Crook Hill Walk From Ladybower Reservoir | 4-Mile Route

Crook Hill walk from Ladybower is a beautiful short route with epic views! 

On a good weather day, you can have amazing 360-degree vistas from Win Hill, Lose Hill, Kinder Plateau round to Derwent Edge and Bamford Edge. For a small hill at only 374 metres, Crook Hill is one to add to the list and you’ll be ticking off one of the Peak District Ethels too!

This 4-mile route starts from Ladybower Reservoir, first there’s a an uphill hike through the woods and away from the reservoir. But then once you reach Bridge-end Pasture you have a lovely flat section, until you reach the last ascent up to Crook Hill.

Once you’ve reached the summit the route takes you via Crookhill Farm and back down to the reservoir with stunning views of the reservoir as you descend. Then it’s a lovely walk alongside the reservoir and back to the car park!

If you fancy a longer route, we also have a 9-mile walk which includes Win Hill too!

Here you will find details on how to get to the start of the walk at Ladybower Reservoir, parking options, route information, map, GPX file, plus a detailed step by step guide of the walk.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve done this Crook Hill walk and what you think!

Crook Hill from Ladybower Reservoir

gpx file

Win Hill + Crook Hill walk map

© Crown copyright and database rights (2024) OS 002572460

Walk start point

Start grid reference: SK 18042 88480

Car parking address: Bridge End car park, Hope Valley, S33 0AQ – Google maps

This is a paid car park, change required as no cards accepted.

However, there is some free lay-by car parking slightly off the route, Derwent Overlook car park and also further up the road, about 20 spaces – Google maps.

Public transport

Nearest train station: Bamford train station (2.5 mile/4 km)

From Bamford train station you can catch the 257 Calver bus.

Facilities on the walk

There are no public toilets available at the start but Fairholmes Visitor Centre (about 1.5 km away from car park) has some. There are no other facilities on the walk.

Near the end of the walk there are two pubs a short distance away, the Ladybower Inn or the Yorkshire Bridge Inn. There’s also a third pub in Bamford, the Anglers Rest which is a lovely community pub, cafe and post office.

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

Ladybower is a very popular place to visit in the Peak District, so I’d recommend arriving early at weekends to guarantee a parking spot.

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 here

Peak 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.

• BBC Weather for Bamford
• Met Office weather for Win Hill (nearest hill)
• Met Office weather and/or MWIS (Mountain weather information service) for the Peak District

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.

View both Peak District map options here.

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.

Crook Hill walk route

Stage 1 – Ladybower Reservoir to Crook Hill

Distance: 2.2 miles/3.6 km

Grid reference SK 18050 88483

From Bridge End car park, take the bridleway next to the car park which heads uphill and away from the reservoir. It’s a gradual ascent, tough at the start of your walk up through the trees. At the top, turn left and go through the small wooden gate taking you alongside the trees.

Crook Hill walk from Ladybower Reservoir.gpx

Follow this path, through another gate then keep walking as the path heads away from the wall to another gate in the centre of the field.

Please note there’s a sign here warning of cows/calves; however, I noticed they were all on the other side of an electric fence the day I walked the route.

Head across the field and out the gate on the other side, in the distance you’ll see Crook Hill. Go through another smaller field and through a gate (photo above). This time turn right and follow the boundary wall down to another gate. 

Go through the gate, onto Open Access Land, from here head straight across to Crook Hill.

The first rocky hill top is not the official summit of Crook Hill, but has pretty views so you can either climb or detour this hill. Then follow the faint trodden path up to Crook Hill summit, with stunning views of Ladybower Reservoir from both sides.

Stage 2 – Crook Hill to Ladybower Reservoir

Distance: 2.1 miles/3.4 km

Grid reference SK 18358 86851

Once you’ve stopped to enjoy the views from Crook Hill, head back down the same trod to the bottom of the hill. Then pick up the path which joins the main bridleway path at the bottom. Turn right along this path and walk towards Crookhill Farm (photo below). The route goes directly through the farm, go through the gate and walk straight through. 

Note: there were farm dogs when I walked through but they were in dog homes/cages. 

There’s a finger signpost in the middle of the farm, walk past this and in between the buildings. At the end of the building on the right there’s a gate, signposted footpath, turn right through here, across the field (photo below) to the next metal gate. 

Turn right through here and then almost immediately take the next gate on the left, signposted footpath. Follow the path as it heads down towards the reservoir, with stunning views of Bamford Edge in the distance.

Go through the next gate and keep following the path all the way down to a small gate which leads onto the road.

From here, go across the road, turn right for a short distance then head down to the path that runs alongside Ladybower Reservoir. You simply turn left and follow this path all the way back to the car park. You’ll need to walk slightly past the car park to pick up the path that leads back up to the road.

Ask me questions about this Crook Hill walk in the comments below.

More walk options

Longer walk?

Fancy a longer route via Crook Hill and Win Hill?

Try our 9-mile route from Ladybower Reservoir here.

More walks in the Peak District

Love the short walks in the Peak District? You might like these circular walks

• Lud’s Church Walk (+ River Dane) From Gradbach | 6-Mile Route
• Alderman’s Hill Walk (+ Saddleworth Trig) From Greenfield | 3 or 5 Mile Route
• Lathkill Dale Walk (+ Waterfall) From Monyash | 4-Mile Route

Or you can view all the 4-mile routes here.

Or check out all our Peak District walking routes here

View walks directory here

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