Goyt Valley Challenge
Oct 9th 2016

TR  = turn right                        TL = turn left
FP = footpath               TK = track

Long Route (24.5 miles)

Leg 1. Start on Green Lane (200m south of the Burbage Institute). After 400m turn right (170 Degrees) onto TK; climb up through Buxton Country Park, pass sign to Solomon's Temple, 300m, TL (129 degrees) for 300m; TR uphill due South to gate in wall, continue on small paths South to Solomon's Temple. Drop your numbered disc in the bucket drop - SK053717.

At Solomon's Temple TR and head west for 270 metres (277 degrees) (flagged section) to gap in wall; TR 250m at 280 degrees to gate in wall. TL on FP, through gate after 70m; continue across open ground following grassy bank for 420m at 286 degrees to meet tarmac road; TL for 200m to the road crossing at SK 043 718. Continue south on TK for 450m towards Anthony Hill. Keep wall to disused reservoir on your right for 180m. Just after a small bridge TR onto grass TK (200 degrees) for 700m. Look for RT onto small path 140m across a small stream and enter conifer forest (dangerous woods!) at stile (SK146 703). Follow gravel FP through woods for 90m and TL on reaching paved TK. After 135m, TR onto uphill TK keeping Turncliff buildings to your right, go straight ahead and cross stile (265m) and then steep uphill through woods to road (300m).  Cross road and enter Leap Edge moorland. There is no clear path, so bear right for 220m at 256 degrees slightly uphill, then 270m at 225 degrees arriving at the bottom of the hill where a cattle track goes uphill towards the gate and Checkpoint 1 at SK038 695. (4 miles)

Leg 2. Continue uphill on tarmac lane to main A53 road. Cross road with care. Beware of fast moving traffic.  Enter disused section of the A53 road behind a mound. After 100m take stile on your left and continue on TK uphill for 300m. TL onto tarmac road for 500m with new fencing to the right. On nearing Dane Head, 100m after brow of hill, TR through gate, (SK 028 703), onto small path (heading 320 degrees), or main gate (70m further on), to join good grassy track going north over Axe Edge. On reaching stony track after 700m bear R, still going northwards. After a further 400m cross A54 road with care. Beware of fast moving traffic at SK 029 713.

Take grassy path, over stile and continue along the ridge for 900m. At stile TL on TK; after 30m, TR over stile, heading north. After 400m path curves left by short wooden post. Follow it, pass signpost, “Berry Clough”, and begin descent on rough stony FP through Clough for approx 1km to the River Goyt. Do not cross wooden footbridge but TR at signpost on small FP for 600m through bracken, (take care on dodgy boards in this section). At path fork look for GVC sign left to zig-zag down to the old packhorse bridge (SK 013 732) which has inspired the GVC logo. Cross bridge, TR and go up to road. After 200m, at finger post “Riverside Walk”, TR down steps and then go north following  the river path for 600m to road. Cross over and go round locked gate opposite to take FP for 600m to signpost at path junction. TR and descend 150m to the Errwood Hall Car Park, checkpoint 2. (Grid Ref SK 012 748) 8.5 miles completed.

Leg 3. Return to path junction and go straight uphill on clear path (Signpost “Stakeside” 245 degrees) for 800m to reach signpost and gate in wall. Do not descend through gate into Shooter’s Clough but continue uphill, keeping wall on your R. (Signpost “Cat and Fiddle”, 200 degrees). After a further 1100m, at top of climb, TR at FP sign on 330degrees for 850m to summit of Shining Tor (height 559 metres). Self check B. TR at summit for 150m and TL through wall and descend on 290 degrees for 600m. Cross stile and continue on main path for 1km. This gradually swings R, (330 degrees) to follow crumbling wall with wire fence eventually passing between stone pillars and then soon descending steeply westwards to stile. Cross and follow path by side of forest for 500m to reach road.

TR on road for 300m and then TL onto FP 300 degrees. Pass stone barn on your right and join TK downhill. Cross stile and ascend through woods with Lamaload Reservoir to the left. Cross stile at edge of woods, go 100m and follow wall to right. After 30m TL and cross stile in wall. Go down hill 285 degrees for 300m. At bottom of hill TR at FP sign, passing twin telegraph poles, to go through gate and then by FP sign go uphill on FP (315 degrees). After 500m cross stile and go straight ahead, through gate with house to the left. After 180m when the road bears left, (SJ 965 760), keep straight on and follow wall for another 80m to cross stile in wall (at corner of the field). Take diagonal FP 340 degrees for 150m and go through gate at wood corner. Keep boundary to your left for 100m and at Clews Head Farm TR uphill on paved drive (permissive route for event day only) to Checkpoint 3 on Smith Lane, SJ 965 764. 13.5 miles completed.

Leg 4. Take Smith Lane east for 370m and at junction, (“Erwin Lane”), continue straight on to Blue Boar Farm (250m). 50m after last building  TL on farm track. Proceed for 250 m to end of tarmac, (Round Knoll Farm sign). Continue on muddy track for a further 250 m to SJ 975 768, where track splits. Take left fork through stile by gate, wall on right, heading northwards (ignore steep downhill right fork). Continue over further stile by metal gate and carry on over some boggy pasture still with wall to your right. After 700m cross stile at FP sign and begin to descend on 15 degrees and then on rough path 400m to small gate at Summer Close SJ 980  778. TL and after 20 m go through gate on your right by FP sign. Take TK for 30m, then TR over rough pasture (no clear path) on 33 degrees to cross the Todd Brook by a footbridge after 70m. After bridge briefly TL, go up bank and cross marshy ground (flagged section) on 45 degrees for 150 m. Cross stile and TR and follow line of trees for 150 m and then TR by grassy bank and cross stile. Drop down to Dunge Clough at ford then on 70 degrees for 200m across rough pasture to a double stile by a ruined barn at SJ 985 782. (2nd stile crosses electric fence). TL after stile, going north for 150 m, to cross another stile. Immediately afterwards ignore stile on R and path climbing eastwards but continue northwards with hedge on right to cross further stile and then reach gate by house to your left. Then follow track 900m to road junction. TL on road, 150m to main road. TR 30m to Kettleshulme Primary School, Checkpoint 4, SJ 988 796. 16.4 miles completed.

Leg 5 TR out of gate of checkpoint and then immediately right again along Flatt's Lane (160m). TR at FP sign onto TK going south. After passing house (Bent Hall Farm) on your left, leave TK and take path by the wall and cross stile in corner. Continue over small steam and then uphill with telegraph pole to your right. Keeping field boundary on your left  go to stile in left hand corner of field. TL at stile for 10m and then TR up TK to road (SJ995793). Cross road diagonally and take stile by FP sign to right of gate. Continue uphill on 112 degrees (no clear path) to ladder stile over wall on eastern boundary of the field (220m) SJ 997 792. After stile TR following wall going south (ignore gate to your right) and proceed along the ridge (Taxal Edge) for 650m. At path junction TL and descend on rough FP. On reaching the metalled road, go straight over cattle grid and descend with Overton Hall Farm on your left.

Continue on metalled road as it swings right and goes steeply downhill with Madscar Farm on your left. Pass through gate and onto TK descending to cross a stream, then through gate and uphill to stile at Knipe Farm. Join metalled road which turns to right after the house, then straight to Fernilee Dam (700m) SK012776.

TL to cross the dam. At far side TR on TK on east side of the Fernilee Reservoir. Continue 1.7km on TK, the route of the old Cromford and High Peak railway, alongside the reservoir to Errwood dam at far end where you join the metalled road. TL and go uphill on the road for 400 metres, then TR at FP sign (SK019757) on FP to the east of Bunsall Cob. Continue 700m straight ahead on this FP, (do not take lower path below wall), through pine woods and pastures to reach FP sign at path junction (SK015747).TL, (but do not take leftmost track that ascends), taking level right-hand TK on 150 degrees to Wildmoorstone Brook self check C by the footbridge (SK 021 747).

Head back 30 degrees to cross two sets of duckboards. After 250m leave stony track to fork L steeply uphill away from clough which is to your right.  Go 400m uphill to

Checkpoint 5  on Goyt's Lane SK023751. 21.9 miles completed.

Leg 6 Take the old railway line going south-east (155 degrees), for 1.7km until just before closed tunnel at FP sign TR uphill for 340m at 101 degrees over Burbage Edge. Keep to FP as it swings right  over boggy ground 250m to stile in wall (SK034740). After stile descend on FP  and then steeply through woods to metalled road, Bishop's Lane, TR and take road  1.2kms to Event HQ.

Congratulations on completing the Goyt Valley Challenge.