Region: Peak District
Start at: Poole’s Cavern
Difficulty: Medium
Distance: 16.8 kilometres
From the car park turn left and follow the road to the traffic lights at Burbage, just after the Duke of York pub on the right. Cross at the lights and take Macclesfield Old Road uphill. At the end of the road the road turns into a track across the moors. Follow the track uphill to just before its highest point, where a footpath heads off left.
The path rises gently over open moorland to meet the main Buxton to Macclesfield road, where you cross and continue the climb over Axe Edge. After crossing a minor road the path swings right and starts dropping until you reach Orchard Farm. Turn right along the road then follow the stream down to the old packhorse bridge and Three Shires Head
From Three Shires Head the route heads north to cross the Buxton to Congleton road and continue the climb up a well marked track. Follow Danebower Hollow north west to its high point, where it swings right and drops gently down to the main road at the Cat & Fiddle pub.
From the Cat & Fiddle turn right, towards Buxton and walk down the road to the first turning on the left. Follow this road down to Derbyshire Bridge where there’s a car park, toilets and information board. Macclesfield Old Road, long abandoned and now a wide track, climbs east from Derbyshire Bridge to the high point met on the outward journey. Continue downhill to Burbage and your return to your start point