One of the reasons we love walking in the Peak District is the rich history we get to learn about as we make our way through its villages and landscape. With families having lived in the area for many generations, there are fantastic tales passed down through hundreds of years for us to hear.
As we head through October we thought we’d share with you some of the spookier stories we’ve learnt about the area! Will you spot any of the ghosts we mention? Or, maybe you’ll listen a little more carefully for those echoing noises in the quiet hills!
Have you got any spooky Peak District tales to share? Let us know in the comments!
The Best Halloween Hikes in the Peak District
Just for fun this Halloween, we’ve paired some of the most haunted spots in the Peak District with our walking routes. Are you going for a Peak District hike…or are you going on a ghost hunt?!
You’ll find the full walk descriptions, GPX files and maps when you click through to the individual walks.
Great Longstone
Longstone Lane, aka Shady Lane, leads out of Great Longstone, towards Ashford in the Water. Legend has it that at dusk you may encounter a funeral procession along this lane. But this is no ordinary funeral procession, it’s made up of 12 headless men carrying an empty coffin.
Although some people say the coffin was for a former Lady of nearby Thornbridge Hall, most believe it’s reserved for…YOU! Those who see it are said to be the next to occupy it.
With that in mind, it might be best to complete our 8-mile Magpie Mine (and Monsal Dale) from Ashford in the Water walk before dusk, as it brings you back along Longstone Lane!
Magpie Mine from Ashford in the Water WalkHope and the Kinder Plateau
When you’re arriving in Hope for our 9-mile Win Hill and Kinder Plateau walk, watch out for a ghostly lady riding her horse from the church there. Margaret Vernon is doomed to ride the route between the church and Hazelbadge Hall for all eternity after witnessing her lover get married to another woman. In great distress she rode her horse home, where she pined to death.
An additional treat on the Kinder Plateau is the Mermaid’s Pool, which can be visited on our 9-mile Kinder Scout from Hayfield Walk. Though most likely to burst into action on Easter Eve the resident mermaid has been known to cause mischief at other times. Stare into the depths of the pool (or even dip in it) if you dare. If the mermaid likes you she may grant you a long life. If she doesn’t take a liking though, she may lure you to your doom!
Win Hill and Kinder Plateau walk from Hope to EdaleBakewell
As Bakewell is a bigger settlement it has room for a fair few ghosts! You can look out for them all when you’re exploring the town after walking our 7-mile Chatsworth and Edensor route, which begins in Bakewell.
Castle Hill in the town is now holiday accomodation, but was once a boarding house. If you choose to stay there on a Friday listen out for the footsteps of Jim Marlowe. He was a butler there many years ago and story has it that he shot himself one Friday night to escape an unhappy marriage. His footsteps continue to be heard each Friday, leading from the pantry and up there stairs, on his final journey.
At nearby St Anselm’s school a more definite ghost sighting occurred. During a social event in the mid-20th century, guests gathered on the steps for a photograph. It was only once the image was developed that a boy dressed in Victorian clothes was seen standing amongst the group. No one there on the day remembered seeing him!
Finally, a drunken farmer who died after falling from his horse on the way back from Bakewell Market is said to appear at nearby Taddington Hall. His wife knew he had died before she was even told, as he came to tell her himself!
Chatsworth and Edensor Walking RouteWinster
Take on one of our 9-mile Robin Hood’s Stride and Stanton Moor from Winster walk and you may see or hear more than you bargained for!
Winster Hall sits in the heart of the village, and is said to be haunted by one of two young lovers who leapt from the roof to their deaths many years ago. A young woman, who was a daughter of the household had fallen in love with a coachman on the estate. Her parents forbade their relationship and were to marry her off to antoehr man.
To escape this the young lovers climbed to the roof of the hall and leapt off, hand-in-hand. Ever since, locals have reported seeing a white-clad figure wandering around the Hall and grounds. Some even say that at Christmas each year the final moments of the young lovers is replayed in ghostly form.
Castleton
Castleton is often bustling with people but did you know it’s bustling with ghosts too?
Goosehill Hall is now converted into holiday cottages, and if you’re staying there you might be treated to a mediaeval spectacle! Many who have lived there before have caught glimpses of historic tournaments being played out in the grounds. Watch out for that jousting stick!
Head up to Peveril Castle and you could encounter one of a few spooky residents. A white knight is said to stand on the ramparts, with a horse and hound seen guarding the keep.
We’ve got lots of walks from Castleton to keep you busy as you dodge the ghouls. Check them all out here.
Creepy Castleton WalksWinnats Pass
Head out of Castleton and up Winnats Pass and you may meet some of the most tragic spooks in our tales. For here, in 1758, young Alan and Clara were riding off to be married in the Peak Forest when they were accosted, robbed and killed by a group of miners. Their bodies were then thrown down a mineshaft to conceal the crime. Although they are now buried in the graveyard in Castleton, the young lovers are said to still roam the pass, trying to make it to their ill-fated wedding.
The miners themselves were little better off. One died falling from a cliff beside where he had committed his crime, another was killed by a falling stone, and the third developed psychosis. The only surviving murderer clearly found it hard to live with his crime, as he confessed on his deathbed some twenty years later.
Follow in Alan and Cara’s trail on our 5-mile Winnats Pass from Castleton walk, but keep an eye out for bands of miners!
Winnats Pass WalkEdale
The Nag’s Head in Edale has long been a popular haunt for hikers. But it’s thought to be a bit of a popular haunt for spirits too!
Drinkers and staff have often reported flickering lights, pint glasses moving across tables and footsteps in the corridors.
During WWII some of the bodies of the unfortunate airmen who lost their lives on Kinder Moors were brought to the pub before they were laid to rest. Since then, customers are said to have seen ghostly figures in uniform roaming the pub.
Our 9 best walks from Edale can be found here. Be sure to call into the Nag’s Head and raise a glass to those brave airmen on your return.
Edale WalksWirksworth
No ghost compilation would be complete without a headless horseman! Visit Wirksworth for our 4-mile Black Rocks and Star Disc walk and you might just encounter this partial equestrian!
He is the ghost of a coachman who was killed when his horse bolted through the archway of the Red Lion Inn many years past. He’s now said to appear, still riding his horse, and dressed in a green cloak, galloping through the town and through solid walls!
Wirksworth WalkBarber Booth
Sitting just outside Edale, Barber Booth is a small hamlet, which leads out to some great walks. Our 5-mile route from Barber Booth up to Rushup Edge gives you great views.
On your walk out of the hamlet don’t be alarmed if you encounter a large black dog roaming the lanes. Although this is a ghostly beast it is not here to do you harm, as some other black dogs are thought to do. This dog is said to belong to the fairies, and acts as a guardian to them and the surrounding area. Give him a calm nod and carry on with your hike!
Barber Booth WalkStoney Middleton + Eyam
The moorland around Stoney Middleton was a remote, bleak place to cross in the 18th century. It’s danger made even more present by the activity of Black Harry, the notorious local highwayman.
After terrorising locals and visitors to the area for many years, Black Harry was finally captured and hung, drawn and quartered on the Gallow’s Trees at Wardlow Mires. Its said his spirit is still present out there on those lonely moors though, roaming on his horse at nightfall.
If you take on our 10-mile Sir William Hill Trig Walk from Eyam be sure to give yourself plenty of time to complete it. Otherwise you may have an encounter with Black Harry before you can make it home!
It will be no surprise to hear that Eyam itself has its fair share of ghosts too. Eyam Hall is said to be haunted by servant Sarah Mills, who drowned in a well there. Rumour has it, another room in the hall is kept permanently locked as no-one wants to encounter the spirit of an old man who resides inside.
In the Miner’s Arms a former 17th century landlord still roams the stairs, with his footsteps often heard by current occupants.
Sir William Hill WalkLadybower Reservoir
It’s well known that Ladybower reservoir was the practise site for the Dambusters. But, did you know that ghostly planes are still spotted there at times?
Locals and walkers have reported the spectre of a Lancaster Bomber and a Douglas Dakota, still passing low over the calm waters of the reservoir.
Our range of walks from Ladybower Reservoir will give you plenty of opportunities to see if you can spot some phantom aircraft. You can find them all here.
Ladybower Reservoir WalksBleaklow
Bleaklow is best known as the resting site of stricken WWII aircraft, but our reports come from a different part of history.
In fact, there have been so many sightings of ghostly Roman soldiers on Bleaklow that it’s commonly thought there must be a long-forgotten Roman Road which once ran there.
You should have plenty of time to spot the ancient infantrymen on our epic 17-mile walk which takes in Alport Castles, the Bleaklow Grinah Stones and Derwent Reservoir.
Long Bleaklow Walk
Have we missed any of your favourite haunts? Let us know in the comments below.
Ordnance Survey Walk Maps
For these walks, there are two maps that cover them OL1 – Peak District (Dark Peak Area) and OL24 – Peak District (White Peak Area)
Shop online at Ordnance Survey
And don’t forget your compass, I recommend the Silva Expedition or the Silva Classic compass.
For online maps, I recommend the OS Online App (I have been using it for many years and it is worth getting if you want to start walking more). Check prices here for the one-month or annual option with the OS Online App. All the walks on the website are created using OS Online + you can download them to the App.
Check prices here for the one month or yearly option with OS Online App.
More walks in the Peak District
Love a walk with a theme in the Peak District? You might like these Peak District walk collections.
Or check out all our Peak District walking routes here
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