logo Walking Britain
Home About Holidays FAQ Email MENU ☰

Crook Hill & Ladybower Reservoir

Peak District Walk

Nat Park - Peak District - Great Ridge Castleton

County/Area - Derbyshire

Author - Jake Robertson

Length - 7.5 miles / 12.2 km    Ascent - 1200 feet / 364 metres

Time - 5 hours 0 minutes    Grade - easy/mod

Maps Ordnance Survey Logo Anquet Maps Logo

Ordnance Survey Explorer OL1Sheet Map1:25kBUY
Anquet OS Explorer OL1Digital Map1:25kBUY
Ordnance Survey Landranger 110Sheet Map1:50kBUY
Anquet OS Landranger 110Digital Map1:50kBUY

Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Crook Hill & Ladybower Reservoir
Click image to see photo description.

This is a delightful Peak District walk starting with an ascent of Crook Hill, which is often ignored by walkers, before a stroll along the eastern banks of Ladybower Reservoir. The start is the car park at Fairholmes reached off the A57 Snake Pass road from Sheffield to Glossop.

Leave Fairholmes and go down the main road until you see a gate and sign pointing to Lockerbrook Farm on the other side of the road. Follow the path through the woods, ascending to reach a track near the farm. Turn left and walk along the track past Lockerbrook Farm to reach a junction. Take a small path on the left to stay on the edge of the woods and bend round to a gate.

Pass through the gate and walk by the edge of the woods to reach two stiles. Go over both stiles and make your way over Bridge-end Pasture then slope down to come to another gate and a signpost.

Follow the path leading to the Snake Road into a field containing the twin tops of Crook Hill. Shortly after entering the field leave the path and head left towards the eastern slope of the first top then climb up the grassy bank once you are past the rocks on the north side.

The views from this hill are magnificent, despite a height of only 382m. From the first top drop down the grassy bank then climb up onto the second hill. The 374m summit is not as clearly defined as the first hill but the views are equally as good.

Leave Crook Hill and descend eastwards to join the main path. You should be near a path that leads through a field by-passing Crookhill Farm to join a road. Turn left and follow the road down to the Fairholmes road. Turn right and follow this road to meet the A57. Cross the viaduct then turn left to get onto the track which follows the banks of the reservoir for approximately 2 miles before sloping left down through the woods back to Fairholmes car park.

Other walks nearby

Walk 1489 Blackden Brook, Kinder & Upper Ashopmoderate6.8 miles
Walk 3049 Bleaklow Stones from Derwent Valleymod/hard12.0 miles
Walk 2588 Win Hill & Hope Crossmoderate7.5 miles
Walk 3540 The Derwent Edge from Cutthroat Bridgemoderate10.0 miles
Walk 1286 Castleton Great Ridge & Mam Tor from Hopemoderate8.5 miles
Walk 2599 Kinder Scout and Castleton Ridge from Hopemod/hard13.5 miles
Walk 1706 Win Hill from Hopeeasy/mod6.5 miles
Walk 1159 Grindsbrook & Edale Head from Edalemoderate7.5 miles
Walk 1264 Rushup Edge & Crowden Towermoderate10.0 miles
Walk 1295 Ringing Roger & Edale Crossmoderate10.0 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

Dark Peak Walks

Dark Peak WalksGuidebook to 40 walks in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park. 35 circular routes for most abilities, from 8km to 19km, around Edale, Marsden, Fairholmes, Baslow and Castleton, including Kinder Scout and Mam Tor, and 5 longer (25km to 45km) routes highlighting the best of the Gritstone Edges, High Moorland and Deep Valleys.
More information

Great Mountain Days in the Pennines

Great Mountain Days in the PenninesAn inspirational guidebook to 50 classic walks on the rolling Pennine landscape. The graded routes, between 6 and 13 miles in length, cover classic Pennine fells and moorland such as Whernside, Ilkley Moor and Pendle Hill; exploring the North and South Pennines, Yorkshire Dales, Howgills and Dark Peak. Many routes are also suited to fell running.
More information

Messaging & Social Media

Message Walking Britain and follow the latest news.

Facebook  Twitter

Mountain Weather

Stay safe on the mountains with detailed weather forecasts - for iOS devices or for Android devices.