druids Inn in Birchover... the other pub doesn't open until the evening on a weekday.
We also found ourselves a little lost after this 'following the track around the hill'. We passed the cemetery too so realised we had taken the wrong turn.
Thanks to mrhaanman walk opinion on step 5. . we took the second stile as he suggested & found the correct path.
Not sure if we were just tired at step7 but that hill was not 'fairly' steep but 'very' steep! Those 500m felt like 2 miles.
Walking out of the village back to the carpark there was a lovely house on the right selling unusual perennials from their front garden... well worth a visit.
Global average : 4.67 / 5
Date of walk
: 15/09/19
Description quality
: Very good
Routemap quality
: Good
Walk interest
: Very good
Global average : 3 / 5
Date of walk
: 16/02/19
Description quality
: Average
Routemap quality
: Average
Walk interest
: Average
Ok so on step 5 there are two styles with gates next to them. You need to take the second one or you'll end up walking along a busy road with no pavements.
There's some other ambiguity in the instructions after the engine house.
Also the first mile or so is VERY muddy and recent high winds have blown trees across the trail. Not impassable but tricky. All in all a nice walk. Make sure you take the quick detour to Rowter Rocks righ behind the druid Inn at birchover.
Global average : 4 / 5
Date of walk
: 20/08/18
Description quality
: Good
Routemap quality
: Average
Walk interest
: Very good
Thoroughly enjoyed the walk, Birchover toilets appeared to be permanently closed. Initial route directions out of Birchover a little confusing, ended up walking past the cemetery!! However eventually regained our bearings and no further problems encountered.
Global average : 3.67 / 5
Date of walk
: 19/08/18
Description quality
: Good
Routemap quality
: Average
Walk interest
: Good
A pleasant walk! Various terrain!
Global average : 3.67 / 5
Date of walk
: 23/04/18
Description quality
: Good
Routemap quality
: Average
Walk interest
: Good
Pleasant walk although some ambiguity in directions. ( Maybe us!)
11.76km
+234m
-228m
4h00
Moderate
Starting point in Middleton (Derbyshire) - Derbyshire A circular walk around Middleton Top area. The 360° view offered by Harboro' Rocks over Carsington Water reservoir is incredible. It is also an opportunity to have a closer look at the windmills.
12.79km
+165m
-166m
4h10
Moderate
Starting point in Youlgreave - Derbyshire A Peak District walk that traverses pretty Lathkill and Bradford Dales. The walk also includes a section of the Limestone Way.
9.56km
+167m
-169m
3h10
Moderate
Starting point in Youlgreave - Derbyshire This Peak District walk provides a shorter route for visiting Lathkill and Bradford Dales.
12.14km
+297m
-301m
4h20
Moderate
Starting point in Edensor - Derbyshire Really lovely varied walk starting at Calton Lees and climbing up to Calton Pastures with great views over the surrounding area of Bakewell and Chatsworth House. After passing the house climb through Stand Wood and return to the car park via Beeley.
11.39km
+342m
-340m
4h15
Moderate
Starting point in Cromford - Derbyshire A good mixed terrain walk with great views. The early footpath rising through the woods was not well used so poorly defined.
6.56km
+154m
-159m
2h20
Moderate
Starting point in Cromford - Derbyshire Enjoy the great views and history around Cromford Canal and Sheep Pasture Top views. Go up into the woods learning all about the local industry before enjoying the view onto Derwent valley at the top, then finish your walk with a nice drink at the pub.
11.36km
+242m
-241m
3h55
Moderate
Starting point in Ashford in the Water - Derbyshire This Peak District walk starts in the pretty village of Ashford-in-the-Water and explores the limestone country lying to the south of the Wye Valley. The routes visits the remains of Magpie Mine, the village of Over Haddon and uses mainly field paths to complete the route.
9.26km
+205m
-198m
3h15
Moderate
Starting point in Ashford in the Water - Derbyshire A lovely walk from Ashford in the Water taking in a wide range of terrains including two dales, the River Wye and the Great Shacklow Wood. It's a good un!
For more walks, use our search engine.
The GPS track and description are the property of the author.
