High White Peak
Wardlow
A linear limestone village with a historic pub at nearby Wardlow Mires, a steep hill and dales close by.
- Best for
- A characterful pub and limestone-dale walks
- Give it
- A dale walk and a stop at the pub
- Don't miss
- Wardlow Hay Cop and Peter's Stone
The Fox verdict
Small village, striking White Peak character
Wardlow's limestone hills and dales pair with an unspoilt country pub in nearby Wardlow Mires and a dark piece of local history.
Come for the Three Stags' Heads and link the village with Wardlow Hay Cop, Cressbrook Dale, Tansley Dale or Peter's Stone. The modest Victorian church adds a brief historic stop, while the nearby Monsal Trail offers a traffic-free alternative to the hills.
Where to go
Places in Wardlow
Every place below is checked against a published source, listed with what it is and how long to give it.
Local signatures
3 placesChurch of the Good Shepherd
A Grade II-listed church and attached former school built in 1872–73, with limestone walls, gritstone dressings and a twin-gabled bellcote.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: around 20 minutes
- Locality
- Wardlow
Cressbrook Dale
A tranquil, atmospheric limestone dale with spring wildflowers and all-year views.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: around 90 minutes
- Locality
- Near Litton and Cressbrook
Monsal Trail
A traffic-free 8.5-mile trail passing the River Wye and Headstone Viaduct, with walking and cycling towards Bakewell.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: around 90 minutes
- Locality
- Tideswell Dale car park, then about one mile on foot to the trail
- Access
- From Tideswell Dale car park, walk about one mile to the trail; this approach is not accessible.
Food & drink
1 placeThe Three Stags' Heads
An unspoilt country pub with stone-flagged floors and low ceilings. The bar serves Abbeydale beers, including Black Lurcher, alongside changing cask beers.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: around 60 minutes
- Locality
- Wardlow Mires
- Access
- The pub operates on a limited schedule.
Walks & outdoors
2 placesWardlow Hay Cop
A distinctive cone-shaped limestone hill rising to 370 metres, with a summit trig point, an unexcavated Bronze Age burial mound and wide views over Cressbrook Dale.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: around 90 minutes
- Locality
- Just south of the village
Tansley Dale
A dale on a walking circuit with Litton Dale; two gates improve access to the circuit.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: around 45 minutes
- Locality
- On a circuit with Litton Dale
History & heritage
1 placePeter's Stone
A domed limestone outcrop also called Gibbet Rock. After Anthony Lingard was convicted of murdering Hannah Oliver in 1815, his body was displayed at the site in a gibbet.
- Visit length
- Editorial estimate: around 30 minutes
- Locality
- Above Wardlow Mires
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Three ways to explore Wardlow
Signature outings
An unspoilt ale house
The pub's historic interior has a three-star national heritage rating. Steps lead from the road to a narrow bar doorway.
Wardlow Hay Cop
The summit barrow is a scheduled monument. Pause for the landscape and leave the earthwork undisturbed.
Peter's Stone
Use Peter's Stone as a landmark for exploring Cressbrook Dale, part of the Derbyshire Dales National Nature Reserve.
The village story
Wardlow, Hay Cop and the dales
A limestone village, its hill and dales, and an old pub in nearby Wardlow Mires.
The Three Stags' Heads
The Three Stags' Heads stands at Wardlow Mires, the hamlet beyond Wardlow village. The Grade II-listed former farmhouse became a pub, and its stone-flagged floor, low ceiling and range fire give the main bar its character. The historic interior has a three-star rating for national historic importance.
Black Lurcher is an Abbeydale beer named for a former house dog. The bar also carries changing cask beers from local breweries. The old rooms and their unpolished character are reason enough to linger over a drink.
Stories and village realities
A mummified cat was once displayed in a glass case at the Mires pub. Geoff and Pat Fuller ran a pottery on the premises; Andy and Cath took over management in 2019. Neil Gaiman credited a visit, with the cat and lurchers, as inspiration for his story "Black Dog."
Wardlow is a linear village strung along the B6465. Open upland pasture separates it from Wardlow Mires near the A623 junction.
Hay Cop and Peter's Stone
Wardlow Hay Cop rises above the limestone plateau, with a Bronze Age bowl barrow and trig point on its summit. Cressbrook Dale drops away to the west. A walking circuit runs through Tansley and Litton dales. For a level, traffic-free outing, the Monsal Trail can be approached from Tideswell Dale car park, about one mile from the trail.
Peter's Stone is also called Gibbet Rock. After Anthony Lingard was convicted of murdering Hannah Oliver in 1815, his body was displayed here in a gibbet. The name gives this limestone landmark a grim second meaning.
Church and village details
The Church of the Good Shepherd and its attached former school were built in 1872–73. The churchyard provides a small green space beside Wardlow's main road.
Former village wells and a wall-mounted Victorian post box are among the small details along Wardlow's street.
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A guide with a point of view
Written from research. Edited for real journeys.
Use the Official site links for live practical details, then use this guide for context, ideas and room to explore.
Sources
Every place on this page is checked against a published source. Each entry links the record we used and names who publishes it.
- The Three Stags' Heads — historicengland.org.uk statutory register or public authority record not machine-readable; publisher restricts automated access
- Church of the Good Shepherd — achurchnearyou.com national body or asset manager
- Wardlow Hay Cop — her.derbyshire.gov.uk statutory register or public authority
- Tansley Dale — peakdistrict.gov.uk statutory register or public authority record not machine-readable; publisher restricts automated access
- Cressbrook Dale — gov.uk statutory register or public authority
- Peter's Stone — bbc.co.uk national body or asset manager record not machine-readable; publisher restricts automated access
- Monsal Trail — peakdistrict.gov.uk statutory register or public authority record not machine-readable; publisher restricts automated access