UKC

Can anyone recommend any steep walking routes in the peak that are fairly close to Chesterfield or Matlock? Anything that gains a fair amount of elevation over a short distance for quick training jaunts with a heavy pack. I'm based in Nottingham so it gets time consuming traveling up to Kinder and the high peak, especially just for a 2 hour session.

In reply to Adj:

Try some of the limestone dales such as Monsal dale and Cressbrook dale. Short but very sharp.

In reply to Adj:
Winhill from behind The Yorkshire Bridge pub is the steepest, straightest slog I can think of. Do that twice in a row with a heavy pack on and you'll know about it.
Bradwell Village up to Shatton Moor would be good too although a little shorter.
Both could be linked fairly easily.

In reply to Adj:

Chrome Hill--a bit closer and it's certainly steep! There's another big hill right near it as well.

In reply to Adj:

There's loads of steepness in the Eastern Peak, you just have to switch off your normal planning head and go across the grain of the land rather than with it. Eg bash up to an Edge and back down to the valley and up the other side rather than trying to keep the height. The area around Grindleford and Padley seems particularly fruitful for this sort of thing.

In reply to Adj:

The area around Monsal Dale is pretty good, too. Go West then South from Monsal Head to Sheldon and then back the other way, dropping in and out of the dale as often as you want - there's a fairly natural figure eight route that does it three times, or you can retrace your steps at the end for a gratuitous crank back up on to the west side of the dale.

In reply to Adj:

I used to park in Hope and do running reps up and down the great ridge, dropping down the edale and hope sides. However the best is probably edale and kinder laps by various routes.