Hey, I’m Charlotte from @barefoot_ventures. Clear waters, waterfalls, a designated wild swimming area and pub lunch in a pretty Derbyshire Village to end. Do walks get any better than this?With some of the clearest water in the Peak District, theLathkill / Bradford Dale circular is a must see for any outdoorsy lovers.

Starting and ending in the pretty village of Youllgrave, you’ll head down the hill to the river Bradford where you can scout out the ‘swimming area’ This may not be for everyone but it’s always nice to see it. 

Turn left once you reach the water, and this path will follow the river for approximately 1 mile into the little village of Alport, you’ll see where the river Bradford & Lathkill meet at this point, and you’ll cross the road and continue following the Lathkill upstream. 

Stick to this footpath and you’ll reach a country lane, the path goes straight on here, but if you turn right (and you’ll want to) you’ll see a pretty little bridge and a weir. This is just a little detour so head back to the path when you’ve seen it. 

After maybe 10 minutes on this path you’ll reach a country road, turn right and follow it for a short distance, cross the road bridge and then back onto the trail. You’ll have crossed the river at this point, and this is where you’ll see some of the clearest water in the Peak District. (Please note, this is a SSSI so no swimming here - Save that for later) you’ll maybe want to stop for a coffee break here, or save that for the waterfall later, although in summer it does almost run dry, so don’t be confused if it’s not what you expect when you visit. 

You’ll follow the river upstream until you see a little wooden bridge, you want to cross this and head into the trees, a short distance after the footpath forks and you want to choose the left path and head up the steep steps. The view from the top is worth it! 

You’ll go through several fields before crossing the road and heading back down, there’s another short section of road here before descending back into Bradford Dale, cross the river again, and turn left and you’ll soon recognise where you started. 

Will you go for a river dip or is heading into the village for a pub lunch more for you?! Either way, it’s a beautiful walk, and I hope you enjoy it. 

• Full route & GPX  
• My YouTube video on the route