(S)Walk to the left of theShallow Grangefarmhouse, past the barrier, and turn left through the next gate. Bear immediately right to a wooden stile and cross the wall beyond. Head half-left (North-West) across the field to another wall stile, then continue in the same direction to a third in the far corner of the next field. Cross the stile and another wooden stile, and drop steeply down into Back Dale.
(1) Turn right and walk down the dale bottom. At the junction with Horseshoe Dale, go straight (North) down Deep Dale, which becomes rockier after the nature reserve sign.
(2) Shortly after the cave entrance on your right, cross the stream and go over a stile on your left. Zig-zag up the dale side to a stile. Follow the wall and fence, passing to the left of a house to the lane opposite the church.
(3) Turn left along the lane, then right through a chand-gate opposite the Old Vicarage. Follow the fence to a kissing gate, then continue, with woodland on your right, above Kidtor Dale. As you approach Cowdale, follow a wall and pass to the right of the farm to a stile into the lane.
(4) Turn right briefly, then take a footpath on the left through a gap in the wall. Cross a wall stile and follow the fence to a gateway. Continue to a second gateway, with a large quarry away to your right. Follow the fence and wall uphill to Staden. Climb a stile beside a gate and follow the track between houses to the end of the lane.
(5) Take the track opposite, passing another farmhouse on your right. Go through a field gate and follow the track beyond. Keep alongside the wall as the path descends with views over Buxton. Go through a gate and descend a walled green lane to a gate into a farmyard.
(6) Take the track opposite, left of a green-painted metal barn. Follow the track behind the caravan site, crossing a stile then curving right to pass under the last arch of the viaduct. Join a track beyond that leads downhill to cross the stream.
(7) Turn left, then right along the A515. Pass Buxton Hospital, Hartwell Walk and Highland Close on your right. Cross and turn left into Fern Road; when the road bends left at a parking area, turn right along the woodland edge. In the far corner, pick up a walled path that leads past school grounds out to the road (Green Lane).
(8) Cross over and walk down College Road, passing Spencer Road on your right. Cross Macclesfield Road (B5059) into Bath Road. Beyond Burlington Road, take the first path on the left into Pavilion Gardens.
Walk round the end of the first lake and follow the lakeside path to the right. At the end of the lake go through a gate in the railings on your left, past a sculpture. Bear left by the miniature railway to the riverside path.
(9) Follow the river to the end of the park, and exit into The Square. Turn right past the Old Hall Hotel, then left past St Anne’s Well and Buxton Crescent and to reach Buxton town centre / visitor centre. The bus stop is in Terrace Road (A515). (E)
