Above: The approach to Errwood Reservoir at point 9 on the route. A nearby bench makes a perfect stop to rest and take in the wonderful view.
Click for a pdf with stage-by-stage details of the route including photos and a map, as well as links to car parks and public transport. A walking app GPX file is also available.
Length: 7.8mls | Av. time: 3.35hrs | Ascent: 1070ft
Start: Bishop’s Lane, Buxton | Google Map
Walk description, map & GPX | Download
A 7.8-mile circular walk from Bishop’s Lane in Burbage, on the western edge of Buxton. It crosses easy moorland paths to circle Errwood Reservoir, before returning alongside the Goyt – one of the most picturesque spots in the valley.
It’s a pleasant 40-minute walk to the start from Buxton station, and buses stop close by on St John’s Road – see Public transport. If you’re driving, the nearest large car park is at the Pavilion Gardens, just over half a mile away.
There are no steep slopes, but it can get muddy after rain, so walking boots are recommended. Early on, there are great views back over the Georgian spa town of Buxton.
Railways and reservoirs
The route crosses the old Cromford & High Peak Railway, beside the blocked exit of one of its longest tunnels, and later follows the Bunsall Incline, where trains were once hauled up and down by cable.
It then crosses the dam between the twin reservoirs. Fernilee was completed in 1937, some 30 years before Errwood – both were planned together, but a lack of money after the war delayed the second.
A short detour from Errwood Hall car park takes you to the ruins of Errwood Hall, and further on the packhorse bridge is another lovely spot to stop. The lane at Goytsclough was once the site of a giant waterwheel that ground paving slabs from the nearby quarry.
The return follows narrow moorland tracks that can get dense with bracken in late summer and autumn – though never too difficult – before dropping down through Burbage to the A53.
Click for a pdf with stage-by-stage details of the route including photos and a map, as well as links to car parks and public transport. A walking app GPX file is also available.
Route photos
Stages 1-6 of the route. Click any to enlarge and scroll through.
Relive video
Click to play and use the expand option to view in full-screen. More Goyt Valley Relives.
