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Edale

Guide to the Edale Valley in Derbyshire

Edale is a valley in North Derbyshire, situated about 15 miles west of Sheffield, in the heart of the Peak District National Park. Edale valley is a loose collection of scattered farmsteads or 'booths' as they are known which grew up around the original shelters or 'boothies' used by shepards when tending their sheep on the hillsides. There are 5 main ones in Edale valley, Nether Booth, Ollerbooth, Upper Booth, Barber booth and Grindsbrook Booth of which the village called Edale is part.

Edale village is in a lovely setting below Kinder Scout and is the start of the Pennine way, the first and longest footpath in England, opened in 1965.



Photograph from  Edale
Mountain Centre at Edale
Photograph from  Edale
Edale Valley
Photograph from  Edale
Edale Valley
Photograph from  Edale
Edale Valley
Photograph from  Edale
Edale Valley
Photograph from  Edale
Edale Mountain Centre
Photograph from  Edale
Edale church
Photograph from  Edale
Edale church
Photograph from  Edale
Edale valley
Photograph from  Edale
Edale valley
Photograph from  Edale
Edale valley
Photograph from  Edale
Edale valley
Photograph from  Edale
Edale valley
Photograph from  Edale
Edale valley
Photograph from  Edale
Edale valley
Photograph from  Edale
Edale valley
Photograph from  Edale
Edale valley
Photograph from  Edale
Edale valley


In 1894 the railway was built between Manchester and Sheffield, with the line running through Edale. It was necessary to dig the 2 mile long Cowburn tunnel under Colbourne Moor, the 9th longest tunnel in the country. With the railway came the day trippers and a flourishing tourist industry was started.

The buildings are of local gritstone. Edale village school is still in use today having been built in 1819. The old Parsonage, originally a barn was converted into a house in 1615 and housed the church Minister until a new vicarage was built in 1894.

Edale church, dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity was built in 1885 to a design by William Dawes of Manchester. It is aisleless and has a broach spire. A chapel did exist here before but there was a time when villagers has to go to Castleton church and even carry their dead via Hollins Cross to be buried.

There are 2 pubs in the village of Edale, the Ramblers ( formerly the Church Inn ) and the Old Nags Head which is the official start of the Pennine way. The Old Nags head was formerly the village blacksmiths, and offers as does the Ramblers accommodation and refreshments. Here is also a post office and a general stores as well as a camp site. There are a number of other places offering Bed and Breakfast as well as camp sites and other forms of accommodation.

Kinder Scout at 2088ft is the highest point in Derbyshire. It can be reached by either heading north up Grindsbrook or west up Jacobs ladder. The 2 paths rejoin at Kinder Downfall on the western edge of the plateau, then cross the peat bogs towards Bleaklow.

There is an information centre that houses an interesting exhibition on local history and the Peaks National Park Field Center is also housed here.

Edale Mill, formerly a cotton mill was built in 1792 and now provides holiday accommodation.

The National Trust owns much of the moorland around Edale including most of Kinder Scout. Upper Booth farm is rented from the National Trust and the tenants run a campsite on the farm as well as an information centre in one of their barns - services much appreciated by the many ramblers who come here to walk the pennine way, which passes through the farm on its way to Jacob's Ladder and Edale Cross.

Barber Booth is a tight knit settlement squeezed between Broadleebank Tor and a bend in the River Noe as it flows through the valley west to east.

Edale Visitor Centre
The Moorland Centre
Field Head
Edale
Hope Valley
Derbyshire s33 7za
Tel: 01433 670207

Opening times:
Easter until 31 October
Weekdays 9:30am - 5:00pm (closed for lunch)
Weekends 9:30am - 5:30pm (closed for lunch)
1 November until Easter
Weekdays 10:00am - 3.30pm
Weekends 9:30am - 4.30pm (closed for lunch)

Recently opened and built near the start of the Pennine Way, the Moorland Centre’s design reflects its upland setting. It has a living roof of sedum turf, intersected by a waterfall tumbling over glass panels into a pool at the entrance. The turf acts as an eco-friendly insulator, and the building is fuelled by an energy-saving ground-source heat pump.

Interactive exhibitions for all ages explain why the Moors for the Future Project was set up to restore vast tracts of this threatened habitat, and conserve its heritage. 'Listening posts' enable visitors to hear reminiscences of people who live and work on the moors, as well as those who use them for recreation.

The experienced and welcoming team are available at the Visitor Centre to help and advise on how to make the most of your visit to this beautiful valley of quiet hamlets and dramatic moors.

Information is available on accommodation, attractions, public transport, the Peak District National Park, the Pennine Way and details of local events. There is also a retail area offers an outstanding range of products.


See

Castleton for information on the popular village of Castleton.



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