Sally Outram walk: A wonderful five mile walk around the Longshaw Estate in the Peak District

The Longshaw Estate is easily accessed via the A57 from Worksop and is about an hour’s drive away.

The estate is a vast area of farmland, moorland, and woodland, which is located within the Peak District National Park.

This is a great walk to further explore the Peaks, and if you are lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the herd of approximately 170 red deer which roam freely around the Longshaw Estate and the Sheffield Moors.

There is an abundance of wildlife, and the area is ever popular with birdwatchers, where lapwings, kestrels and pied flycatchers can be seen, along with an array of other wildlife, flora, and fauna.

The name of Longshaw is said to originate from the long wood in Padley Gorge, a deep valley in the Peak District between the A6187 and the village of Grindleford, and evidence of a Bronze Age settlement was discovered in the area.

Keep a look out for the two stone guide posts, which date back to the early 1700s, they were placed to help travellers with direction across the open moorland.

Along this route you will have the opportunity to take a look at Lady’s Cross, a wayside and boundary cross which was first documented in 1263.

Wayside crosses were erected during the medieval period, to reassure travellers who passed and to also function as a waymarker in unmarked terrain.

The crosses were often placed on extensively used routes linking settlements, or on special routes which were used for religious purposes.

Lady’s Cross marks an intersection of tracks on Big Moor in the East Moors of the Peak District, and the past estate boundary of Beauchief Abbey.

The stone would have been seen for miles around and at its full height would have reached about two meters high.

In 1855, the Duke of Rutland purchased Longshaw Estate, where he built a lodge where he held shooting parties for his acquaintances and aristocracy.

The estate was given to the National Trust in 1931 and is also the home to the Longshaw sheep dog trials, which are said to be the oldest continuous trials in the country, running from 1898 to present day.

Longshaw has also long been associated with the legendary Robin Hood, there is said to be two wells bearing the names of Robin Hoods well, and Little John’s well.

The water from Little John’s well, is sourced from a natural spring and would have probably served as waterhole for Packhorses travelling along the old road.

Happy rambling!

Sally

DID YOU KNOW?

The tracks around Longshaw were often used by ‘Jaggers’ the name given to Packhorse men who often did the work as a way to earn extra money when times were difficult.

The journey would have been tough and the tracks narrow, with small stone bridges crossing streams and rivers, a familiar sight in the Peak District, and a fine example can be seen on the Longshaw Estate over Burbage Brook.

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Twitter: @SallyOutram

Website: www.sotalkstravelandadventures.com

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The basics

Distance: 5 miles (8KM)

Gradient: Slight ascent

Severity: Easy

Approx. time to walk: 1 hour 40 min to 2 hours

Path description: paths, tracks, woodland, and moorland

Start point: Longshaw Estate National Trust car park off A625 – Sheffield to Hathersage road

Dog friendly: Yes, on a lead

Refreshments: Fox House Inn, Longshaw, Sheffield

Directions

Proceed through and follow the grassy track, passing Little John’s Well on the left. Continue along until a fork in the path, bear to the left and continue along to reach a gate onto the B6055 Owler Bar road.

Cross over the road and you will see an access sign, and a stile. Climb over the stile and follow the track along the fence heading towards the brow of White Edge Moor.

Keep to the left, ignoring the track to the right, you will see White Edge Lodge to your right below you, with splendid views at its highest point.

At this point you can take a short detour to visit Lady’s Cross, just a short walk along the signposted footpath. Return to the route and continue left along the edge of White Edge Moor, until you reach a gate in a wall. Do not go through the gate, take the path to the right which drops down to a bridleway. Proceed along the bridleway and follow it until you reach the B6054 near the Grouse Inn.

Turn right and where the road bends, you will see a stile. Cross over the sile and follow the wide grassy track across meadowlands by the stream.

Keep following the track by the stream and cross over it once you reach a wall at the top of the wooded area.

Follow the surfaced path with the valley to the left, and continue along following the path round the woods, where you will soon see a stile.

Cross over the stile then join the path to your left, continuing along through the trees and through a gate at Granby Woods.

Continue along through the open scrubland toward the woods, you will soon see a path with a road to your left. Proceed along this path and head right towards a large pond or lake to your left. Proceed on walking in front of Longshaw Hall, following the path back to your start point at the car park.