Region: Peak District
Start at: Hartington
Distance: 12.2 kilometres
Total ascent: 376 meters
Approx. time needed: 3 hrs 45 mins
Hartington and Sheen
From the centre of Hartington take the road out of the village towards Hulme End, turning right onto a footpath just before the Police house. The path leads in between houses to emerge into a series of parallel fields, with the river and road at the far end.
Turn right along the road for a few yards then take the path on the right to climb gently up to Banktop Farm. Turn right between the farm buildings and rejoin the minor road to Townend, then right at the crossroads for the ascent to Sheen. Sheen lies midway between the Dove and Manifold Valleys, with Sheen Hill giving good views over the upper reaches of both.
Just beyond the small hamlet of Sheen turn left, then right onto the footpath to High Sheen Farm and Sheen Hill where a trig point marks the summit. From Sheen Hill drop down to the north east and rejoin the road, where you turn left before taking the footpath on the right at the end of the next field. Pass the single tree,then cross the Dove with Broadmeadow Hall to your left, and continue into the tiny settlement of Pilsbury.
Continue through Pilsbury, round the hairpin bend to where the road turns ninety degrees to the left and take the second path on the right. Follow the path to a junction, where you continue straight on to the corner of the wall then a small pond to the right. The path now curves right before straightening up as it approaches Vincent House. Turn right at the road just before Vincent House, and keep right at the fork to a footpath heading off right. At the corner of the field cross the wall to keep it on your right.
The path now meanders towards the Pilsbury-Hartington road, passing abandoned mine shafts from the area’s heyday as a lead and copper mining centre. Turn left at the crossroads in the footpaths and descend almost parallel to the road, passing Bank Top Farm before joining another minor road which leads the short distance back into Hartington and your start point.