Woods, views and ponds - discover the Lime Avenue ponds
In 2017, after years of plannnig and fundraising, the Lime Avenue ponds were restored, creating a beautiful spot for visitors and a home for a variety of wildlife. This walk takes in woodland, moorland and a tree lined avenue, giving you chance to explore many areas of the estate. It is a dog friendly walk but we ask dogs are kept on leads on some parts of the walk due to sensitive habitats and grazing cattle.
Map
Start:
The car park
1
Facing the car park with the Information Centre behind you, follow the tarmac road around the outside of the car park until you reach the cattle grid. Don't cross the cattle grid, but instead bear to the left.
The Gritstone Trail
The path heading through Drinkwater Meadow is part of the Gritstone Trail, a 35m route through the Peak District.
2
Go through the gate and follow the stony track (Gritstone Trail), with the woodland on the left and Drinkwater Meadow on your right. Follow the track until you reach a gate in the wall into Knightslow Wood.
3
Head through the gate and continue ahead. As you continue along the path, look to your left for a wonderful view of the south front of the house with the Cage in the back ground
4
Continue along until you reach a gate ahead. Go through the gate on to the moor and turn left, and follow the path with the wall on your left.
5
After a few hundred yards, turn left through the first gate you pass
6
Follow the footpath down through the wood until you reach a gate on your right that takes you in to Calves Croft. This will bring you out at the top of Lime Avenue with wonderful views down to the house. Please note that in this area, we ask visitors to stick to footpaths and that dogs remain on leads due to sensitive wildlife living in this area.
7
Head down Lime Avenue and you will find the ponds on the left.
The restoration of the Lime Avenue ponds
After many years of fundraising, the Lime Avenue ponds were retored in 2017. Little work had been carried out on the ponds since the early 1900s and, filled with so much silt brought down from the moor, it was difficult to tell there were ponds there at all! You can find out more about the restoration project on *website*
8
Head to the bottom of Lime Avenue until you reach the fence to the garden. Turn right and follow the footpath around the perimeter of the garden until you reach Hampers Bridge. Cross the bridge and go through a gate into Turfhouse Meadow before turning left.
9
Go through the next gate and follow the lane to a T junction at which you turn left, passing the front of the old stable block. Continue downhill past the house to return to the car park, or alternatively go for a closer look at the gardens or house.
End:
The car park