Field & moor path 20%Lane & track 75%Road with traffic 5%
Our drawing of the route — the shape of the walk, not a navigation aid. Carry OS Explorer on the hill.
Starts at
Ringinglow, at the junction of Ringinglow Road and Sheephill Road by the Norfolk Arms, S11 7TSS11 7TS
Parking
Roadside parking only in Ringinglow, on the verges of Ringinglow Road and Sheephill Road; there is no public car park in the hamlet and the pub car park is for customers. It fills early on fine weeken
Houndkirk Road is an old turnpike, now a stony byway, running south-west out of Ringinglow across open heather moor towards the Hathersage road, and it gives Sheffield a proper moorland walk that starts at a bus stop. The land belongs to Sheffield City Council and is managed for it by the Eastern Moors Partnership, the National Trust and RSPB joint venture. This is registered open access land, so the lead rule here is law rather than guidance: two metres maximum from 1 March to 31 July, and at all times near livestock. Adders are present on these moors from February to November, which is the other argument for a lead. The going is stony track most of the way with wet peat either side of it, and there is no shade and no water.
THE SMALL PRINTThe Eastern Moors Partnership, which manages Burbage, Houndkirk and Hathersage Moors on behalf of Sheffield City Council, states: "From 1 March to 31 July it is the law under the Countryside Rights of Way Act 2000, to keep your dog on a lead of no more than 2 metres on open access land and at all times around livestock." Sheep graze these moors year round and the Partnership notes that dogs must be on a lead at all times when sheep are present, well outside the bird-nesting window. It also warns that the Eastern Moors are an adder stronghold and that adders are out of hibernation from February to November, so a lead is advised for the dog's own protection. Ground-nesting curlew, snipe, skylark and stonechat nest here.