White Peak Six Dales Loop

The route

This is a long one: a 42.5km circuit through the heart of the White Peak, the limestone country in the south of the Peak District. Where the Dark Peak is all peat and gritstone, this is a different landscape entirely, green valleys cut by clear rivers, dry-stone walls across an open plateau, and a string of sheltered dales linked by farm tracks and field paths. The climbing totals a manageable 442m for the distance, but at 42.5km this is a serious endurance day, so pace it accordingly.

The dales

The loop threads together several of the classic White Peak dales, running the valley floors where the paths follow the rivers before climbing back onto the plateau to cross to the next one. It passes close to Hartington, the well-kept village at the hub of this dales country, and swings east through Bradford Dale and past Youlgreave, one of the prettiest stretches of limestone valley in the district. Between the dales you cross open, walled farmland with big skies and long views.

What to expect underfoot

Mixed and generally good: riverside path, packed track, field crossings and some plateau lanes. It can be muddy and churned through the fields and around field gates after rain, and the dale paths have rocky, uneven sections, but there is nothing technical. On a loop this long, navigation matters, so keep the GPX running and treat junctions with care.

Why it works

For a big day that is scenic rather than savage, this is hard to beat: the White Peak gives you distance and beauty without the exposure of the high moors. Hartington, with its cafes, shop and toilets, makes the obvious base.

Good to know

At 42.5km with limited resupply, this is a route to plan properly: carry food and water, pack layers for the exposed plateau crossings between dales, and start early enough to finish in daylight. The villages you pass give occasional chances to top up, but do not rely on them, and treat the long walled sections in bad weather with respect, since there is little shelter once you are out on the tops.