Castleton - spring weekend 24th - 26th April

By Steve Howard

This year’s Spring Weekend away was from Friday 24^th April till Sunday 26^th April 2026. Thirteen members of the Club stayed at Castle Hotel in Castleton, Hope Valley in Derbyshire. The weather was excellent and all three walks were led by Steve Howard.

On Friday 24^th April 2026, we saw ten members of the club meet up at the main car park in Castleton, the walk was a 7.4-mile circular from Castleton, heading east out of the village, then heading north for Only Grange Farm, then for Woodseats and Mam Farms. We followed a section of the old A625 road, which was abandoned in 1979 due to a severe landslide on the slopes of Mam Tor, then continued to Blue John Cavern for an ice cream. Heading for Windy Knoll, we walked south along Mam Tor Cavedale Loop, turning onto Limestone Way, with some tough walking down Cave Dale, which brought us to the finish in Castleton.

The walk on Saturday 25^th April 2026 saw all thirteen members leave the Castle Hotel for an 8.2-mile circular heading up Winnats Pass, then continuing to Winnats Head Farm, then Windy Knoll, for the climb up to the ridge for Mam Tor (517m), Hollins Cross, Back Tor and Lose Hill (476m). We descended off the ridge into the village of Hope for a couple of refreshment stops. From Hope we followed the track back into Castleton running along the side of Peakshole Water.

On Sunday 26^th April 2026, nine members of the club drove to outside the village of Curbar, for a 6.7-mile circular from the car park, heading north along Curbar & Froggatt Edge’s, crossing over the A625 and again near Grouse Inn, and continuing south to the finish along White Edge.