Premium Walk
Lud's Church Chasm
Walk Highlights
- Nearest Town:
- Gradbach
- Postcode:
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- Parking:
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- Distance:
- 3.00 miles
- Time:
- 2.00 hours
- Difficulty:
- Challenging
- Terrain:
Terrain: The path from Gradbach to Lud's Church involves walking through woodland (Back Forest) on earthy, very uneven, rocky, and rooty trails that can be extremely muddy and slippery. There are some moderate ascents and descents on these approach paths. Entry into Lud's Church itself requires a steep, stepped, and rocky descent into a deep, narrow gritstone chasm. Inside Lud's Church, the "path" is on uneven rock, often wet and mossy, with some scrambling over boulders and through narrow passages.
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Ground Conditions
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Dog-Centric Details
- Poo Bins Available:
- No
- Secure/Fenced Area:
- No
- Dog Water Source:
- No
- Dog Notes:
Dog Considerations:
- Leads: Dogs **MUST be on a short lead and under very close, careful control at all times when approaching, entering, and exploring Lud's Church.** The chasm is dark, slippery, has unfenced drops, loose rocks, and narrow, potentially disorientating passages. It is vital for the dog's safety and that of other visitors. On the wider woodland paths approaching Lud's Church, well-behaved dogs with excellent recall *might* be off-lead if the paths are quiet and away from any livestock (sheep may graze nearby moorland fringes), but leads are strongly advised due to the challenging terrain and popularity of the site.
- Water: Forest streams may be present on approach paths. No water in Lud's Church itself. Carry fresh water.
- Wildlife & Livestock: Woodland birds, squirrels. Sheep on adjacent moorland.
- Dog Bins: May be at Gradbach car park. None at or in Lud's Church. You **MUST** take all dog waste home.
- Hazards: Lud's Church: Very slippery rocks, deep clefts, darkness, loose stones, narrow passages, potential for falling rocks. Not suitable for all dogs. Approach paths: Extremely muddy, slippery, uneven, rooty. Steep drops nearby.
- Agility & Size of Dog: Exploring Lud's Church requires a dog to be agile, sure-footed, and not too large to navigate some narrow sections or be easily assisted/lifted if necessary. Not suitable for very large, very small, elderly, or nervous dogs, or those with mobility issues. The owner must also be confident in such terrain.
- EV Charger Nearby:
- No
- Fuel Station Nearby:
- No
- Livestock Information:
- Off-Leash Policy:
- Partial Off-Leash
- Dog Traffic:
- Moderate
- Seasonal Advice:
- Height Restriction:
- No
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About this Walk
Starting Point: Gradbach Car Park (often referred to as Gradbach Scout Camp car park or Luds Church car park), Gradbach, Staffordshire, near the Derbyshire border (Postcode: SK17 0SU is for the Gradbach Mill complex; car park is usually signposted from Gradbach village or near the Scout Camp).
Appr...