Distance 10 miles (16.1 km)
Classification Challenging
Duration 4 hours
Begins Wetton village
OS grid reference SK109555

Walk in a nutshell
This hilly walk in the Peak District national park starts at the lofty stone-built village of Wetton, explores Thor's Cave and then moves south-east to Ilam Park. The return journey is along the opposite side of the river Manifold.

Why it's special
The jumble of lush interlocking hills that tumble over one other to form the Manifold valley is one of the natural world's great wonders, and from Thor's Cave you'll get a magnificent bird's-eye view of the scene that will have you gasping with pleasure (and possibly pain too – it's a steep-ish climb up). Further south there are vistas of Dovedale national nature reserve to be enjoyed from Ilam Park.

Keep your eyes peeled for
Wetton Mill house and farm buildings (now cosy National Trust holiday cottages). Up from there is Thor's Cave, a dramatically positioned natural cavern. The cave's connection with the Norse god of thunder is obscure. However, artefacts discovered inside suggest that it was inhabited on and off from prehistory until the time of the Romans. Also look out for big birds: buzzards, ravens, sparrowhawks, kestrels, and tawny and little owls can all be spotted here. In the woods, muntjac and red deer roam, but tend to stay hidden during the day.

Recover afterwards
In the Wetton Mill National Trust tearoom, where coffee is now ground in place of grist.

If it's tipping down
Most of the local attractions are outdoors, so make your way to Stoke-on-Trent where you'll find the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery . The gallery has a first-rate collection of ceramics, but it also houses the Staffordshire Hoard – the largest and most valuable collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found.

How to get there
Derby, Matlock, Buxton and Stoke-on-Trent railway stations are between 10 to 15 miles away.

Step by step

1 From the centre of Wetton village, take the small road leading towards Wetton Mill and the Manifold valley. A few yards out of the village, take a farm track that branches off left, signed to Thor's Cave.

2 Follow the path until it branches. Take the left branch, which contours around the hillside towards the cave.

3 From the cave return the way you came to the fork in the path. This time take the other branch down to the river and cross the footbridge.

4 Follow the old railway track (Manifold Way) to Weag's bridge, then take the farm track that runs parallel to it on the river side and head for Beeston Tor Farm.

5 Before reaching the farmhouse the route swings away from the river and continues until it turns into a grassy trail. Bear left up the trail towards a small wood. Go over the stile and continue on the path down to Throwley Hall Farm.

6 Follow the small road past the farm towards Rushley. At Rushley, the road bends to the left; take the path across the fields to the footbridge. Cross the river into Ilam Park. From the bridge turn right on to the path that runs along Paradise Walk to Ilam Hall.

7 Head back to the footbridge and Rushley by leaving the National Trust visitor facilities at Ilam Hall, either the way you came or bearing left out of the courtyard and through the black metal gate alongside the path to the car park, heading diagonally across the field. On reaching a farm track by the wooded area, follow this towards the river. At Rushley, turn right along the road and cross the river by Rushley bridge. Pass through a stile in the left wall and follow the path that leads to Castern Hall across the fields and up a hill that runs parallel to a farm road.

8 Go around Castern Hall and, just behind the hall, take a track on the left. Follow this track around the hillside until, at the third field, it starts to climb away from the valley. Branch left towards the left-hand corner of the field and go through a gate to a path at the top edge of the cliff leading down to the Manifold.

9 Follow the cliff edge past the spoil-tips of lead mines, then follow it to the right, away from the river, through a small dale.

10 Cross the head of the dale where you will emerge on to the tiny road that links Weag's bridge with Alstonefield. Go over a stile on the far side of the road and follow the path skirting Wetton Low to return to the village.