Sunday 18th March: Beresford and Wolfscote Dales

Distance: 12.6 km (7.83 mi)
Time: 2 hours 56
Average speed: 4.3 km/h (2.67 mph)

I set off from home in heavy rain, just as the weather forecast had predicted. I was hoping that the forecast would also be right in it stopping by about 9ish, but it didn't look to hopeful. I even passed a car parked by the A515 with sleet on its windscreen. Thankfully the rain had stopped as I pulled into Hartington and I set off in the dry, right about 9am.

This is a fairly gentle route, south from Hartington to meet the Dove in Beresford Dale, and then leave it almost immediately to go partway up Narrowdale Hill. This is one of only two steep bits upwards. The next part is a gentle stroll down into Alstonfield, then east along the road and then a track past the Youth Hostel. In summer this is covered in nettles, not a problem this trip.

Going down Gypsy Bank into Wolfscote Dale was going to be tricky given the damp ground. I'd already tripped twice going over stiles and done the flailing arms think to keep balance. I took care, but still managed to slide once before reaching the Dove at the bottom.

And now the sun came out, most of the time anyway. It's a very pleasant stroll back alongside the Dove and I met a couple of dozen people coming the other way, compared to 3 or 4 on the high road.

Just before meeting the outward route, the route heads up a steep path to a walk in pleasant sunshine along some fields and tracks, then back down into Hartington.