Fishpool Dingle walk at Croft Castle
Discover the beautiful Fishpool Valley, which was remodelled in the 'Picturesque' style in the early nineteenth century. Follow this pleasant route through the wooded valley, following the pools on some surfaced tracks and some newly restored paths.
Map
Start:
Croft visitor reception SO45119 65659
1
Turn right from visitor reception and pass through the gate. Do not follow the track but head straight on across the field, following the way-markers with the pumphouse on them.
2
Keep following the pumphouse way-markers until you come to a gate; go through the gate and close it behind you. You'll eventually come to tall Douglas Fir trees on your left and right. The limekiln will also be straight in front of you; limestone quarried on the estate was burned in these wood-fired kilns to produce quicklime which was used as a building mortar and also as fertiliser on the farmland.
3
Keep following the path, keeping the limekiln on your left and the pools on your right. Keep going straight on until you come to a gate. Go through the gate and close it behind you. You will then need to do a hairpin turn to your right, still following the pumphouse way-markers.
4
Follow the path, keeping the pools on your right. You will eventually come to a small gate on your right, with a pumphouse way-marker on it. Go through this gate and follow the path, keeping the pools on your right. You will eventually come to a rusticated grotto on your left; dating from the 1790s.
5
Keep following the path through the valley, keeping the pools on your right. You'll see the cascade and dams 6 and 7 which are being restored as part of our conservation project. Keep going straight on, until you come to a pumphouse way-marker pointing you down the hill to the right. Go carefully down the hill and over the dam towards the Gothic pumphouse.
6
Walk past the Gothic pumphouse on your left and up towards the main track. When you get to the main track, turn left and keep going until you see another track heading right up the hill. Follow this path back up to the gate into the main car park.
End:
Croft visitor reception SO45119 65659