Goyt Valley walk 23: Corbar to Errwood Reservoir

Walk description & directions

I recorded this 8.5 mile circular walk on a glorious spring day in late March 2020, a couple of days after the coronavirus lockdown was announced. I’d been looking for walks I could do from my door, and I live very close to the starting point at Buxton’s Corbar Woods, so it was perfect.

It’s a very easy walk at this time of year, but could probably get a bit muddy in places during the winter, and overgrown with ferns in late summer. I’d definitely recommend walking boots.

1: The entrance to Corbar Woods is easy to spot on Buxton’s Corbar Road (SK17 6RU). There’s usually plenty of car parking spaces nearby. And it’s just a 10 minute walk from Buxton Station. Follow the path through the trees as it snakes around first to the left, and then the right, all the way up the slope.

2: Go through a small gate at the top of the path and head up to Corbar Cross to reach a small stile. From here, there’s a short section which requires a bit of climbing over rocks to reach the cross, but this is easily avoided if you don’t fancy it by heading right and then left up the slope.

3: There are some wonderful views over the Georgian spa town of Buxton from Corbar Cross. Someone cut it down with a chainsaw some years ago in protest against the Pope’s visit. But the replacement now has a metal rod through the centre to prevent it happening again!

4: Go over a stile just behind the cross and head diagonally left, following the fairly obvious path which leads to a gate between the stone wall and some wire fencing. Turn right beside the wall, down the slope. The foot off the slope can get a bit water-logged, but it’s usually fairly easy to find a route through it. 

5: Keep the stone wall on your right and head up the slope to some large boulders on the horizon. Go between these and the stone wall to reach a metal gate. Go through the gate and turn left, following the narrow track beside the wall.

6: Keep the wall on your left and follow it around to the right, past the wind turbine, then along the edge of the escarpment. There are some great views from along this path.

7: The path becomes a little more indistinct as it slopes gradually down towards a wide metal gate on the left. Go through here and follow the obvious path, diagonally right down the slope.

8: Turn right when you each the single-track road. This is the old Roman road between Buxton and Whaley Bridge.

9: Go past the side gate to White Hall Outdoor Centre, continuing over the cross roads in the same direction, to reach another gate. Follow the footpath sign by the gate, turning right down the slope beside the stone wall.

10: Go through another small gate and follow the path which heads up the slope to the left. Follow this for some distance as it winds around first to the right, and then left down the slope, to reach the main Long Hill road.

11: Cross the road and go through a gate on the other side. Follow the track as it winds around to the left, and then keep left as the track bends to the right, following the direction of the next footpath sign, straight ahead.

12: Follow the path down the slope, over a stile in the stone wall, to reach a small footbridge. Turn left on the other side, and head up the slope alongside the trees on your right. (This is a fairly steep climb. If you prefer to avoid it, turn right over the bridge and then left up the incline to reach the footpath sign.)

13: Cross the Bunsall Incline (a section of the old Cromford & High Peak Railway), and follow the direction of the footpath sign down the slope for some distance. There are some wonderful views over Errwood Reservoir from this path.

14: There’s a bench along here which makes a perfect spot to take in the glorious view over the water. The drowned hamlet of Goyt’s Bridge once lay to the right. The path running up the slope to the left was once the main route to the Long Hill road (see walk 10). Continue in the same direction, past the tree which is often festooned with bird feeders.

15: The path eventually bends sharply to the right. At this point follow the footpath sign straight ahead, over some duck-boarding, and then keep right, following the fairly narrow path which leads up the valley, and avoiding signs up the slope to the left.

16: After some distance you reach the track of the old railway. To your right is the blocked entrance to the longest tunnel on the line. Cross over the track, and head up the slope, following the obvious track. This section can get muddy in places, but it’s usually fairly easy to pick your way through the worst spots.

17: Keep in the same direction for some distance, following the path up the rise. As it slopes down, look for a gate in the stone wall, straight ahead. Go though here and follow the path as it bends around to the left and a series of steps which lead down to Bishops Lane. Turn left along the narrow road.

18: Follow the road all the way up to a house, keeping to the right through a metal gate, and then a wooden garden gate that leads into woodland. Follow the path down the slope, keeping the wall on your right, and turn left along a farm track.

19: Go through the farm yard, keeping the farmhouse on your left, and then a metal gate, and follow the track down the slope as it winds around to the right. Go though the gate to reach the golf course.

20: Follow the gravelled path all the way through the golf course towards the club house, making sure any players can see you. Turn left as you exit, keeping the building on your left.

21: Follow the footpath along the edge of the golf course up the slope. Turn right towards Buxton when you reach Long Hill road, and cross to the other side.

22: Look out for a footpath sign a short distance further which leads back into Corbar Woods (or just keep going down the road to reach Buxton town centre). Follow the footpath through the trees. There are a few paths through here, and it’s difficult to explain the route exactly. But if you keep the main road on your right, you can’t go wrong.

23: Turn right when you exit the trees and head down the slope to reach the starting point.

Slow walk video

I’ve created a couple of slow-moving video of this walk. Click to play, and the expand button to view in glorious full-screen.