The Moorland Ramparts of Carl Wark

On the moors beyond Hathersage, history and geology combine to produce a fascinating panorama. The main stone bed from which this area is formed is Chatsworth grit, a coarse, gritty, sandstone, with scattered pebbles, that is extremely resistant to erosion. This was once much valued as a building material and many Peak District buildings, including Chatsworth House, are constructed from it.

The other major use to which it was put was to fashion grinding stones for the emerging Sheffield tool and cutlery industry and to provide millstones for grinding corn. Millstone Edge was once a thriving quarrying area. However the introduction of carborundum (a synthetic abrasive) in the 20th century led to a fall in demand for millstone grit and the consequent demise of the quarrying industry. The quarrymen may have gone but they have left piles of half-fashioned millstones lying amidst the debris of quarried stone near the start of this walk.

The escarpment that forms Burbage Edge is an impressive backdrop for a series of flat-topped hills rising from the moor. Over Owler Tor, Winyards Nick, Higger Tor and Carl Wark were once part of the same sandstone bed as Burbage Edge but were displaced by faulting. With their concave sides, bare gritstone edges and level surfaces these uplands were ideal sites for fortification. There are at least nine fine examples of hill forts in the Peak District probably dating from the Iron Age, and Carl Wark is certainly one of the most spectacular. It is lower in height than its neighbour, Higger Tor, but it is defended naturally on all but one of its sides by very steep slopes. On the undefended side a stone rampart has been built, about 20ft (6m) wide at the base with boulders bonded to a wall of turf. In the south west corner, where the defensive wall turns inwards, lies what would once have been the entrance to the fort.

The age of the fort has never been satisfactorily settled. One school of thought would place it in the post Roman period of the 5th and 6th centuries ad because of the technique used in building the stone and turf wall and because of similarities with the construction of Dark-Age (ad 500-1100) forts in Scotland. Others have argued that the 'in-turned' entrance suggests a much earlier Iron-Age construction. Gardom's Edge, near Baslow to the south, which is very similar to Carl Wark in that its interior is small and rocky with little space for buildings, is actually a neolithic enclosure, however nothing has yet been found at Carl Wark to date it from this time. The controversy will continue but probably Carl Wark was originally an Iron- or Bronze-Age construction, which was re-fortified at the end of the Roman occupation.

Where to eat and drink

The Millstone Inn is on A6187 between the car park and Hathersage. A former coaching inn it has been serving the needs of travellers since the 19th century. The bar has open fires, friendly staff and a selection of traditional and modern dishes prepared using fresh local produce. Timothy Taylor and Black Sheep hand-pulled ales are always on tap along with two guest ales.

While you're there

To find out more about Carl Wark and many other prehistoric sites around the Peak District, it's worth making a trip into nearby Sheffield, where the City Museum in Weston Park has an extensive collection of finds from the area. There are also displays about the ecology and climate of the Peak District, alongside exhibitions reflecting Sheffield's industrial past, particularly its role in the manufacture of cutlery. A highlight of the wildlife exhibits is a polar bear!

What to look for

Black Grouse can be spotted on the moors near Carl Wark but tend to keep under cover and are most likely found near conifer woodland. Males are recognisable by their mostly black plumage and distinctive red wattle on the head. During mating displays their tail is spread to reveal white undertail feathers. The best chance of seeing one is in the early morning from late winter to early summer.