The Peak District Boundary Walk is a circular walking trail, starting and finishing at

Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Peak District The Peak District is an upland area in England at the southern end of the Pennines. Mostly in Derbyshire, it extends into Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. It includes the Dark Peak, where moorla ...

, Britain's first national park. The route was developed by the Friends of the Peak District (a branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England) and was launched on 17 June 2017. The Friends of the Peak District's founders, Gerald and Ethel Haythornthwaite, proposed the boundary of the Peak District National Park, which was subsequently established as the United Kingdom's first National Park in 1951. Peak District Boundary Walk Plaque

The route is waymarked with green markers and uses existing footpaths, tracks, quiet lanes, disused railway lines and a canal towpath. The start and finish is at the King's Head pub on Buxton Market Place, where a plaque has been installed by the Peak & Northern Footpaths Society (PNFS). The terrain covers open moorlands of the South Pennines, the limestone scenery of the Derbyshire Dales, woodlands, reservoirs and rural farming countryside. Most of the trail is in

Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the nor ...

but also goes through sections of Staffordshire, Cheshire and

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

. The total ascent is with a highest point of at the summit of

Shutlingsloe Shutlingsloe is a hill near the village of Wildboarclough, in the east of the county of Cheshire. It stands to the south of Macclesfield Forest, on the edge of the Peak District and within the Peak District National Park.

Peak District National Park - Counties Map

There is an official guide to the trail written by Andrew McCloy.

Route stages

The trail is divided into twenty stages of about long, in a clockwise direction around the Peak District. 1. Buxton to Peak Forest From

Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Midshires Way The Midshires Way is a long-distance footpath and bridleway that runs for from the Chiltern Hills from near Bledlow in Buckinghamshire, through the Midlands counties of Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, to Sto ...

past Staden Low, through Cowdale, down

Deep Dale Deep Dale is a short steep-sided gorge near Buxton, Derbyshire, in the Peak District of England. It is distinct from another Deep Dale, near Sheldon, to the east. The dale is cut into a plateau of farmland and lies just south west of the haml ...

, along the River Wye up to

Chee Dale Chee Dale is a steep-sided gorge on the River Wye near Buxton, Derbyshire, in the Peak District of England. Wye Dale continues upstream towards Buxton while downstream are Miller's Dale village and valley. Chee Dale has a protected nature res ...

, through

Wormhill Wormhill is a village and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England, situated east by north of Buxton. The population of the civil parish including Peak Dale was 1,020 at the 2011 Census. Wormhill was mentioned in the Dome ...

, to the west of Peter Dale and through

Hay Dale Hay Dale is a short dry valley near Buxton, Derbyshire, in the Peak District of England. It is part of a longer valley that runs for approximately north–south from Peak Forest (on the A623 road) to the River Wye at Millers Dale. This va ...

nature reserve to

Peak Forest Peak Forest is a small village and civil parish on the main road the ( A623) from Chapel-en-le-Frith to Chesterfield in Derbyshire. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 335. The village grew from the earlier settlement of ...

(). 2. Peak Forest to Hayfield From A623 road at Peak Forest across fields to Blackbrook (on the outskirts of Chapel-en-le-Firth), heading north across farmland to reach and follow the

Pennine Bridleway The Pennine Bridleway is a National Trail in Northern England. It runs roughly parallel with the Pennine Way but provides access for horse riders and cyclists as well as walkers. The trail is around long, extending from Derbyshire to Cumbria ...

, past Mount Famine and along the

River Sett The River Sett is a river that flows through the High Peak borough of Derbyshire, in north western England. It rises near Edale Cross on Kinder Scout and flows through the villages of Hayfield and Birch Vale to join the River Goyt at New Mi ...

into Hayfield (). 3. Hayfield to Glossop Along the

Sett Valley Trail The Sett Valley Trail is a cycle- and bridleway in Derbyshire, England, linking the village of Hayfield and the town of New Mills (via Birch Vale, Thornsett and Ollersett). It runs along the lower valley of the River Sett and follows the ...

west out of Hayfield, north along the Pennine Bridleway, over Lantern Pike hill, through Rowarth, along Cown Edge Way (over Cown Edge ridge and the top of Coombes Edge) into Glossop (). 4. Glossop to Greenfield (Dovestone Reservoir) Past Swineshaw Reservoir, along the Etherow-Goyt Valley Way by Bottoms Reservoir, past

Arnfield Reservoir Arnfield Reservoir is a man-made lake in Longdendale in north Derbyshire. It was constructed in 1854 as part of the Longdendale chain to supply water from the River Etherow to the urban areas of Greater Manchester.Higher Swineshaw and Lower Swineshaw reservoirs, over Swineshaw Moor, rejoining the Pennine Bridleway up to Dovestone Reservoir near Greenfield (). 5. Dovestone Reservoir to Marsden Along the west wide of Dovestone Reservoir, along the Oldham Way over Pots and Pans hilltop, along Shaw Rocks ridge, across fields to the east of Diggle, joining the

Pennine Way The Pennine Way is a National Trail in England, with a small section in Scotland. The trail stretches for from Edale, in the northern Derbyshire Peak District, north through the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland National Park and ends at Kir ...

over the moors, past Brun Clough and Black Moss, Swellands and Wessenden reservoirs, along the hillside heritage trail above Butterley Reservoir and down into Marsden (). 6. Marsden to Holme Heading east from Marsden over Deer Hill Moss, past Deer Hill Reservoir, across fields and along lanes past

Meltham Meltham is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Holme Valley, below Wessenden Moor, four and a half miles south-west of Huddersfield on the edge of the Peak District Na ...

, up Royd Edge and Harden Moss Road track, down to

Digley Reservoir Digley Reservoir is a lake located downstream of Bilberry Reservoir, south west of Holmfirth, in West Yorkshire, England. The reservoir was planned during the 1930s, with much land being bought for its construction, but it was not completed un ...

, across the dam, following the Kirklees Way into Holme (). 7. Holme to Langsett Along the Kirklees Way from Holme over the dam between Ramsden Reservoir and Brownhill Reservoir, up Crow Hill, along the Holme Valley Circular Walk across forested hillside, down the east side of Winscar Reservoir, along the Trans Pennine Trail by the south side of the River Don, across to and along the wooded north shore of Langsett Reservoir to Langsett (). 8. Langsett to Low Bradfield Out of Langsett village along Edge Cliff past Midhope Reservoir, across fields and along lanes to Bolsterstone, past the west end of More Hall Reservoir, across fields and along lanes to

High Bradfield High Bradfield is a rural village north-west of the centre of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England and within the city's boundaries. The village lies just within the Peak District National Park, inside the park's north-eastern border, is at ...

and Agden Reservoir, onto

Low Bradfield Low Bradfield is a village within the Bradfield, South Yorkshire, civil parish of Bradfield in South Yorkshire, England. It is situated within the boundary of the city of Sheffield in the upper part of the River Loxley, Loxley Valley, 6¼ mile ...

(). 9. Low Bradfield to Ringinglow Along the side of Damflask Reservoir, up lanes to and through Royds Clough woods, over the A57 road, through Wyming Brook nature reserve, through woods above Rivelin Dams reservoirs, past Redmires Reservoirs, along paths and lanes to

Ringinglow Ringinglow is a village in the western section of Sheffield, England. It is on the western border of Ecclesall Ward, and although it is within the boundary of Sheffield, it is self-contained, being entirely surrounded by open countryside. The ...

(). 10. Ringinglow to Millthorpe Heading south along the Houndkirk Bridleway past woodland onto Houndkirk Moor, down through woods, up onto Totley Moor, along Brown Edge and Flask Edge, down a track off the moor, alongside Millthorpe Brook and along a lane and path through fields to Millthorpe (). 11. Millthorpe to Beeley Stone Cross in Shillito Wood - geograph

Out of Millthorpe to the west then south through Shillito Wood past the ancient stone cross, across open moorland past Nelson's monument on Birchen Edge, along a track around Gibbet Moor past Hob Hurst's House burial mound, down a path by Beeley Brook into Beeley (). 12. Beeley to Winster The Nine Ladies, Stanton in Peak (7648775554)

The Nine Ladies, Stanton in Peak (7648775554)

Up the hillside to woods overlooking Chatsworth Park, back down to cross the River Derwent and the River Wye at

Rowsley Rowsley () is a village on the A6 road in the English county of Derbyshire. The population as at the 2011 census was 507. It is at the point where the River Wye flows into the River Derwent and prospered from mills on both. The border of the ...

, down the lane past Stanton Woodhouse and up to

Nine Ladies The Nine Ladies is a stone circle located on Stanton Moor in Derbyshire in the English East Midlands. The Nine Ladies is part of a tradition of stone circle construction that spread throughout much of Britain, Ireland, and Brittany during the Lat ...

stone circle, continuing across

Stanton Moor Stanton Moor is a small upland area in the Derbyshire Peak District of central northern England, lying between Matlock and Bakewell near the villages of Birchover and Stanton-in-Peak. It is known for its megaliths – particularly the Nine La ...

, down a footpath into Winster (). 13. Winster to Roystone Grange Along the Limestone Way across fields from Winster, over Bonsall Moor and into Bonsall village, rejoining the Limestone Way after Slaley through Grangemill and onto the Pennine Bridleway through

Longcliffe Longcliffe is a crossroads hamlet in the English county of Derbyshire. It lies on the B5056 road where it is crossed by the Brassington-Elton road. The Midshires Way long-distance footpath and the Peak District Boundary Walk skirt the same route ...

to Roystone Grange. (). 14. Roystone Grange to Thorpe Around Hoe Grange and Ballidon limestone quarries, through Parwich village, heading south across fields to

Fenny Bentley Fenny Bentley is a small village and civil parish located close to Dovedale in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England. The population in 2009 was 305 reducing to 183 at the 2011 Census. It lies two miles north of Ashbourne, on the ...

, following a footpath over the hill, crossing the Tissington Trail, along the lane into Thorpe (). 15. Thorpe to Waterfall Along the Limestone Way, crossing the River Dove from Derbyshire into Staffordshire, following the Manifold Trail along the river upstream through Ilam, over the footbridge and up past Musden Low hilltop and back down into Calton village, following the steep footpath down to the River Manifold, downstream along the

Manifold Way The Manifold Way is a footpath and cycle way in Staffordshire, England. Some in length, it runs from Hulme End in the north to Waterhouses in the south, mostly through the Manifold Valley and the valley of its only tributary, the River Ham ...

to Waterhouses on the A523 road and north to the hamlet of Waterfall (). 16. Waterfall to Tittesworth Reservoir Across fields to join the Hamps Way along the River Hamps, along a track over fields to Onecote village, heading north along a farm track over the hill beyond Mixon, along a minor road to the former Mermaid Inn, taking a footpath west down to Upper Hulme below

The Roaches The Roaches (from the French ''les roches'' - the rocks) is a prominent rocky ridge above Leek and Tittesworth Reservoir in the Staffordshire Peak District of England. The ridge with its rock formations rises steeply to . Along with Ramsha ...

escarpment, along the Staffordshire Moors Walks to Tittesworth Reservoir (). 17. Tittesworth Reservoir to Wildboarclough Along a lane to

Meerbrook file:St Matthew's Church, Meerbrook.JPG, St Matthew's Church, Meerbrook Meerbrook () is a small village in North Staffordshire, on the River Churnet at the edge of the Peak District National Park. It is situated four miles north of the town of Lee ...

across the reservoir, heading north up a footpath around the end of a ridge, across farmland to the River Dane, crossing a footbridge, following footpaths across hilly farmland, up the lane beside Clough Brook to

Wildboarclough Wildboarclough (pronounced Will'berclough) is a village in east Cheshire, England, in the civil parish of Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough within the Peak District National Park. Bilsborough states that the name arises from the rapid rise ...

(). 18. Wildboarclough to Bollington White Nancy with Battle of Waterloo theme

Up and over Shuttlingsloe hill summit (the highest point in the Boundary Walk), down the footpath into

Macclesfield Forest Macclesfield Forest is an area of woodland, predominantly conifer plantation, located around south east of Macclesfield in the civil parish of Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough, in Cheshire, England. The existing woodland is the last su ...

, past Trentabank, Ridgegate, Bottoms and Teggs Nose reservoirs, along the

Gritstone Trail The Gritstone Trail, or Cheshire Gritstone Trail, is a long-distance footpath in England which follows the most westerly hills of the Peak District from Disley Station to Mow Cop, and on via the Macclesfield Canal to Kidsgrove Station. Ma ...

up through

Tegg's Nose Tegg's Nose is a hill east of Macclesfield in Cheshire, England. It has a short ridge with a high point of 380 metres (1246 feet) at , terminating in a promontory at the southern end. It lies on the western edge of the Peak District, alt ...

country park onward to

Rainow Rainow is a village and civil parish in Cheshire, England, in the valley of the River Dean and next to the B5470 road between Macclesfield and Kettleshulme. It straddles the eastern side of the Peak District border of Derbyshire and Cheshire, an ...

village and along Kerridge Ridge past

White Nancy White Nancy is a structure at the top of Kerridge Hill, overlooking Bollington, Cheshire, England. Since 1966 it has been recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. Its profile forms the lo ...

monument to

Bollington Bollington is a town and civil parish in Cheshire, England, to the east of Prestbury. In the Middle Ages, it was part of the Earl of Chester's manor of Macclesfield and the ancient parish of Prestbury. In 2011, it had a population of 8,310. ...

(). 19. Bollington to Whaley Bridge Rejoining the Gritstone Trail over Harrop Brook, following footpaths down to Macclesfield Canal, along the towpath before heading east into

Lyme Park Lyme Park is a large estate south of Disley, Cheshire, England, managed by the National Trust and consisting of a mansion house surrounded by formal gardens and a deer park in the Peak District National Park. The house is the largest in Ches ...

, over Higher Moor, across fields to

Toddbrook Reservoir Toddbrook Reservoir, a feeder for the Peak Forest Canal, opened in 1838. It is sited above the town of Whaley Bridge in the Derbyshire High Peak area of England. The reservoir is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) providing habitats f ...

and into

Whaley Bridge Whaley Bridge () is a town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England. It is situated on the River Goyt, south-east of Manchester, north of Buxton, north-east of Macclesfield and west of Sheffield. It had a population ...

(). 20. Whaley Bridge to Buxton Out of Whaley Bridge along the

River Goyt The River Goyt is a tributary of the River Mersey in North West England. Etymology The name ''Goyt'' may be derived from the Middle English ''gote'', meaning "a watercourse, a stream". Derivation from the Welsh ''gwyth'' meaning "vein" has bee ...

, past Toddbrook Reservoir, along the

Midshires Way The Midshires Way is a long-distance footpath and bridleway that runs for from the Chiltern Hills from near Bledlow in Buckinghamshire, through the Midlands counties of Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, to Sto ...

before heading upstream alongside the River Goyt up to and along the west shore of

Fernilee Reservoir Fernilee Reservoir is a drinking-water reservoir fed by the River Goyt in the Peak District National Park, within the county of Derbyshire and very close to the boundary with Cheshire. The village of Fernliee sits at the north end of the reser ...

, across Errwood Reservoir dam, along the disused Cromford and High Peak Railway line out of the

Upper Goyt Valley The Upper Goyt Valley is the southern section of the valley of the River Goyt in North West England. Position The source of the Goyt River is on Axe Edge Moor above Goyt's Moss to the south. The western side of the valley is a long ridge, runn ...

, down across the Cavendish golf course, through

Buxton Pavilion Gardens Buxton Pavilion Gardens is a Victorian era, Victorian landscaped public park in the spa town of Buxton in Derbyshire. The River Wye, Derbyshire, River Wye flows through the gardens, which are a Grade II* listed public park of Special Historic Inter ...

and up to the market place ({{convert, 9.2, mi, km, disp=x, /).

References

Long-distance footpaths in England Footpaths in Derbyshire Footpaths in Cheshire Peak District Buxton