Get Lost Mountaineering

Millstone Edge, Higger Tor, Carl Wark, Owler Tor & Mother Cap

from Surprise View Car Park

Start/Finish

Surprise View car park which is on the A625 road from Sheffield to Hathersage at about SK 251 800. From Sheffield, follow the A625 to the Fox House Inn where the road goes right then soon after left. The car park is just before the next right bend and is well signed. It is large but can soon fill up on busy days. It is Pay and Display but payment must be made by credit or debit card, the machine does not accept cash.

Distance/Time

5 km       About 2 - 3 hours

Peaks

Higger Tor, 434 m, SK 256 819.

Carl Wark, c 380 m, c SK 259 814.

OS Outdoor Leisure 1: Dark Peak.     OS 1:50 000, sheet 110.

Introduction

This is a very pleasant walk, especially on a bright sunny day in Winter. There are fine views in all directions. The going is generally good although there are some damp spots and some paths are quite stony. The route is just about on the Dark Peak map and OS 110. This walk is best kept for a clear day for the views. There are many more paths on the ground than are shown on the map and this may be confusing in mist. Note that neither Higgar Tor nor Carl Wark are “peaks” but small plateaux.

Route

(1) Walk W along an obvious path, shadowing the road to reach a gate. Continue to reach Surprise View which looks to the valley below. Cross the low wall where it dips and follow a path down to meet another path above the road. Turn right and follow the path which goes below Millstone Edge , a rocky cliff well frequented by climbers. There are several offshoots of the path which take one nearer to the cliff face. Just before the end of the cliff, a path goes up to reach the top of the edge by a fence. Turn left, N. Reach a stile and take the path almost straight ahead. This leads below Owler Tor and Winyards Nick (both on the right). Just before it reaches the road from Hathersage to Upper Burbage Bridge, there is a large rectangular walled enclosure on the right which has the remains of an old rain gauge inside it, surrounded by a wrought iron fence. From here, Higger Tor is almost due N and very obvious in clear weather with its craggy edge. There is a choice of paths, some more interesting than others which weave through the rocks. If it is clear, it is worth walking to the left, W, side of the outcrops on the edge of Higgar Tor then gaining the plateau before exploring the plateau of Higger Tor but there is no obvious “summit”.

(2) Find a path descending off the SE corner of Higger Tor to reach a very obvious path below which, with little reascent, leads over to and up on to Carl Wark, once thought to be a prehistoric fort. Explore the small plateau then return to the “wall” and descend roughly W aiming for the bottom of an obvious line of outcrops. The intervening ground can be quite boggy in wet weather. Ascend to above the line of outcrops where there is no path and pick a way upwards heading W. A path soon appears and this can be followed up on to the crest where it meets a more obvious path. Turn left, S, and soon reach Owler Tor which can be ascended without too much difficulty if one looks around but be careful if the rock is wet as there are some nasty gaps which one would not wish to fall into.

(3) From Owler Tor, the main path descends to Mother Cap with little loss of height. Retrace back to Owler Tor then find the path going W back to the outward path from the top of Millstone Edge to Higgar Tor. When the stile above the N end of Millstone Edge is reached, stay on the top of the cliffs and walk along a path, with the fence between you and the cliffs, until a gate, before Surprise View, is reached then walk back to the car park.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 25^th April, 2015.