Alport Dale in the Dark Peak has an air of remote wilderness, enhanced by the tottering towers and eroded rock faces of Alport Castles, said to be the largest
landslip in Britain.
This walk takes us to the lip of the landslip from the neighbouring Upper Derwent Valley to take in the drama of these ‘castles in the air’.
Enjoy one of the geological showplaces and scenic highlights in the Peak District
National Park, in one of its most remote and wild places. Keep your eye out for Peregrine falcon – the area has recently become a nesting site for these majestic birds.
Starting at the car park at Fairholmes Visitor Centre, in the shadow of the Derwent Dam, exit the car park and turn left to walk down the road you have just driven along. After approx 50-100m, follow the marker sign on the right and ascend a path with a stream to your left. Continue to the culverted watercourse where the path splits.
This trail was originally created by Roly Smith for the Royal Geographical Society’s Discovering Britain. Thanks are also due to Helen Rawling for editing the walk and to Chris Speight FRGS, CGeog, RGS-IBG Trustee for checking the route and providing feedback.
Roly is a keen walker and the author of over 90 books on the British countryside. He has been recently described as one of Britain’s most knowledgeable countryside writers.
https://www.discoveringbritain.org/activities/east-midlands/walks/alport-castles-walk.html