Higger Tor, Carl Wark
Discover former packhorse trails, ancient forts and fabulous viewpoints in the pretty Burbage Valley.
Way back in geological times, 150 million years before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, the area that is now the Peak District was underwater.
It was part of a large tropical lagoon, the waters of which contained the sea creatures whose skeletons formed limestone. Fast forward 50 million years and the lagoon was closing, a giant river delta now covered the Peak District.
This formed shifting sandstone bars, which became the millstone grits of the rocky Peak District Edges,and now form the fabulous viewpoints of Higger Tor, Carl Wark and Over Owler Tor.
Skip over the dinosaurs to human times, specifically Bronze and Iron Ages (about 2500BC to 100AD).
The tropical sea/delta was long gone and the land mass roughly in its current position. At this point we had green valleys and ancient tribes. Carl Wark is thought to be either a hillfort or ceremonial gathering place from this time, with later Roman and Middle Age refortifications.
Fast forward to Medieval and later times, and several packhorse tracks criss crossed the Burbage Valley, with key routes connecting the salt trade from Cheshire with Sheffield, as well as the millstone quarries of the Peak District.
The pretty packhorse bridge below Carl Wark is one of the best remnants of these and dates from the 18th century.