Heritage Ride 1 - Langsett Reservoir Ride (12.85 miles 20.57 km ) Print

LANSw01 Waypoint 1
Bridleway
Take the bridleway that leads from the right hand corner at the rear of the parking area; for horse riders, the access to it is to the right of the horse box parking area - there is a mounting block by the path. $ The bridleway winds its way along a wide track at the top of the wood, between the reservoir and main road [A616]. Keep on the main track and bear left at any major unmarked junctions.


LANSw02 Waypoint 2
Bridleway
After a mile or so, you will reach a bridleway crossroads. Keep left, along the forest track, you will eventually go downhill towards Brook House Bridge over the Little Don [or Porter] River.
To the right, just before the steep downhill section opf path, is the site where Brook House once stood. In 1588 it had an unusual rent of a snowball on midsummer`s day and a red rose at Christmas.


LANSw03 Waypoint 3
Bridleway
Ride over the bridge and take the bridle gate to your left. Follow this path up the hill over rough stones and across the moor to the next junction.of bridleways.This section follows the line of an old pack horse way to Derbyshire.l


LANSw04 Waypoint 4
Bridleway
At the junction of bridleways, there is an option to take a longer route via Hingcliff Common, Mickleden Edge and the North American Bridleway towards WP 5.
To stay on the shorter route, go left and follow the wide track to the ruins of an old farmstead known as North America, on your right just before the gates.
This old farmstead was used for target practice in WW11.
Go through the gate [the field gate is probably the easiest] and follow the stony track downhill towards Thickwoods Bridge.
For the longer option via WP 5 continue straight on over Hingcliff Common, staying on the line of the old packhorse way that led over to Derbyshire. You will ride for a short distance along Mickleden Edge before reaching the next junction which is marked by the Peak District & Northern Counties Footpath Preservation Society in 1925


LANSw05 Waypoint 5
North American Bridleway
Take a sharp left, in front of the sign and follow the North American bridleway back towards Langsett Reservoir. The going is stony in short parts but the majority is newly resurfaced and offers good going. You will eventually arrive at a field gate, on your left North America ruins are on the other side of the gates..
This branch of the packhorse route once continued straight ahead to Langsett, but now lies under water folowing the construction of the reservoir completed in 1904.
At the gates, go right and take the stony downhill track to Thickswood Bridge.


LANSw06 Waypoint 6
Bridleway
Cross the bridge and follow the track as it bears left and passes through a gate. Follow the track to the right and keep on it until you reach the junction with the tarmac road [Black Lane]. At the junction, go left up a short bridleway and then right onto Midhope Lane.
For a shorter route back to Langsett car park go left instead of right and then, after a few yards turn right onto a bridleway [Joseph Lane]. At the junction with the road go left riding across Langsett Reservoir dam head and continue the ride from WP 10.
Follow Midhope Lane to the junction and turn right taking the next bridleway to the left, Stocks Lane.
Stocks Lane is mentioned in a document of about 1280, as an ancient stee or way
Follow the bridleway as it passes behind the houses and then bears right, down hill, towards its junction with Shaw Lane.
Note the remnants of stone slabs along the way, a good indication that this path was once used by packhorses.
Go left and follow the road for about a mile until you arrive at the junction with Motimer Road.
For a shorter route back to the start go left, take the next bridleway on the left, Stony Croft Lane, then follow the directions from the third sentance of WP 8..
To continue on the main route, turn right onto Mortimer Road and then take the first left onto Wind Hill Lane.


LANSw07 Waypoint 7
Road
This lane goes steep downhill into a dip and then a very steep uphill. at the top of the hill the road becomes Long Lane. To the left is a small parking area
To the right is a path that was used by packhorses to travel along the high ground above Whitwell Moor.
Ride down Long Lane and turn left by a large guide stone onto the Restricted Byway known as Peg Folly.
At the end of Peg Folly, look to your right to see the old way marker, directions can still be seen on it in the right light.
At the end turn right and immediately left at Sheffield Equestrian Centre, which becomes a bridleway called Green Lane. At the bottom turn left along Cross Lane and left again at the T junction into Smitthy Moor Lane. Ride up the hill and as the road bends sharply to the left, turn right at the farm and along a permissive bridleway [walking pace only here please].


LANSw08 Waypoint 8
Road
At the end of this path turn right onto Oaks Lane and follow it to a T junction with Mortimer Road. Turn left to continue on the ride [or right to go to the Mustard Pot pub for refreshments]. Ride up the hill and take the first bridleway on your right near the top. Go through the gate and bear right to follow the bridleway [Stony Croft Lane] to its junction with Chapel Lane. Turn left. [If you have parked at The Mustard Pot car park turn right to end the ride.]
For those parked at the Mustard Pot turn right out of the car park and right again onto Chapel Lane to begin the ride.


LANSw09 Waypoint 9
Road
This lane becomes Midhope Hall Lane; remain on the tarmac road all the way to a junction at Upper Midhop. At this junction go straight ahead through the village. At the end of the village continue straight ahead onto a dead end road passing cottages and farm houses. Take the clear track to the right, Joeph Lane Bridleway. Follow the bridleway down to Midhop Cliff Lane. At the junction turn left and ride over Langsett dam head.


LANSw10 Waypoint 10
Bridleway
At the end of the dam turn left through a gate onto a bridleway that runs along side the reservoir. Keep on this path until you reach a T junction of paths; go left here and almost immediattely right, up a short but steep hill to return to the parking area.
For those parked at the Mustard Pot turn left and continue from the $ at WP 1.