Win Hill + Crook Hill Walk From Ladybower Reservoir | 9-Mile Route

A beautiful 9-mile route from Ladybower Reservoir, including two hills with some impressive views, Win Hill and Crook Hill. As well as stunning scenery you also visit one trig point and two ‘Ethel‘ hills to tick off for our peak baggers!

This Win Hill walk is a great loop from a popular spot in the Peak District but with the bonus of the majority of the walk being on quieter paths. Initially, at the start of the walk, the section across the dam and up to Win Hill can be busy but after that it’s a much quieter and until you drop back down to the Ladybower Reservoir at the end of the walk. 

The route begins from the car park alongside Ladybower Reservoir, you go across the dam before a steep uphill to Win Hill. From the top, you can enjoy the views and catch your breath as the next section is relatively flat until you reach the woods where you descend to the River Alsop.

After enjoying the shade of the woods it’s back uphill again to reach the second summit of the walk and more gorgeous views to enjoy before the last section back down to Ladybower Reservoir and maybe either an ice-cream or pub stop as a treat!

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 Win Hill walk and what you think!

Win Hill + 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 20250 85906

Car parking address: Heatherdene car park, Ladybower Reservoir, Hope Valley, S33 0BY – Google maps

This is a medium-sized car park, with a good amount of disabled spaces too. It’s a pay and display car park which charges £2.50 for up to 2 hours and £6 for all day. Cash and card payments taken.

Alternatively, there are some lay-bys along the A6031, a few outside the Yorkshire Bridge Inn, some opposite Ladybower Fisheries then more on Snake Road (A57) which means you’d start the walk towards the end of the route.

Public transport

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

From Bamford train station you can catch the 257 Calver bus, or alternatively, follow the Derwent Valley Heritage Way and join the walk route at the base of Win Hill.

Facilities on the walk

There are public toilets available at the start of the walk at Heatherdene car park but no other facilities on the walk.

Water on your walk – You’ll cross over the River Alsop where you can top up water if you’re using a filter water bottle handy to save carrying extra weight and you can fill up safely and drink water from the streams on your walk.

At the end of the walk there are two pubs within walking distance, 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.

And there’s often an ice-cream van on warmer days!

Other useful information

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

The route takes you up a steep descent to Win Hill and the path has tricky terrain due to rocks and tree roots on the way up. If you prefer you can take a longer (more gradual route up), see details in stage 1!

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. It’s often good to check a few resources.

• BBC Weather for Bamford
• Met Office weather for Win 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). Check prices here with Ordnance Survey or Amazon. If you’re hiking in all weathers the Active OS maps are good to have.

See both Peak District maps 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 for 3+ years and worth getting if you want to start walking more). Check prices here for the one month or yearly option with OS Online App. All the walks on the website are created using OS Online + you can download them to the App.

Win Hill patch

A stunning view from Win Hill summit complete with trig point, looking towards the Derwent Valley and Ladybower Reservoir. Have you climbed this hill? Treat yourself to the patch! Or if you are planning on doing the Win Hill walk soon, order a patch so you can take it to the top for a photo. visit shop

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Win Hill Patch

Rated 5.00 out of 5

£5.00

Win Hill + Crook Hill walk route

Stage 1 – Ladybower Reservoir to Win Hill

Distance: 1.6 miles/2.6 km

Grid reference SK 20246 85926

From Heatherdene car park, walk through the car park towards the toilet block on your left, then continue along the path heading out of the car park, between the fence. On your left, you’ll see a sign/information point for the Derwent Valley Heritage Way (a 55-mile trail that starts here).

(If you’ve parked on the road, I’d still recommend walking up through the car park as the path takes you parallel to the road).

Follow the path until you reach a gap in the trees and to your right you’ll see Ladybower Dam. Take the right-hand path, then down the steps to the road. Carefully cross the road and turn left then head directly across Ladybower Dam, you can see the plughole on the right at the start. Once across, turn left down the wide path. When the path splits, take the right-hand option, signposted Bamford Station. 

Walk up the path, until you see a green public footpath sign for Hope Cross + Win Hill (photo below). Turn right here* for your steep ascent for about 600 m up Parkin Clough!

*Don’t fancy the steep/tricky ascent? Keep walking straight down the path, after 100 m, take the next path on the right for 1 km, then where the path intersects with the road, turn right heading back uphill. This option is 2.2 km so adds 1.6 km/1-mile to the overall walk.

If you’ve gone straight up Parkin Clough, where the paths meet, keep heading straight up the steps. (If you’ve gone the longer route then turn left up the steps.)

After 200 m you’ll reach a metal gate, go through here and continue uphill through the woodlands. As you near the top, you’ll go past a wooden stake then the top and Win Hill trig point is in sight! 

Stage 2 – Win Hill to Hope Cross

Distance: 2.4 mile/3.8 km

Grid reference SK 18350 86846

From the top of Win Hill summit, carefully head down and back to the footpath below the summit, heading towards Lose Hill which is the pointed hill in front of you!

Walk down the path, go through the metal gate and continue heading down towards the trees and stone wall. As the path splits, keep on the right-hand path, nearest the woods, then go through the small gate which takes you down the path between the wall and trees.

Walk all the way down here, admiring the views of the Edale Skyline on your left, from Kinder Scout to the Great Ridge. Walk along all the way to Hope Cross (not a cross but an old boundary marker), which is on the other side of the wall.

Stage 3 – Hope Cross to Crook Hill

Distance: 3.5 miles/5.6 km

Grid reference SK 16098 87427

Behind the wall go through the gate into the woods following the trail until you reach a small wooden post with a concession path arrow on. Turn right here (almost doubling back on yourself), then immediately take the narrow path on the left. Follow this path all the way down through the woods, it’s steep in places so take your time.

At the bottom, bear right and join the main bridleway, turn left and in front you’ll see a green metal bridge. A great spot here where you can have a paddle or collect water (if you have a water filter).

Before the bridge, take the footpath on the left, walk along here until it rejoins the main bridleway again and it starts to incline towards a gate. Go through here and take the right-hand path heading down alongside the river. Walk along until you reach a path heading across a bridge. 

Follow the path uphill, through a gate out onto the road. Carefully cross here and take the bridleway on the opposite side, heading left uphill. towards Hagg Farm. Go through the metal gate (next to the sign for Hagg Farm) and keep walking uphill, you’ll reach another gate, the path winds uphill and then you’ll reach another gate (photo below).

Go through here and turn right, following the signpost for Crook Hill. Walk along the path, through a gate and along the path to another gate. Go through then immediately go through a smaller wooden gate taking you alongside the trees (not downhill).

Follow this path, through another gate then keep walking as the path heads away from the wall to another gate. 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 and Win Hill beyond that. 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 trod up to Crook Hill summit, with stunning views of Ladybower Reservoir from both sides.

Stage 4 – Crook Hill to Ladybower Reservoir

Distance: 1.7 miles/2.8 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 the main 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, walk past this and in between the buildings. At the end of the building, on the right there’s a gate, signposted footpath, go through here, across the field to the next metal gap. 

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, turn right down the path, then at the main road turn left and walk on the wide pavement all the way down to the bridge over the reservoir on your right. Once across you’ll be back at Heatherdene car park in no time!

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

More walk options

More walks in the Peak District

Love the walks in the Peak District? You might like these circular walks near Ladybower Reservoir.

• Alport Castles Walk From Ladybower Reservoir (Fairholmes) | 10-Mile Route
• Derwent Edge Circular Walk (via Lost Lad + Back Tor) | 8-Mile Route
• 9 Edges Walk (Derwent Edge to Birchen Edge) | 23-Mile Route

Or check out all our Peak District walking routes here

View walks directory here

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