The Ryedale

Essentials

Getting there

Grindslow House, Grindsbrook Booth, Edale, Hope Valley, S33 7ZD

Main road turn off: ///query.imprinted.weary

By train

Edale Station is less than 1 mile away and has direct lines from Sheffield and Manchester.

By bus

The nearest bus stop is less than a mile away - you can walk to The Gathering in 15 mins

By car

The Ryedale parking is 20 yards away from the tent with wheelchair access and parking for the other tents is about 150 yards away

From the North East, leave M1 southbound at junction 36, heading for North Sheffield from the roundabout. You are now just under one hour from The Gathering. At next roundabout take third exit onto A616 towards Manchester. After 7 miles turn left to Midhopestones and ‘The Mustard Pot’ pub. Follow that rural road for 20 minutes across Strines Moor until T-junction. Turn right down the hill. At reservoir traffic lights turn left over bridge and continue to Bamford village. At bottom of hill turn right at traffic lights by petrol station. Continue 3 miles to Hope. As you follow road around the right hand side of the church in Hope, turn right just after the Old Hall Inn. You are now on the Edale road. Follow this out of Hope for 5 miles until you come to Edale car park and just after it the main Edale village road on your right. Turn right and continue to the Nags Head pub. Just behind the pub, the road turns from tarmac to gravel – take this gravel road to the end and you will arrive at The Gathering. Our telephone number is 01433 670 203. There is no mobile reception once you enter the Edale valley, so turn it off and relax. NB in case of snow please call ahead as we will need to amend these instructions.

From the South East, leave M1 northbound at junction 29, heading for Chesterfield. You are 50 minutes from Edale at this point. As you enter Chesterfield take the third exit from the large roundabout, following the brown tourist signs for Chatsworth. Take first exit at next roundabout and then keep going straight through Chesterfield, still following Chatsworth signs. Follow A619 to Baslow. In Baslow village turn right at the roundabout by the church, to follow A623 towards Stockport. At traffic lights in Calver next to BP Petrol Station and SPAR shop, turn right. Follow road to Grindleford, and turn left just after the Mount Pleasant Garage, signposted Hathersage. At T-junction in Hathersage turn left and continue to Hope. As the road swings to the right of the church in Hope, turn right onto small Edale road just after the Old Hall Inn. Continue c. 6 miles until you come to Edale car park and just after it the main Edale village road on your right. Turn right and continue to the Nags Head pub. Just behind the pub, the road turns from tarmac to gravel – take this gravel road and you will arrive at The Gathering. Our telephone number is 01433 670 203. There is no mobile reception once you enter the Edale valley, so turn it off and relax. NB in case of snow please call ahead as we will need to amend these instructions.

From the South West, leave M5 northbound at Junction 15 for Stoke. You are now just over one hour from The Gathering. Follow signs for A50, Uttoxeter and Derby. This will bring you onto the dual carriageway A50 Stoke through-road, past the football stadium. Follow the dual carriageway for about 4 miles, looking for sign to LEEK A520 to the left. This takes you off the A50 to a roundabout by the Douglas Macmillan Hospice shop. Turn left at the roundabout and follow A520 to Leek. Beware multiple speed cameras! In Leek after golf course and Co-op Bank roundabout go uphill and then turn right at the traffic lights just after you’ve crested the hill. Go through town centre past war memorial traffic lights, then right at the next traffic lights following A53 for BUXTON. As you come into Buxton continue straight through all junctions until you come to a T-junction in front of the Palace Hotel. Take the road to the right that curls around the hotel, turning left at the next roundabout and past the railway station and ALDI store following signs for Manchester and Stockport A6. These take you straight over next roundabout, then left at 2nd roundabout under railway arches, and left again at 3rd roundabout. This takes you out through the golf course on the A6 towards Stockport. Continue through DOVE HOLES village, and at the roundabout at bottom of hill when you leave Dove Holes, turn right, following sign for Chesterfield. Up the hill to the Wanted Inn (half a mile or so) where you take the left turn with brown tourist sign to Blue John Mine and Castleton. Follow this road for c. 3 miles then swing left, ignoring the right hand turn for Castleton. The road swings back on itself, then as you head uphill with a small wood on your right, you’ll see a small sign for EDALE to the right, through the wood. This takes you over the pass into Edale Valley. Follow the road down and along the bottom of the valley until you reach the sign to the left for Edale station (there is a red telephone box on your right – another clue). Take the road to the left and continue straight ahead for 1 mile, continue past the Nags Head Pub and take the gravel track where the tarmac ends. This is the private drive for The Gathering. Our telephone number is 01433 670 203. There is no mobile reception once you enter the Edale valley, so turn it off and relax. NB in case of snow please call ahead as we will need to amend these instructions.

From the North West, leave M6 at junction 20A onto M56 towards Manchester. You are now just over one hour from The Gathering. From M56 exit at junction 6 Manchester Airport, following signs for WILMSLOW on A538. As you enter Wilmslow, the A538 crosses the railway tracks over a bridge. At next roundabout turn left onto A34. After a few hundred yards turn left at 2nd roundabout, then right at 3rd roundabout just after, onto Dean Row. After a few hundred yards cross the first roundabout, then left at 2nd roundabout by Shell petrol station. At next roundabout turn right. You are now on B5358. After two miles you pass some plant nurseries, then the road takes a sharp right. On that corner, you turn left, signposted Adlington Hall. Continue on that road straight over traffic light junction by the Legh Arms pub. Follow the country road up onto the moor until you get to Pott Shrigley, where you turn left by the church. Continue climbing until you get to T-junction on the summit. Turn left and continue into WHALEY BRIDGE. At traffic light junction turn left, go through main street and out the other side past Tesco. Turn right at roundabout onto A6. After 2 miles and another roundabout take exit left for Rushup, Edale and Castleton. Follow this road for 2miles until you see Edale turn to your left through a small wood. This takes you up over the pass into Edale Valley. Follow the road down and along the bottom of the valley until you reach the sign to the left for Edale station (there is a red telephone box on your right – another clue). Take the road to the left and continue straight ahead for 1 mile, continue past the Nags Head Pub and take the gravel track where the tarmac ends. This is the private drive for The Gathering. Our telephone number is 01433 670 203. There is no mobile reception once you enter the Edale valley, so turn it off and relax. NB in case of snow, please call ahead as will need to amend these instructions!

Food & Drink

At The Gathering

Breakfast hampers and barbecue boxes from award-winning local butcher can be arranged, please enquire and pre-order direct with the owners.

Pubs & Restaurants

The Hathersage Social Club - 20 mins by car, 10 mins by train - an eclectic, eccentric foodie heaven, with international cuisine from visiting chefs as well as awesome local produce and the odd dash to the ocean for lobster nights. Lucy and Simon run this as a passion – you need to book ahead and it is only open Thursday to Sunday. The brunches are legendary and the owners' French heritage will transport you to the continent

Chinley Old Hall Inn - 20 mins by car, 10 mins by train, 4 hours on foot! - A fine gastro pub and restaurant which is a fitting reward for a beautiful 4 hour walk from The Gathering, yet only a 10 minute return train ride. Great chef and wine list

The Nags Head and The Rambler Inn - a few hundred yards away - These are the two village pubs. The Nags Head is the official start of the Pennine Way and is a Ramblers’ haven. The Rambler Inn is good for food and has a nice garden with amazing views. Beers are generally good with guest ales throughout the year

Activities

At The Gathering

• Hang out in the Gathering Barn - play games and do arts and crafts. 
• Play cricket on the "Baggles' Nemesis", play volleyball, play on the tyre swings

Outdoor & Active - Tom & Kirsty can give you a detailed guide on all activities below, but here is a taster of what's on offer

Walks, hikes, rambler, climbs and picnic spots:

Edale is the starting point for some of the best open-access walks in England and the official start of The Pennine Way. There are lots of lovely circular walks and some lower, flatter walks suitable for younger children, alongside some tough climbs and full day out yomps on the top of Kinder Plateau

There are some maps in your tent – if you would like any advice on routes and suitability please corner either Kirsty or Tommy to plan your day out.  In the meantime here are some simple routes to get you started…

A Stroll from Edale to Ollerbrook Booth. Circular route. 10 minutes there and 15 minutes back!  And very FLAT! Perfect for little ones with little legs and those in the mood for an evening stroll

Up the Nab and down to Ollerbrook and back via Nags Head Pub. Circular route. Allow an hour for grown-up legs. Nice safe walk on a stone path that gets your heart pumping on the climb up and delivers magnificent views of the village and valley below. Ends at the pub for a well-deserved drink

Up Grindsbrook and back to the village along the Pennine Way. Circular Route.  Allow 40 minutes – or more if you head further upstream (some great pools and waterfalls to splash in and picnic spots in abundance). Having a picnic in the beautiful open moorland of Grindsbrook with kids building dams in the steam is one of life’s best moments.  If the weather isn’t great for a picnic, tog up for wet weather and kids will enjoy leaping over the stream as you climb higher up Grindsbrook – a simple form of canyoning!

Up to Upper Booth and back on lower route. Circular Route.  Allow 2.5 hours – a gently rolling walk half way up the valley and back along the bottom of the valley. A lovely afternoon/morning walk which is not too strenuous on the knees (i.e. you are not heading up the tops of the hills but gliding along the middle!). Head to the Rambler for supper or lunch on return

...and some bigger walks:

Around Kinder Plateau- Circular Route - 5 hours - Around Kinder from Grindsbrook and back down Jacob’s Ladder, passing through the incredible Woolpack Stones that inspired artists such as Henry Moore. Refer to map

Over Mam Tor to Castleton or along Mam Tor to Hope- One way return via taxi or train (or walk if feeling hardy!) - 2 hours - Head up Mam Tor (the big across the valley!) – from there you can drop down into Castleton (lots of pubs and cafes for lunch) or keep going along the spine and drop down Losehill to Hope (spa hotel Losehill or The Cheshire Cheese Pub for lunch).  Then if the legs are too tired to return, jump on the train back to Edale (one stop from Hope) or call 2Nice taxis in Hope 01433 623427. Trains from Hope (allow 8 minutes journey time) at 14.41; 16.39; 17.39; 18.39; 19.39; 21.09; 23.13 (Sundays 13.40; 15.40; 16.40; 17.40; 18.41; 19.41; 22.40)

Mountain Biking

Edale is teeming with great mountain bike routes right from the village.  Please see the maps in the tents for routes.  We have a couple of spare bikes here if you haven’t brought your own.

Places to visit

On your doorstep...

The Moorland Centre - if you are new to the area and want to understand the moors, wildlife and management, kick off your visit here.  Also if it is chucking it down it is all indoors and – with little children – can fill in a wet morning… walk to the centre, let them run around, then hit a café to recover!

Castles, caves and caverns - there are four show caves open to the public in and around Castleton: Peak Cavern, Speedwell Cavern, Treak Cliff Cavern and Blue John Mine; and Peveril Castle is definitely worth a visit

30 minute radius -

The Chestnut Centre - A good place to while away a couple of hours walking around the park on the trails and spotting otters, deer, owls and other wildlife.  Good for all the family (babies can be pushed around the park). Mostly outdoors so if raining dress appropriately as very little indoor activities

The Plague Village, Eyam - Eyam is a fascinating place to visit and well-worth the 30 minutes’ drive – the small museum is filled with facts that will keep the kids intrigued

The Lido, Hathersage - a great pool for kids and grown-ups (lane swimming down one side) with a fabulous grassy area for lounging.  Access to the café from the pool for hot drinks, icecreams and chips! Check the public swimming times with Tom and Kirsty before heading over. A fun day out with the kids is to take the train from Edale then 2 minutes’ walk to the pool, followed by a lazy brunch/lunch at the wonderful Hathersage Social Club (open Thurs – Sunday)

Ladybower Dam - The Three Reservoirs cycle trail - Set amid a landscape of moorland and vast reservoirs, this 18-mile (28.9km) cycle ride circumnavigates the Howden, Derwent and Ladybower reservoirs providing some spectacular views. Suitable as a family cycle-route or for the more energetic riders out there, this impressive location has something for everyone. This 18-mile (28.9km) loop has an undulating but almost continuously hard surface around its length and the paths have recently been improved. The northern edge is the most challenging. These trails are often busy at times with a mixture of cyclists, walkers and horse riders. Cycle hire Derwent- situated in the picturesque Derwent Valley; it is accessed from the A57. START:  Fairholmes car park, grid ref: SK173893

Ladybower Fisheries - 13 miles of bank fishing available, with 15 fishing boats for hire

Chatsworth - a visit to Derbyshire without dropping into Chatsworth would be remiss. The children’s play area is incredible with an enormous sandpit and diggers and huge climbing areas.  The farmyard allows you to interact with a wide variety of animals and if you are lucky you might catch lambing or the arrival of new piglets! You can pay just for the children’s area without having to buy tickets for the main house

Haddon Hall - a magical place to visit for grown-ups – although older children will be fascinated by the history of the place and incredible old kitchens!

Bakewell - If you like a Bakewell tart or pudding then drop by – but don’t make it a day out in itself… worth a nod if you are heading to Haddon Hall or Chatsworth

One hour radius -

• Gulliver's Kingdom
• Matlock Bath
• Ilam Park, Dovedale, Tissington and The White Peak
• Tissington and the Tissington Trial
• The Yorkshire Sculpture Park
• Harwick Hall

Meet your hosts

Meet Tom & Kirsty

Tom’s family have lived in Edale since 1640, and him and Kirsty took over the farm and shooting estate in 2009. Their dream is to create a wow location for people to come together to relax, to bond, and to be creative. They specialise in family gatherings and cultural retreats.

Tom worked for the Flying Doctors in Kenya for 7 years, and was inspired by safari experiences to establish the ambience and luxury of an African safari in this stunning place – probably the nearest ‘wilderness’ to London

Kirsty’s International Writers’ Retreat is in its 6th year, with tutors and students from the world over (www.wordtheatre.com) 

About The Gathering

The Gathering is a private hideaway in one of the most visited national parks in the world – second only to Mt Fuji in Japan. Easily accessible by car (3 hrs from W. London) or train, you arrive and imagine yourself to be in the Scottish Highlands: tall gritstone crags lead up to the heather moorland of Kinder Scout from the pretty village of Edale, all quarried from the hills above. Edale is the official start of the Pennine Way and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, but at The Gathering you are blissfully unaware of their presence.

The farm itself was established as a shooting estate in the 1880s and the Victorian shooting lodge has hosted guests ever since, not just for grouse shooting but also for holidays and cultural retreats. The lower pasture holds a flock of hardy swaledale sheep and the moorland above is open to all.

The pretty stream of Grindsbrook is a favourite with children – clambering up rocks and waterfalls to pick bilberries in the valley above the bluebell woods. Stiffer walks take you on to the Kinder plateau, with views out to the west coast on a clear day, and over the rolling Pennines to the North. To the south is the Iron Age hill fort of Mam Tor, with its caverns open to visitors below.

Wildlife & Environment

Edale Moor sits on the southern end of the Kinder Plateau, a great Pennine gritstone bathelith that rises from the limestone dales to the South. The Gathering looks onto the Iron Age hill fort of Mam Tor, and is nestled in indigenous woodland along Grindsbrook, the peaty stream that brings beer-coloured water from the moorland above. A 100 m climb takes you onto the heather moorland, with awesome views, rare ground-nesting birds (curlew, plover, lapwing, red grouse), bilberries, and protected peat bogs – the largest natural peat store in Europe. Gritsone crags are home to a nesting pair of Peregrines as well as sparrowhawk and buzzard. Sheep roam without walls on these moorlands, and strange rock formations, weathered by the wind, jut out like Henry Moore sculptures. Edale is the official start of the 256 mile Pennine Way, which climbs the Pennine spine of Britain to Kirk Yetholm in Scotland. The valley is a destination not only for walkers, but also for paragliders, mountain bikers, artists, photographers and writers. Wordsworth wrote of the beauty of Grindsbrook; Lord Byron is an ancestor of Tom’s and wrote of the splendour of the surrounding area of Derbyshire.