The Cave Dale walk is one of Castleton’s hidden secrets and a must-do walk in the Peak District.
As soon as you arrive in this beautiful Derbyshire village you can see the rolling hills all around you. But Cave Dale is tucked away from sight and it’s a real treat to explore. This 2-mile route is perfect for beginners, but we have other longer walks from Castleton if you fancy more time outdoors!
This lovely Cave Dale short route begins from Castleton. You walk through the village, then on to Cave Dale. There’s an uphill section before looping back around near Peveril Castle. On the way down you have the views of Mam Tor and the Great Ridge to admire as you descend back to the village.
Here you will find details on how to get to the start of the walk at Castleton, parking options, route information, a map, a GPX file, plus a detailed step-by-step guide of the walk.
Is the Cave Dale short walk on your list? Let me know in the comments below!
Buy a printable/downloadable PDF route guide for the walk here or ALL our 2-mile walk routes PDF bundle here.
Cave Dale walk from Castleton
Walk information + GPX
Walk type: Short circular walk
Distance: 2 miles/3.3 km
Walk time: 1.5-2.5 hours
Total ascent: 205 m/672 ft
Highest point: 378 m/1,240 ft
Walk highlights: Castleton village, Cave Dale from below and above, Peveril Castle and views towards Mam Tor and The Great Ridge.
Trigs: 0
Ethels: 0
Stiles: 0
Cave Dale walk map
© Crown copyright and database rights (2024) OS 002572460
Click for online map
Walk start point
Start grid reference: SK 14923 82948
Car parking address: Castleton Visitor Centre, Cross Street, Castleton, Hope Valley, S33 8WP – Google maps
*Parking cost (*as of March 2023)
- Up to 1 hour – £1.60
- 1-2 hours – £2.50
- 2-4 hours – £4.00
- 4-10 hours – £6.00
- 24 hours – £7.00
Or use the PaybyPhone App to park. The location number is 806748.
There’s another car park, (Peak Cavern car park) slightly down the road if this one is full. The charges are £6 all day (with a £2 refund for Peak Cavern customers) and £3 after 6 pm. Coins and card payments are accepted.
On weekdays, there’s a small amount of free lay-by parking on the main road. Charges apply at weekends and Bank Holidays.
Public transport
Nearest train station: Hope Train Station (2 mile/3 km)
There is then a bus from the main road outside the train station into Castleton village (271/272 bus). It takes about 8 minutes but they only run once an hour.
Facilities on the walk
There are public toilets available at the start of the walk at Castleton next to the Visitor Centre, open from 10 am to 5 pm.
Castleton has many different shops, restaurants and pubs for after your walk then there’s plenty to choose from. The Bull’s Head and The Castle pub have lovely outdoor spaces near the car park. They both also do great food (I’ve eaten there a few times!)
Water on your walk – I recommend a filter water bottle for your Peak District walks, it saves you from carrying extra weight and you can fill up safely and drink water from the streams on your walk.
Other useful information
Castleton, Derbyshire is a popular place to visit in the Peak District, along with nearby Edale. The two beautiful villages can be extremely busy during peak times. If possible I’d recommend a mid-week or evening visit for a quieter walk. However, if you’re visiting at a weekend, arrive early to guarantee a car parking space.
The terrain at the beginning of the walk is rocky and can be tricky in places. Good hiking footwear is essential.
Please keep the Peak District beautiful and respect everyone who uses the park. Take ALL your rubbish home to dispose of and remember close gates (as you found them). Thank you so much.
Would you know what to do in an emergency situation?
We have a guide with what to do, who you need to call and also some useful kit that should be in your backpack. Ask us any questions in the comments or via our social media.
Happy hiking + stay safe
read herePeak District weather
Check the weather for your walk location and hills. We’d recommend that you check a few resources and for hill walks look at the weather conditions in the valley and on the hilltop as they can greatly vary.
Whilst the weather in Castleton can seem warm, it can be cooler on the tops and also, Cave Dale itself can be colder as it can act as a wind tunnel!
- BBC Weather for Castleton
- Met Office weather and/or MWIS (Mountain weather information service) for the Peak District
- Met Office weather for Mam Tor (Derbyshire)
Ordnance Survey Walk Map
The map for this walk is the Ordnance Survey OL1 – Peak District (Dark Peak Area).
View the different prices here with Ordnance Survey or Amazon. If you’re hiking in all weather the Active OS maps are good to have as they are laminated so better on rainy days.
And don’t forget your compass, I recommend the Silva Expedition or the Silva Classic compass.
For online maps, I recommend 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 OS Online App. All the walks on the website are created using OS Online + you can download them to the App.
See both maps that cover the Peak District here.
Want to learn more map skills? Check out our Guided Walks with map reading skills here.
Mam Tor patch
Why not celebrate reaching the top of Mam Tor with our very first charity patch? Or if you are planning on doing the walk soon, order the patch now so you can take it to the top for a photo. visit shop
Charity Patches
Buy a printable/downloadable PDF route guide for the walk here or ALL our 2-mile walk routes PDF bundle here.
Cave Dale walk route
Stage 1 – Castleton via Cave Dale + Limestone Way
Distance: 1 mile/1.7 km
Grid reference SK 14923 82928
From Castleton Visitor Centre, turn left out of the car park and walk up the road towards the Bull’s Head pub. Cross over and turn right down the road next to ‘The Castle’ and ‘The George’ pubs, until you reach a small square with the Castleton war memorial.
Turn left and walk uphill to the houses, after about 50 metres you’ll see a sign for ‘Cave Dale’ which leads up between the houses. Turn right here and walk down the narrow path to reach the start of the Cave Dale walk. There’s an information point telling you about the fascinating history of Cave Dale.
Walk up then through the gate. You’ll see a sign for the Limestone Way, as Cave Dale in Castleton is the start of the 46-mile walk to Rochester or in the opposite direction the 26-mile route to Matlock.
Continue walking up the rocky path and Cave Dale begins to open up. On your right, you’ll see Peveril Castle, there’s a better view from further up the dale.
Keep walking up the rocky terrain and then continue with the boundary wall on your right, through a gate until you reach a new wooden footpath sign.
Stage 2 – Cave Dale to Castleton
Distance: 1 mile/1.7 km
Grid reference SK 14212 81929
This is where you almost double back on yourself, taking the wide grassy track, towards Castleton, heading uphill almost parallel to the lower path. Go through a wide gap in the stone wall and continue on the faint track as it begins to gradually descend.
Extra – If you like exploring, then you can head off to the right of the track a short distance for views of Cave Dale from above, and you can also get an up-close view of Peveril Castle.
Join the track again and continue downhill towards the trees and Castleton. As you almost reach the tree line, look out for the track as it switches direction (for a more gradual descent), then switches back again 100 m later down to the lower path next to the wall below.
Once you reach the footpath, turn right, walk along and through the gate that brings you out on a small road. Walk down the road, then across the small bridge over the water. Then take the next left and continue following the water (now on your left) until you reach the Blue John Workshop.
Cross the road and you’re back at the car park. Or walk straight on to the pubs and cafes!
Ask me any questions about the Cave Dale walk in the comments below.
Buy a printable/downloadable PDF route guide for the walk here or ALL our 2-mile walk routes PDF bundle here.
Other walk options
Longer route
Fancy a longer route, further exploring Cave Dale and up to Mam Tor?
Check out our 5-mile Cave Dale and Mam Tor walk here.
More walks in the Peak District
Looking for more routes from Castleton, Derbyshire? You might like these circular walks.
- Mam Tor + Lose Hill Walk From Castleton | 7-Mile Route
- Lose Hill Short Walk from Castleton | 5-mile Route
- Mam Tor Short Walk From Castleton | 5-Mile Route
If you love walks with history then why not try our Pilsbury Castle walk from Hartington.
Or check out all our Peak District walking routes here
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Peak District charity patches
Read about the charity here.
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