🌲Alstonefield 10 miles❄️Wetton Village🌥 Wetton Mill❄️Ecton Hill🌲

This wonderful walk promises stunning views with varied terrain. Spectacular hills and scenic riverside paths, characterful villages mills and mines.

It starts from the peaceful Village of Alstonefield, pretty stone houses and a country inn surrounds the Village Green, with rolling countryside in the background.
Historic Buildings: Grade l listed church, 12th Century in part, a circular memorial stone dated 1518 in the churchyard is believed to be the oldest legible gravestone in England, an ancient tithe barn, (a barn used in the middle ages to store rent and one-tenth of farmers produce required to give to the established church) and a 16th Century Rectory.

Leaving Alstonefield, we head off over fields and pastures to the Village of Wetton with its pretty limestone cottages and beautiful gardens in the summer months.

Our route heads over hilly pastures towards Wetton Hill, we skirt the edges of Wetton Hill, 371 metres high (at sea level) and is classed as an English Bridget.

Our route joins a track which brings us to Wetton Mill by the River Manifold.
It's an old water mill which was used for grinding corn, now a scenic picnic spot with a pretty stone bridge in the centre.
After a welcome break in this pretty spot, the route continues following the river Manifold, eventually reaching the path going up onto Ecton Hill.

The steep path ascends around the hillside up to an Engine House, there's a shaft cap covering a mine with the lowest level 400 metres below..
Ecton Hill is 369 metres above sea level and is classed as an Ethel.
It was mined extensively for copper and lead from the Bronze Age up to the 19th Century. It is reputed to have the deepest mine shaft in the country.
The path continues straight up the hillside to the trig point of Ecton Hill, take a moment to breathe in the stunning views around you..
I have to say it's my favourite hill in the Peak District.

Leaving these stunning views the route heads down to a farm with a beautiful rare breed of White Park Cattle.
Continuing on, we join a path at the foot of Wetton Hill, eventually joining a lane at Gateham Grange.
Our route crosses several fields, eventually joining a pleasant lane with pretty cottages back to our start point in Alstonefield.

A scenic walk with a challenging climb and undulating terrain, but also easygoing riverside paths

Toilet facilities in Alstonefield near the start, and at Wetton Mill

Bring a picnic lunch and enough snacks and water to keep you going, the designated lunch stop and time is always dependant on the weather conditions

Walking boots are essential, a walking pole is helpful for ascents and descents..

As always, check the weather and dress accordingly, warm layers advisable for hill tops..

Doggies are always welcome
🚶‍♂️🦮🚶‍♀️🦮

Looking forward to sharing a great adventure with you all..🚶‍♀️🐑🧑‍🦯🦮🐑🚶‍♂️