Details for Ewden Valley

Beginning at the village of Bolsterstone on the hills high above the deep valley, there are numerous walks of varying difficulty leading down through the valley itself. Smooth pathways lead around the Ewden reservoirs of Broomhead and More Hall and are gentle and level, making them ideal for cyclists' wheelchair users and child buggies. Ewden village is a small traditional village nestling down in the valley.

Wharncliffe Lodge stands high over the valley and is a building of great historical interest to visitors. The present building is actually the third lodge to have been built on the site, since the original one dating back to the early 16th century, and has inscriptions on the floor dating back to the reign of Henry VIII. Near to the lodge is a densely wooded area where there is an ancient legend based on the ‘Dragon of Warntley'. Deep in the crags in a dense area of Wharncliffe Woods the dragon was thought to have lived in the cave named Dragons Den, which can still be visited today.

Nearby Wharncliffe Side is another pretty and historic village which is situated on the edge of the peak district and has a range of dramatic crags carved into the hillside making this a very popular area with climbers and hang gliders. Quarrying has taken place here since the Iron age and there is still evidence of Quern stones dating back to Roman times.

Wharncliffe Heath is an area now designated as a nature reserve. The moorland here is covered with...