Discovery on old packhorse trail

The isolated Strines Inn stands alongside Mortimer Road, an old Toll Road built in the 1770s by HW Mortimer, Lord of the Manor, to replace an ancient packhorse route across the hills and to link up the Heavy Woollen districts of the West Riding with the villages of the Peak District.

Famed for its numerous steep inclines and hair-pin bends, the road traces the eastern edge of the wild moors of the Dark Peak.

One of Mortimer’s ideas was to provide strong horses to help pull the heavy wagons up the steep inclines. When they had reached the top of the climb, the additional horses were unhitched. An inscribed roadside stone marks the exact spot where the helping hooves were relieved of their burden, with an example near the Strines Inn inscribed with the words ‘Take Off’.

This historic pub overlooks Bradfield Dale with far-reaching views across rolling wooded hills and heather moorland. This whole area has a sense of ‘border country’ about it, as the pub lies just within the Peak District National Park, within a mile of Yorkshire’s boundary and a few miles from the urban fringes of Sheffield. The building dates back to 1275 as a manor house for the Worrall family, yeoman farmers and woollen clothiers whose descendents owned the building until the 1830s. Much of the building was rebuilt in the 16th century, although the oak beam above the bar is said to date from the original manor house.

It became a pub in 1771 when John Morton leased it from the Worrall family and served as a coaching inn along the newly constructed Mortimer Road and continued as a working farm-cum-inn until the 1960s. It as only had 21 licensees in the last 241 years.

It was dusk as I was coming to the end of an eight-mile walk on a bitterly cold winter’s day. My heart lifted as the inn appeared, with small squares of warm yellow light shining from the windows, contrasting starkly with the grey stonework.I thought of the many travellers who have passed this way and wondered if they too felt the same, knowing that the warmth of the fireside was a few steps away.

I walked into the bar and was greeted with a smile by the landlord. I ordered half of Jennings Cocker Hoop, and sat next to the log fire set in a huge stone fireplace. Elvis (my dog) curled up in front of the glowing grate and I enjoyed my drink – a light, golden ale with a sharp bitter aftertaste.

Dogs and muddy boots are most welcome, which is just as well as some of Peakland’s finest walks pass its door.

I had followed the old track known as Foulstone Road up across heather moors to the path junction at Bradfield Gate Head near the distinctive landmark of Back Tor, with the brooding moors of the Dark Peak all around.

Back Tor marks the northern end of Derwent Edge, one of the classic gritstone edges that rise abruptly along the eastern flanks of the Peak.

I followed the crest of the edge southwards, an exhilarating path famed for its wonderful views across the flooded upper reaches of the Derwent Valley with glimpses of Ladybower Reservoir sparkling along the valley floor, as well as the two older reservoirs, Howden and Derwent which was used for low-level practice in 1943 by the pilots of RAF 617 Squadron, the Dambusters.

A perfect walk for a winter’s day, with this classic Peakland pub to look forward to at the end.

Mark Reid offers a range of guided walks, map reading courses and outdoor adventures in the Yorkshire Dales. For more details, visit www.teamwalking.co.uk

The Strines Inn at Bradfield

The Strines Inn, Bradfield Dale, Sheffield, S6 6JE tel 0114 285 1247

Excellent food including Giant Yorkshire Pudding with various fillings £8:95; Homemade Steak & Ale Pie £9:25; Liver and Onions £8:30.

Food served lunchtime and evening Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends. Open all day from Easter onwards.

Real Ales. Draught beers include Marston’s Pedigree, Jennings Cocker Hoop plus guest ales.

Accommodation. Three double rooms, from £80 per room B&B.