(Click on
to see a map of the start location.)
Fairholmes car park on Derwent Valley Road off A57 Snake Pass.
OS Sheet 110
From Sheffield, turn right immediately after crossing the viaduct over Ladybower reservoir. Go to the roundabout at the end of this road (approx 4km). The car park is off the roundabout on the right.
From Manchester, take Ring Road M60 East; then exit Jn 24 for M67, signposted to Glossop and Sheffield; at roundabout at end of motorway, take first exit A57 through Longdendale; at traffic lights at bottom of hill turn right to Glossop; go through Glossop and onto Snake Pass road for several bendy miles; just before Ladybower Dam and Bridge take sharp left signposted Derwent Valley road; follow this to the roundabout and barrier at Fairholmes Car Park (cost �3.00 for the day) or park free at Derwent Overlook carpark about 0.5 miles before Fairholmes.
The trip up to Howden dam and back is 8km.
From Fairholmes carpark along the side of the Derwent and Howden dams, up to the King's Tree bus stop, the round trip is about 14km, duration c. 2.5 hrs.
The tarmac can be a little rough in parts but on the whole quite a good surface. It is a road going round the reservoir but is access only.
There is not much traffic; closed to cars on Sundays, however, just as much traffic as on other days because of little buses taking people around the reservoir. Cattle grids.
Toilets at Fairholmes car park and a small snack bar selling hot drinks, soup, chocolate bars, etc.
(The hot chocolate was good but the cheese and onion pastie was awful. A Shepard 2005)
Also good for gentle cycling.
This delightful tour is truly nordic in feel: lakeside scenery all the way, pinewoods lining the road, and enough gentle ups and downs to allow for all types of technique to be practised, particularly classic, skating and double-poling.
Details by Sheffield Nordic Ski Club
Last updated 24-8-2009