The Walk
We park in in the free car park at Wetton, where there are public toilets. Turning right out of the car park the car park we take the next right at the road sign for Wetton Mill. We walk to the end of the road and turn left and after about 100 yards we take the track on the left next to a gate sign posted Concession Path to Thor’s Cave. At the end of the track, cross over the stile on the right then walk over two fields to go through a gate and take the lower path to the right which leads us to the entrance of Thor’s Cave.
On leaving Thor’s Cave we turn right and immediately left down the steps to the bottom and to the footbridge over the river where we join the Manifold Way and turn right continuing until we come to a bridge over the river. Cross the bridge and at the road we cross over diagonally right and take the footpath through a gate at the back of the little car park sign posted Wetton Hills. Walk through the valley for about a third of a mile and take the footpath on the left following the blue arrow uphill. At the top we turn right at another signpost with a blue and yellow arrow and after a few minutes as we go over the brow of the hill we can see Wetton Mill below. Cross the top to have a look at the cave and go through the gate down to Wetton Mill. At the mill we make our way to the bridge and take the track with the river on our left.
Walk forwards and turn left at the farm sign posted Hulme End 2½ and continue on the track through the gate. At the road we turn right and follow the road until we come to a t-junction with a bridge on the left, we turn sharp right onto a track going uphill sign posted Top of Ecton ¾ and Wetton 2¼. At the top we turn left in front of the building following the arrow after a short way we go through the gate and head straight forwards sign posted Ecton Hill Manifold Valley. We head forwards uphill passing a barn on the right and bear right at the top keeping the wall on our left towards a building. At the building we turn left through a small gate with a white arrow at the side of a big gate and turn right with the fence on our right. We walk forwards crossing the field to go through another gate and keep heading forwards with the wall on our left and some old mine shafts on our right. At the end of the wall we make our way across the field to the old disused mine workings then head downhill following the sign for Wetton. We go through the gate and turn left onto the road going downhill and turning left at the hairpin bend. At the building and footpath sign on the right we turn right down a very muddy path until we come to a gate on the left. We go through the gate and cross the field slightly going downhill to cross a bridge over a stream and then bear right. We keep walking forwards towards the dip in the hills passing a large blue public footpaths sign towards Wetton. We pass over a stile and bear to the left slightly uphill to go over another stile with a barn down below on our right. We pass through a quarry and make our way to the road at Wetton where we turn left passing the telephone box, church and pub.
This is an easy to moderate walk with some steep inclines and declines along tracks and paths, through fields and on minor roads.
Approx 6.25 miles allow 3 – 3½ hours using OS Explorer map OL24, The Peak District, White Peak Area.
Location
The Manifold Valley in the Peak District, North Staffordshire.
Directions and ParkingM
From Ashbourne take the A515 north for 5.4 miles, turn left onto Green Lane and follow signs for Milldale, Hope then at Wetton look for the free car park and public toilets.
Toilets and Refreshments
There are public toilets in the free car park at Wetton and at Wetton Mill. For refreshments there is the Ye Olde Royal Oak at Wetton, and a cafe at Wetton Mill.